SOCIAL SECURITY~ DISABILITY`how to get on it | Arthritis Information

 

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SS # (plan on a half hr!!) 800-772-1213


Ok, I feel the need and maybe help some people, if I can.

This is all from personal experience.

Its a game, , they like to keep it all mysterious, so I call it a game.

First, Yes the first time, you will be Denied.
They never tell people this!! arghhhhhhh..but 99% are denied and then think, they don't have a chance... you do!

If you're thinking about being on disability.. don't think..RUN.. GO ASAP
and file.. it'll usually take 1-2 yrs, to even get accepted. The sooner you file,
the sooner , you get BACK PAY

2.) GET A LAWYER!!
REally really impt!! They don't make any money, until you win. They do alot of the filing and are invaluable!! GET a GOOD ONE, bc you can't change in midstream!
Really look around, don't just get anyone... ask people, do some research.
again GET A LAWYER!! Most IMPORTANT Thing you can do!!
They know the law, all the tricks, how to file, when, etc.
Its worth it!

3.) EVery Time, you go to the SS office, make them put it IN WRITING, have them sign a piece of paper, verifying you were there. They will hate doing this and tell u its in the computer.. Make them sign and date it anyway!!
They are sooo overworked and overwhelmed its not funny.
GET IT IN WRITING, you were THERE, EVERYTIME!

4.) DO KEEP UP TO DATE FILES!!

5.) GET a great Dr, go to your appts, ask your lawyer, to even recommend some drs, that will help you and support you.

6.) If you need Therapy.. Do IT!!
Depression, Bipolar, etc... all need meds/ and therapy. AS does RA, etc.
I like therapy, I'm a fan of it!
It doesn't make you weak, it makes you stronger and a better person.
It helps you handle life, and gives you tools, to cope.

Find someone , you like, can relate to. If after the first 3 visits, you're not connecting, look around for another one.

If you have a Mental Disablility~ chemical imbalance.. this will also help your case.
STAY on your meds!! LOL
Go regularly.. this will be invaluable to your case.
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7.) Don't make the mistake of thinking Dr;'s are all knowing God's ... they aren't!
I'm not a huge fan.. it took them 18 yrs, to figure out I was Partially DEAF!! Over 50 percent!
I've been partially deaf , since I was 3..and saw tons of drs, growing up.. and they never figured it out. (i'm keeping this short, bc i will rant soon!) LOL
If you Know theres something wrong with you, be Persistant keep going and try to find Dr's.. that will acknowledge you and work w/ you.
..
I'm Bipolar and tell everyone, anyway! LOL
(If you have ?'s about bipolar, please feel free to pm me. )
I've been since a kid and it took until past 30, for them to figure this out.. again ARGHH
so

8.) FIND GOOD DRS

9.) PERSISTANCE, PERSISTANCE, PERSITANCE!!!

10. ) Don't give up.

and i will post more later , LOL ,

Keep the faith, don't give up, read motivation/inspirational things.
Blessings  and Joy

~

Whispered/ Katie

 

Ps: If you are working at all now, you will NOT get on disability!!

I know a lot of you w/ RA, want to and wish to keep working.. sometimes what our mind wants, is different from what our bodies, can do.. check w/ your RHem Dr.. see if thats really viable, and if he thinks you won't be able to work, or if you feel like your body isn't going to let you.. start making a savings plan..

talk to a Lawyer and get some ideas.. but remember..

once you get that lawyer, you HAVE to stay w/ him.

