The article appeared in The Buffalo News on December 2, 2023. By Jeffrey Freedman Locally, Social Security Disability (SSD) claimants typically wait 539 days for their claims to go from the application process through the hearing stage. After hearing the case, an administrative law judge makes a decision regarding benefits.…
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Individuals who have been incarcerated may be entitled to Social Security retirement, disability, or survivor benefits, under the SSDI and SSI programs, upon their release. Social Security benefits for released prisoners include individuals seeking to restore previous benefits or those who wish to apply for the first time. When we…
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By Christopher J. Grover, Esq. The original article appeared in The Bar Association of Erie County Bulletin Is counseling a client to potentially forego a sizable monetary benefit ever the “right” thing to do? Sometimes, if you are talking about a Social Security Disability (SSD) claim, it is. Jason contacted…
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By Jeffrey Freedman As seen in The Buffalo News on August 15, 2023 When Supplemental Security Income (SSI) was established in 1972, it was to provide a national standard of government support for disabled members of poor, working families. The program mainly served adults until 1990, when the Supreme Court…
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By: Dan Herbeck, The Buffalo News First of two parts Kelly Page was a happy, hard-working North Buffalo woman when a brain aneurysm and a stroke rocked her world. It was spring in 2016 when her family began to notice that Page, 41, was forgetting things. She had trouble remembering…
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Prior to COVID-19, Social Security Disability Insurance (SSDI) claimants were required to appear in person to have their hearings in front of Administrative Law Judges (ALJs). This often meant traveling long distances by car or public transportation, finding reasonable parking, and getting through a security check before reaching the hearing…
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Currently, Social Security Disability (SSD) claimants must wait 5 months after their disability starts to be entitled to monthly benefit payments. Then, even after they are entitled to receive payments, they must wait 2 years to receive health insurance through Medicare. These mandatory waiting periods may be over soon. U.S.…
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When someone has been injured at or developed an illness due to work and can’t return to their job, they are entitled to workers’ compensation benefits. If sustained injuries are severe enough to prevent the victim from working again in any capacity, they may also qualify for Social Security Disability…
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Facing a serious medical condition or assisting a loved one through their medical issues can be incredibly stressful. While qualified employees can temporarily step away from their jobs without fear of employer retaliation through the Family and Medical Leave Act (FMLA), serious financial implications can follow. You may be wondering…
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Supplemental Security Income (SSI) is a program run by both the federal and state governments to help individuals living with extremely limited financial resources. There are strict income and asset thresholds in order to qualify for SSI benefits, so there’s not much you can do to increase the amount you…
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