As is often the case with Social Security, good news usually is followed by bad news. First, the good news: the number of cases awaiting Social Security hearings continues to drop. The bad news: the average time it takes for a claimant to receive a … [Read more...]
What will happen to Grandma and Grandpa currently in the nursing home under the proposed budget cuts?
Currently, Medicaid pays for about two-thirds of the 1.4 million elderly people in nursing homes. The Legislative Branch is currently debating the dramatic cuts to Medicaid, in addition to many other public service programs currently up for … [Read more...]
It’s getting harder to get Disability.
In 2016, for the first time in nearly 30 years, the number of Americans receiving Social Security disability payments declined. The 8.89 million people receiving SSD in January 2016 marked the first time that the number of people receiving … [Read more...]
President Trump Causing increase in SSA Wait Time
President Donald Trump’s federal hiring freeze will exacerbate the backlog of cases waiting to be heard for Social Security Disability. There are currently around 1,650 Administrative Judges hearing disability claims in the US. Even with this … [Read more...]
2017 SSA Changes
COLA or Cost of Living Adjustments are meant to keep benefits on track with inflation rates. The 2017 COLA adjustment is .3%. The tax rate is remaining unchanged, with employees still being taxed at 7.65% and self-employed persons being taxed at … [Read more...]
2015 Award Rate Information
Some clients tell me right off the bat that they know SSA will deny them several times and they understand they have a long fight ahead of them. Other times, we receive teary calls from clients who received a denial and cannot understand why SSA … [Read more...]
Can a non-citizen/person living outside the U.S. receive disability benefits?
If you are a US Citizen, but you move or remain outside of the US for more than 30 days, your SS benefits will stop. To qualify for benefits, all noncitizens first must meet the same eligibility requirements as United States citizens regarding … [Read more...]