So get a good, experienced one!~

Good luck and hope this helps ~

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AchingAudrey2008-11-30 20:23:29To add to your advice Whispered, I've just recently applied and you can fill in forms on-line rather than in the over-the-phone interview, which gives you time to think about your answers, or even write them in a word processor and copy/paste.  It's a long process, so you can stop and go back to where you were later.  Start here: https://secure.ssa.gov/apps6z/ISBA/main.htmlThe biggest problem for me (and probably most people) is not working, therefor not getting a paycheck during this time. I know I can't go without a paycheck! I also work 4 days a week, one of those days is almost always a 12 hour day. I'm a hairdresser using my hands all day, while standing on my feet. It's not easy. I don't know anything else, I've been doing this for 18 years, half my life. There is really no way to change my career to one that could be easier on my body. What are my options here, not much? I do appreciate you posting this though, this way if the time does come, I know what I'm up against. Maybe, just maybe, I'll go into a blessed remission and not have to worry.i was a hairdresser for 10 years, tried office work and my knees and ankles where so  swollen and flared up, finally oct 2006 i stopped working,  had a short term dis plan i paid for thru work which lasted 6 months , i had applied for regular full disability when i stopped working in oct 2006, got denied once, hired a referred disability lawyer recommened from my sil., got denied a 2nd time, and now we are waiting on a hearing. so 2 yrs later almost still nothing, but i hope each day that some day soon (hopefully) within the next year i will get approved already and get my back pay and start collecting a monthly income again. dont get my wrong its very hard to live off my husbands salary alone and we have 5 kids at home 

ahh first ?   finding a lawyer, try calling various therapists offices... they might have an idea..

 

I feel for those working, I have no idea how you do it,..

there is absolutely no way, i could work.. c o u l d n t.

 

Also note, if you do get on SS.. do NOT go back to Work!!!!

As much as they say,  ohh go to work. .. you get punished for it and any extra money you get, believe me, they'll find a way, to take it out..

 cash,  money orders, from relatives, etc. can't trace..

Do not go to work ,  it will NOt help you!! if on disability..

I went to work , 8 yrs ago, for 2 months, about 10-18 hrs a wk..

and it took me over a YEAR of hassles to get some of my money back.. never did get it all.. I had to fight to get my disability checks, it was nuts!!!..

 Good luck and again PERsistance!!

mom of 5, faint, i really hope you can get it soon!!~Do they take taxes out of the check?  Also if you are married is it true you they reduce the amount of your check?  I am going to file this Friday after I see this rheumy.  This info is very good.  My friend was denied and got an attorney.  She had her first check within 3 months.Some of what money back?

"I went to work , 8 yrs ago, for 2 months, about 10-18 hrs a wk.. and it took me over a YEAR of hassles to get some of my money back.. never did get it all.."

Aleva, I believe if you are on SSI, which is for those who haven't worked enough to get the credits, that being married makes a difference, while I believe on SSDI, it doesn't matter.  But maybe someone else knows for sure.  I don't know about the taxes.

Deb, some states have short-term disability programs, some employers have short and long term disability programs, so check around what's available.  Some of these may hold you over until you're able to get SSDI. If all else fails, perhaps unemployment or welfare.

I am very fortunate that my state has STD, and my employer had both STD and LTD, so I am now on LTD while waiting for SSDI.  My LTD provider takes out Federal withholding based on what I request.

 

As for working and getting benefits reduced, that is the way it is supposed to work.  However my experience with an ex who was on SSI was that everytime SS failed to take out money at the appropriate time, then would start taking out too much, and wouldn't stop taking it out right away when he was no longer working.  It was quite a hassle getting the accounting straightened out with them, and maybe that's what Whispered is referring to.  And if your benefit check is accidentally reduced while you are no longer working, that can be quite a hardship.  But certainly if you can work at some point, whether part time or full time, it is your obligation, and better for you in general, if you do.

Whispered ideas are good, but one thing to remember in regard to unemployment. Another large SS Disability Company is Allsup, Inc.  I hired them and it will be 3 years this October since I filed.  This is not something you do in a hurry. Bonny2008-09-22 12:00:11I read somewhere that if you are still working you will never get SS disability.  I thought I was doing the right thing plus I cant afford to quit and wait. I can't take dragging myself into work every day for 1-2 more years.   I was going to talk to my Rheumy about it tomorrow.  Anyone know if this is true??SS disability is for individuals who aren't able to work due to a medical condition.   When I applied I used a national disability attorney and was awarded disability 8 months later.  There are so many issues to look at and hundreds of forms and reports, doctor's appts, etc. that it was worth the money to use an attorney.  LindyI have received my 2nd denial letter and am meeting with a lawyer next week to prepare for a hearing before a judge.  I intend to take this as far as I can because I know I can't work and haven't been able to for quite some time.Audrey, Good luck with your hearing.  Even though they use the same equations from state to state the wait time, how you're treated, the ifs and whys are so completely different.  One of the reasons I was awarded so quickly was due to cardiac and pulmonary complications from Ra and I also have Psoriatic Arthritis and Osteoarthritis.  A triple whammy that's left me with damage.  Even though I'm in clinical remission with RA I'm not with PsA, it's still active and extremely painful plus I still have the damage and complications which won't go away. Yes do not give up! BE PERSISTANT!Hi Whispered.  How are you doing?  LindyThe thing that helped me most - got it on first try - is my doctors really were behind me. They were trying to convince ME I could not work and they fought hard to get my SSDI. I would say be sure you have doctors that will adamently advocate for you !!!!!!![QUOTE=Whispered]

