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• SOCIAL SECURITY
• Posted: 2008-01-12 17:47:47 By Nikki s
• Hello all,
  
  I was wondering if anyone knows if your disability checks are always a month behind.. for example do you get paid decembers payment in january? and january in february and so on??
  
  and is it possible for them to not pay you for a month?????!!!
  
  THANX!

• Re: SOCIAL SECURITY
• Posted: 2008-01-12 17:56:55 By Natalie C
• If I remember correctly, they are paid in arrears as you stated. This shouldn't cause any skipped months though. On a separate note, I just received a form from SSDI to fill out the other day because the fact that I still work seems to be confusing them. Of course, the box for 'Not Blind' was marked instead of the box for 'Blind' which might have something to do with it. This is why the government should just let us keep our money and manage it ourselves instead of taking it and then botching the job of paying it back to us (without interest).

• Re: Re: SOCIAL SECURITY
• Posted: 2008-01-12 18:34:06 By Nikki s
• i hope that is how it goes cuz i just got a letter from them today , i signed up for rx coverage and it made it sound like they were not gonna pay me for january, this is what it says, (im putting in false numbers but note the amounts)
  
  As you requester we will begin deductiong your medicare rx drug plan costs from your monthly benefit.
  
  what we will pay and when:
  
  you will receive 123 for january 2008 on or around feb. 20 (so it sounds like they are not paying me for january instead i wont get paid until feb.)
  
  after that you will receive 130 on or around the third wednesday of each month.(now they are making it sounds like i am getting paid more in feb. than january) so do they take 2 rx plan amounts out at once??? then it says
  
  (my monthly plan costs 21.60)
  
  we have deducted 43.20 for rx plan costs from the check you will receive for january 2008 on or about feb. 20th.
  
  each month we will continue to deduct 21.60.
  
  
  so basically it sounds like they took two months worth of rx pay and that i am not getting paid until feb???? so that is why i am wondering if really you receive your december payment in jaunary cuz if so this makes sense if not its confusing.
  
  
  information about you medicare rx plan costs:
  
  

• Re: Re: Re: SOCIAL SECURITY
• Posted: 2008-01-12 20:09:48 By Natalie C
• It sounds to me like they will deduct Jan 2008 and Feb 2008 medicare payments from your Feb 2008 benefit check (which is actually January's benefit in arrears). And then starting in March they will only be deducting one month's worth of mediare payments from your benefit check each month. Just because the benefits you receive are in arrears, doesn't mean the momthly medicare payments are in arrears. They probably couldn't get the paperwork done in time to trigger the transaciton to deduct in January or this may be how they always do it. My interpretation is that you will still receive a January benefit as usual but the 'new' medicare decutions just won't start until February's payment.

• Re: Re: Re: Re: SOCIAL SECURITY
• Posted: 2008-01-12 22:30:00 By Nikki s
• Whew. that is exactly what someone else said to me...they really need to word things differently !!! i t hink sometimes they like to confuse us! thank you for you replies!!!

• Re: Re: Re: Re: Re: SOCIAL SECURITY
• Posted: 2008-01-13 02:26:04 By Darran Z
• I agree with Natalie here. Thats what it sounds like is happening.
  
  Since the month you receive payment is actually payment for the previous month, and the premiums do not run like this. So if you started the Rx plan then you'd get hit twice in Feb for the Jan/Feb premiums and then March, have the regular monthly premium start.
  
  Darran

• Re: Re: Re: Re: Re: Re: SOCIAL SECURITY
• Posted: 2008-01-13 02:36:47 By Nikki s
• Thanks you guys! i feel better now.

• Re: Re: Re: Re: SOCIAL SECURITY
• Posted: 2008-01-13 20:45:44 By shequita j
• Can you recieve SSI if you have some sight and you can work in your profession (ie. social work, school teacher) or if you just need assistance with transportation.

• Re: Re: Re: Re: Re: SOCIAL SECURITY
• Posted: 2008-01-14 08:59:39 By Bradley C
• It's not a fact of it you "can work" or "can't work". It all depends on if you can qualify under the disability guidelines. For them to determine that you are disabled you have to meet certain requirements. Less than 20 degrees of visual field or 20/400 with corrective lenses. I think the 20/400 is right. Darran Z knows more about it than I do.
  
  So in my case I can see 20/30 and read a few letters on 20/20. BUT I have less than 20 degrees visual field left so I qualify for disability. Being visually disabled or you can earn up to $1500 a month. So I get $829 a month from disability and can earn a few extra dollars on the side if I wanted to.

• Re: Re: Re: Re: Re: Re: SOCIAL SECURITY
• Posted: 2008-01-14 15:13:16 By Darran Z
• Well, if you are currently working and apply for SSDI then they will deny you, even if you do qualify. They see you in "gainful employment". However the program that allows one to work and collect SSDI at the same time is geared towards permitted those who are on SSDI get off it with the ability to earn some and still keep the benefits. Unless you qualify by their strict terms of "Statutory Blindness" that is th eonly way to be able to keep your income and SSDI, earning up to $1500/month. If you are not Statutory Blind, then it's less than half that amount so it makes a difference.
  
