The first thing you need to understand about applications for SSD and SSI is that they are made up of several steps or stages. At each stage, you have a chance to win your case. However, even if you don’t win at a stage, you have the right to appeal to the next stage. You…

Let’s say that at Step 4, you are found to be unable to do any of your past relevant work. Regardless of the reason – it could be too strenuous or it could be too stressful – it is ruled that you cannot do it. What happens next? Once your past work is out of…

So, your impairment or impairments didn’t meet the requirements laid out in the Listing of Impairments that we previously discussed.  Is your case over?  Not yet.  The next step is for Social Security to ask:  Can you do your past work?  In other words, even with your “severe impairment” (from Step 2), could you still…

So you think Steps 1 & 2 were a little complicated? Well hold on tight for Step 3.  This one is a real doozy. Basically, what you need to know is that there is a part of Social Security’s Regulations called the Listing of Impairments.  It runs about 50 pages, and it contains highly technical…

If you are even considering filing for SSD or SSI, you almost certainly think you have a “severe” impairment. You may use different words to describe your condition, but you probably think that it’s pretty bad. Otherwise, why would you be looking to get benefits? Unfortunately, this is yet another area where you and Social…

How the 5-Step Process Works As the name implies, the 5-step process is essentially a set of 5 questions that Social Security asks in order to determine if you are disabled. Each question basically has a yes or no answer. Depending on the answer, you may be found to be disabled or not disabled, or…

It happens every day.  A potential client comes in to our office and says that he deserves Social Security because he “feels” disabled.  Unfortunately, we have to tell this person that it is just not that easy.  “Feeling disabled” won’t cut it with Social Security.  You need proof – lots of proof- from lots of…

The next benefit type we’ll be looking at is Disabled Adult Child Benefits.  Even the title of this sounds complicated.  How can you be an adult and a child at the same time?  Simply put, this program is designed for adults who became disabled when they were still children.  They became disabled before they could…

In addition to SSD and SSI, which we have talked about, there are two other important disability programs under Social Security:  Widow/Widower benefits and Disabled Adult Children. Widow and widower benefits, are sometimes called “survivor” benefits. The short story is that both for retirement and disability purposes, widows and widowers can receive benefits on the…

The Social Security Administration offers two main disability programs.  The larger and more comprehensive one is SSD.  The other is Supplemental Security Income, or SSI. SSI assumes a whole different set of circumstances from SSD in terms of eligibility.  The program is designed to help the extremely poor and needy, including folks who have never…