ahh first ?   finding a lawyer, try calling various therapists offices... they might have an idea..

 

I feel for those working, I have no idea how you do it,..

there is absolutely no way, i could work.. c o u l d n t.

 

Also note, if you do get on SS.. do NOT go back to Work!!!!

As much as they say,  ohh go to work. .. you get punished for it and any extra money you get, believe me, they'll find a way, to take it out..

 cash,  money orders, from relatives, etc. can't trace..

Do not go to work ,  it will NOt help you!! if on disability..

I went to work , 8 yrs ago, for 2 months, about 10-18 hrs a wk..

and it took me over a YEAR of hassles to get some of my money back.. never did get it all.. I had to fight to get my disability checks, it was nuts!!!..

 Good luck and again PERsistance!!

mom of 5, faint, i really hope you can get it soon!!~[/QUOTE]

Disability means being TOTALLY unable to work., enough to support yourself.. If you're working, and esp 30-40 hrs, forget it, ...its extremely unlikely you'll get it, bc you are working, showing you really CAN work, if you want to..

 

YES, getting your therapist 100% behind you, IS vital!

and a psychriatrist....

 

I'm trying to think, how i got it, what job..if i was working it , i was making less then 500 a month, that i know for sure...and my mom was helping out a lot! My 1200 ft cabin, in the woods, was 200 bucks a month! I got lucky, very lucky.

I was probably working part time, delivering pizza's, when gas wasn't outrageous.... i've been on about 12 yrs now.

...

I think yes, they can trace personal checks.... hopefully they're too busy , to check everything, but if its large, even over 500.. you might report that.. supposedly you can have up to

2,000 in the bank.. not one penny more.

...

So if you're expecting to get on disability , while working

FT,... its very very doubtful, that it will happen..

 

The best thing, to do is make an appt w/ a

Disability  Lawyer.. and he can fill you , on the facts/ possibilities. What you need to do... also ask, if you own any land, major stocks, assets , how that might affect it too.

ps: hi lin, i'm doing so so..thks for asking  and you darlin?

..

Jas had a ?, i didn't answer earlier, how i was punished for working.. ok the 500-800 bucks, i was making.. per month,

 for 2 months.. well they managed to take that out of my SS,. for some obscure detail.. screwed it up, enough that i couldn't even get A or any checks, after i was fired. I  had to go to top supervisors, ... so basically tho i worked, i got screwed out of at least 500 bucks...and got tons of hassle and paperwork and grief for a yr!!!.. for 2 months, soooooooooo NOT worth it!!!!!!

..

For those, of us, who've been on it, for awhile, ANY time, you report extra money, they find some loophole, some additional thing, to minus that money from..so you're back at square one.

So again, I'd say don't work! or under the table.. imo..

To keep matters straight here, I believe Whispered is on SSI where the rules regarding assets and income count toward how much money you are entitled to and depend on which state you live in.  This is for those who have not worked enough time to qualify for SSDI.  i'm on both, SS and SSiThis stuff is so overwhelming to me. I don't know how you all do it without going crazy. Right now I do work full time-teacher. But each year--who am I kidding-each month it gets harder and harder. I don't know how I would make ends meet while waiting to get approved. I am a single mom and right now live paycheck to paycheck. Daycare is a killer moneywise. What happens if you need to go on disability but don't make enough to be able to save up for that long a time period??? That is what stresses me out the most.
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