If you are disabled and living off Supplemental Security Disability Income (SSDI) benefits, your fixed income could present unique challenges regarding where you live. Although SSDI benefits come from the federal government, individual states assess these benefits differently, so your monthly payments might go farther in some states than others….
If you qualify for disability benefits through Social Security, there may be some instances where other family members may qualify for benefits as well. These benefit payments, called auxiliary benefits, are monthly payments made to your qualifying spouse or children that are based on your earnings record. Whether your family…

If you have been approved for Social Security Disability Insurance (SSDI) or Supplemental Security Income (SSI) benefits, congratulations! The hardest part of the process is over, but the process itself continues. Every three to seven years, Social Security Administration (SSA) will conduct a continuing disability review (CDR) on your case…

If you apply for Social Security Disability Insurance (SSDI) or Supplemental Security Income (SSI) benefits, you will inevitably come across the Blue Book, officially titled Disability Evaluation Under Social Security. The Blue Book provides lists of impairments divided into fourteen sections. Each section contains medical criteria you must meet in…

When individuals receive monthly benefits from Social Security Administration (SSA), the agency will periodically check in on recipients to see if they still meet the eligibility rules, known as the Continuing Disability Review process. SSA is required to repeat this process every three years. SSA reviews current beneficiaries by asking…
In a previous article, we discussed how overpayments occur and what you can do if you are notified that you have received one or more overpayments. To recap, you have three options available to you: 1) reconsideration; 2) waiver; or 3) payment agreement. You should ask for reconsideration if you…

Unfortunately, having your application for Disability benefits get denied by the Social Security Administration is common. If you are denied, you have the right to appeal this decision. There are several levels of appeal. You have 60 days from the date you receive your denial to submit your request for…

An overpayment occurs when you receive more in monthly benefits than you are supposed to. The amount of that overpayment is the difference between what you were owed and what you received. There are a number of reasons why overpayments occur, including your failure to report changes to Social Security…

Although Social Security Administration (SSA) can make incorrect payments to recipients of retirement, disability, or survivors’ benefits, these mistakes are rare. In the event that you receive an extra payment from SSA in addition to your usual monthly benefits payments, it can be helpful to know why and what you…

If you apply for either Social Security Disability Insurance (SSDI) or Supplemental Security Income (SSI) on the basis of a mental health disorder, you may be required to undergo a mental exam. Since many people do not have a recorded medical history with respect to their mental health, an exam…