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• SS benefits
• Posted: 2008-03-09 16:02:59 By Vicki T
• Hi everyone. Last month I applied for SS benefits, over the phone and then filled out all the forms and mailed them back, etc. They told me it could take 3 to 5 months to reach a decision! Wow, why so long? Since my vision is now 20/50 and a VF of less than 10 degrees, I'm assuming I would be condidered legally blind. Is that correct? (the poor VF is what would be the determining factor here since my VA isn't poor enough yet) How long did it take some of you to hear back from SS? I can't understand why it should take so long since all they really need to do is confirm my condition with my eye Dr., right? I am currently not working and could definately use the income. (Thank goodness my husband works.) Just wondered if some of you heard back in a shorter ammount of time. Also wondered how long it took to get your first SS check. Thanks......waiting patiently, but not liking it, :)
  Vicki T

• Re: SS benefits
• Posted: 2008-03-09 22:14:39 By Darran Z
• That's standard procedure. There is a 5 month wait period before SS benefits become effective upon approval anyway, so it doesn't matter if they decide tomorrow you are approved or in 4 months, you still won't get your first payment until 5 months of the date you applied.
  
  Yes, you would likely qualify for it, but you don't have to be legally blind (they have several classifications for those who are Blind/VI).
  
  They will likely send you to a doctor to go through all the evaluations again. Unless your doctor has dealt with them before and knows the specifics of what they want, then it can take time to get through this. They are often overloaded by claims to begin with and the decision isn't made by SS per se. It is outsourced to a Disability Determinantion Services (which is a State agency) and depending their caseload, it can take longer. Mine was outsourced to another state! That's how bad it was when I first filed. UGH!
  
  One question I have is are you currently working? If you are, I will guarantee they will deny you and it will create problems of getting approved.
  
  Darran

• Re: Re: SS benefits
• Posted: 2008-03-09 23:28:12 By Vicki T
• Hi Darran. Thanks for your reply. No, I'm currently not working, so I guess that shouldn't prolong the process. Guess I'll just have to be patient, right? Sure has been a long and hard winter here in Iowa and I'm getting really bored not working. Definately ready for Spring to get here! :)
  Vicki T

• Re: Re: SS benefits
• Posted: 2008-03-13 20:57:46 By Barbara C
• Darran, I thought the blind classification was statutory blind. (Otherwise it is just another disability and you cannot earn as much money under SSDI as if you are statutory blind.) ??

• Re: Re: Re: SS benefits
• Posted: 2008-03-13 21:32:42 By Darran Z
• Barbara,
  
  The issue at hand was getting SSDI. It doesn't matter what the classification is, whether it be Statutory Blindness or Visual Disturbances, it has no effect upon the amount of SSDI one recieves.
  
  However, you are correct, in the event that someone who is obtaining SSDI and wants to work, then the ability to earn more money requires the Statutory Blindness classification. But I'm not talking about that since we are just dealing with getting SSDI, and that isn't dependant on the classification. You get what you put into the system, not severity of disability.
  
  Darran

• Re: SS benefits
• Posted: 2008-03-10 13:03:59 By Bradley C
• Hi there! I went through this process last year and if you do what they tell you to do and don't give them grief it will go a lot easier than most will tell you. I applied at the end of March and started recieving in September. Was paid backpay through SSDI for the time I was without a job and without the benefits. By the info you've provided you should qualify for benefits.. I'm in the same situation you are in as far as your eyes. I have 20/30 vision but only have about 8 degrees left. You'll have to go to the doctor they tell you to visit and get the test done. Anyway, good luck with your stuff and I hope it goes as fast as mine did.

• Re: Re: SS benefits
• Posted: 2008-03-10 13:41:20 By Vicki T
• Hi Bradley, thanks for your reply. Did you have to pay for the Dr. visit and tests that they sent you to or did SS cover those costs? I recently went to my own eye Dr. and had a couple different eye tests done along with the usual eye exam and that visit alone cost me almost $300. I still have to have another field test done next week and I'm not sure what that test will cost. So, as you can imagine, I'm not looking forward to another expense. I am hoping SS will be satisfied with just getting the info they need from my own Dr. and the tests I've gotten there. But, I'll do whatever I need to do. You mentioned you got backpay for the time you weren't working up until your SS payments started. I didn't think you could get any payments during the 5 month waiting period. Was I wrong? I haven't been working since 1/4/08. The SS person told me, over the phone, that if I was approved I would probably start getting a check in July. (I filed in Feb.) Guess I'll wait and see. Thanks.
  Vicki T

• Re: Re: Re: SS benefits
• Posted: 2008-03-10 15:37:31 By mary o
• Hi Vicki,
  
  I applied for disability in Feb. 2007 and it took 4 mos. to get approved. SS also sent me to another dr. for a visual field and acuity test. You won't have to pay anything for the dr. visit; however, the dr. they sent me to was in a city about 40 miles from where I live. They paid me mileage but it wasn't near enough to cover the trip and my husband had to take off work to take me there. My first payment was the month following the approval month. I also got back pay but can't figure out how they figured it. I was laid off work in Aug. 2005 and drew unemployment until Jan. 2006. The back pay was dated from March 2006. I was shocked to get the back pay so I didn't ask too many questions. Once you're approved be sure to find out if you need to have taxes withheld. Good luck!

• Re: Re: Re: SS benefits
• Posted: 2008-03-10 17:01:33 By Darran Z
• Vicki,
  
  No, you don't have to pay for the visit to the doctor. SS covers those expenses.
  