  DO NOT ASSUME YOU ARE CLASSIFIED AS STATUTORY BLINDNESS as they are very strict on their guidelines for medical classifications. If youa re borderline, they will put you in "Visual Disturbances" and that puts you at the lower end of the income potential to earn and keep your benefits.
  
  Darran

• Re: Re: Re: Re: Re: Re: Re: SOCIAL SECURITY
• Posted: 2008-01-14 21:09:07 By Michael Z
• What is classified as Statutory Blindness? I am very close to apply for SSDI, however is a limit of $1500 a month set in stone. When I get my bi-yearly SS Statements in the mail it says that if I were to go out on disability, I would get $1819 a month. Would I get the $1819 a month or max out at $1500 b/c its a blind issue?

• Re: Re: Re: Re: Re: Re: Re: Re: SOCIAL SECURITY
• Posted: 2008-01-14 22:52:19 By Darran Z
• I think you are confusing of what your benefits are with the ability to work and still retain those benefits. Does that make sense? So if you are able to get $1800 in SSDI, then you can keep that SSDI and earn up to $1500/month (total $3300/month).
  
  Whether you are classified as Statutory Blindness or other disability, such as Visual Disturbances, has no relevance of how much your SSDI will be. You put the credits into the systemso that is legally yours.
  
  Now to answer your question, Statutory Blindness definition by SSA is the same as legal blindness, just using a more sophisticated term if you ask me. That is having less than 20 degrees of visual field or no better than 20/200 VA (with correction) in the better eye.
  
  I got SSDI and I was not even classified as Statutory Blind until they reassesed me a few years after my first application and changed it to Statutory Blindness. The Statugory Blindness only comes into play when you are getting SSDI and attempting to work because that changes the SGA (Substatial gainful activity) that you can earn permonth. Those who are Statutory Blind can earn up to $1500 without losing their benefits (no matter how much the SSDI benefit is). If you don't have Statutory Blindness, then you can only earn around $700 something a month before they take your benefits away.
  
  Does that make sense?
  
  Darran
  

• Re: Re: Re: Re: Re: Re: Re: Re: Re: SOCIAL SECURITY
• Posted: 2008-01-15 08:57:43 By Michael Z
• That makes perfect sense. Thank you so much! I'm so glad we have someone with your knowledge on this message board.

• Re: Re: Re: Re: Re: Re: Re: Re: Re: SOCIAL SECURITY
• Posted: 2008-01-16 12:52:14 By Lisa E
• I am in the beginning stages of filing for my disability and my attorney told me that the most I can earn if I continue to work is $970.00/mo. and still get my benefits. I told her that I read on this forum that I could earn up to $1500/mo and she said that was incorrect information. And I am classified legally blind. She also told me that I need to either stop working while I apply or cut back on my hours. Since I'm still working, I will be scrutinized very closely. Just thought i'd pass this info along.

• Re: Re: Re: Re: Re: Re: Re: Re: Re: Re: SOCIAL SECURITY
• Posted: 2008-01-16 13:30:57 By Darran Z
• You may be declared legally blind by your doctor but until you get through the hoops with SSA, you won't be declared as such. When I applied I told them to put down "blind" but they refused because I was not using a white cane at the time I applied.
  
  I suggest you show this SSA link to your lawyer. For 2008, a blind person CAN EARN UP TO $1570/month withoug losing benefits. It sounds to me like you need to fire your lawyer and hire a new one. She doesn't know what she is doing.
  
  http://www.socialsecurity.gov/pubs/10095.html#part3
  
  Secondly, you will be paying more in legal fees to attemp tto get SSDI while you are working. I can guarantee you that they will deny you because you are working, even if you are working part-time. The only way to guarantee you getting SSDI is to stop working now and then apply. Otherwise, you will be fighting this.
  
  Darran

• Re: Re: Re: Re: Re: Re: Re: Re: Re: Re: Re: SOCIAL SECURITY
• Posted: 2008-01-22 13:39:54 By Lisa E
• You were right, Darran. I spoke with two attorneys and the first one said I could only earn $940 per month if I continue to work. Then the other attorney told me I could earn up to $1500 because I'm staturtory blind. The second attorney also told me that she didn't believe I needed an attorney at all. I'm going solo on this one, and if I get denied, maybe I'll consult an attorney. Thanks for the info.

• Re: Re: Re: Re: Re: Re: Re: Re: Re: Re: Re: Re: SOCIAL SECURITY
• Posted: 2008-01-22 13:48:16 By Darran Z
• If you are denied, I woudln't get an attorney right away because 99% of the time, the second time around you get approved. Attorneys love to make you think you need them the 2nd time because they KNOW you will win, and thus, an easy way for them to pry on you and get your money.
  
  Darran

• Re: Re: Re: Re: Re: Re: SOCIAL SECURITY
• Posted: 2008-01-31 20:09:59 By shequita j
• thsnk you so much for all of the information. this board has definelty been a blessing. Darran are you a xocial worker..... you would be an excellent one....we need people like you.