  But unless your doctor is detailed or the fact that he is on one of SS's list of "approved" doctors to go to, then you just gotta take the hoops they send you through.
  
  Brad is correct, if you do what they ask, then likely you won't have to worry so much.
  
  Although, the backpay is an interesting issue. Alot depends upon how long it has been since you worked. If it has been several years, they may not go back at all. Timing of when you quit work and when you apply for SSDI is critical to whether you get backpay or not.
  
  Darran

• Re: SS benefits
• Posted: 2008-03-10 19:29:11 By Bradley C
• I'll try to shed some light on a little of what I found out during the process and if I'm wrong then someone can correct me. Here goes my attempt to explain this. We will use my example for a reference since I know the months that everything happened. I had to leave my job in late January early February of 2007. I filed for my benefits in March 2007. From what I gather Social Security will determine by the information you've provided them when you were "techniclly disabled". Basiclly when you stopped working. So they determined in my case that it was March of 2007 (when I filed) that I was disabled. There is a 5 month waiting period for Social Security. You don't recieve backpay for those 5 months. So they started my checks September 2007. The backpay I recieved was from SSDI. Which if I'm not mistaken is determined by how much income is made by you and your household. They determined that I was under the limit and I recieved around $120 a month for those 5 months that I wasn't working nor had Social Security. So they sent me a backpay check close to $600 dollars. When I started getting my benefits each month the $120 a month stopped because we had to much income in the household.
  
  I didn't have to pay anything for any Dr.'s visit's for Social Security. luckily my eye Dr. is on the "approved" list of Dr.'s for Social Security.
  
  Another case that I know of was a friend of mine was in a car wreck, could no longer work because of his back.. it got broke in the wreck and he still isn't right from it. It took him over 1 1/2 year to get his disability but he got backpaid every last penny from the time OF the wreck. So the backpay can be tricky like Darran said. If you do what they want, when they want it, how they want it. It should go pretty fast.

• Re: Re: SS benefits
• Posted: 2008-03-11 09:50:24 By Darran Z
• Brad,
  
  It sounds like you recieved SSI during those 5 months of waiting not SSDI. Your SS benefits is SSDI. The two programs get people confused. SSI= Supplemental Security Income, which is dependant upon your total household income. SSDI (disability insurance) is the actual SS benefit.
  
  Yes, many times they will apply for both programs while you are in that 5 month period. They did that for me and obviously I recieved SSI while waiting for my SSDI to come along.
  
  Darran

• Re: Re: Re: SS benefits
• Posted: 2008-03-11 11:35:28 By Vicki T
• Darran,
  Thanks for pointing out the difference between SSI and SSDI. It makes sense now. I was denied the SSI because my husband works so our household income was above the limit to recieve it. So I won't receive any "backpay"/SSI. I was a little confused before, but now I get it. The SS letter which they sent me denying SSI also stated that it didn't have anything to do with being able to get SSDI. So that's good.
  I'm sure glad to have this message board to come to and get all these questions answered by people like "all of you" who've been there and done that. It helps alot. Thanks again!
  Vicki T

• Re: Re: Re: Re: SS benefits
• Posted: 2008-03-11 12:04:22 By Darran Z
• Vicki,
  
  Many people get the two programs mixed up. And yes, SSI denial doesn't affect yoru SSDI application because the SSDI is not a needs based program. Your hubby can earn a million bucks and you can still collect your SSDI.
  
  The disability criteria is the same for both programs though.
  
  Darran

• Re: SS benefits
• Posted: 2008-03-11 10:29:50 By Bradley C
• I always get the two confused.

• Re: Re: SS benefits
• Posted: 2008-03-12 09:19:06 By Kim V
• Thanks for all of your messages. My husband and I are in the midst of make decisions. I went to the drs yesterday and am no longer to drive and will be eligible for SSDI, so I am going to get the paperwork started right away. I am on unemployment at the moment (was laid off on Feb. 13) I knew that this was coming for me just didn't think it would be so quick. Well any way, your postings have answered a lot of questions for me. Do any of you work part time or full time and still get benefits? I am looking at doing some freelance dairy nutrition work (feeding cows for production) I can't drive but my husband is willing to take a day or two a month and get me to the farms I need to be at. Most of my work could be done at home. I also have 3 small children so it would be nice to work from home. Just wondered if any of you are still able to work? Thanks again, Kim

• Re: SS benefits
• Posted: 2008-03-13 20:55:00 By Barbara C
• If you are applying for SSDI, make sure that they classify you as Statutory blind. If you are statutory blind and decide to try to work again, your earnings can be more (probably aruond $1500 a month).

• Re: SS benefits
• Posted: 2008-03-14 00:48:36 By Barbara C
• I was unclear... what you get from SSDI is based on your earnings history. But if you are statutory blind, make sure they classify you as such.

• Re: Re: SS benefits
• Posted: 2008-03-16 16:09:07 By Kim V
• Barbara,
  
  Thanks for the reply, don't mean to be slow here but what does statuatory blind mean exactly...Thnaks, Kim

• Re: Re: Re: SS benefits
• Posted: 2008-03-17 23:37:31 By Vicki T
• Kim,
  It's another term for "legally blind". A person is considered legally blind if their corrected visual acuity is 20/200 or less in the better eye, OR if regardless of visual acuity, the peripheral field of vision is reduced to a radius of 10 degrees or less. Hope that answers your question.
  Vicki T