SSDI and the "meantime"

[KPeveler]

I am looking at applying for SSDI, but I am wondering what everyone does in the "meantime"? I know I have to wait for 6 months after date of disability (which is hard to decide with a progressive disability), and that it can take a year to get it, but what do we do in the meantime to make sure we have food and shelter and such?

My guy at the Bureau of Rehabilitative services basically does not think i can work anymore, my health is worse, I am having a relapse of all of my mental health problems (social anxiety mostly).... I am just at my wits end!

Any strategies? advice?

 

[deerhart]

unfortunately, this is a question everyone asks and I never have an answer for.

Downsize as much as possible, etc.. Many of my clients end up in bankruptcy.

Even with your benefits, your still going to be losing a lot of income.

With a progressive disease your onset is going to be based more on when you stopped working then anything else.

Sometimes, you won't have enough proof until later (and then its an amended onset date) but other then that use the date you last worked.

If, for example, you stopped working in Nov 09, tried going back in February 10 and worked until March 2010, then you should use the november 09 as your onset date and claim the Feb-March work as an unsuccessful work attempt. Work can be an unsuccessful work attempt so long as you had not been working for at least a month and the attempt was less then 3 months long (this can be expanded up to 6 months under certain conditions). You would also need another 30 day break until you had another unsuccessful attempt (or all your attempts would need to be within a 3 month time frame - example try one job, get fired after a few days try another etc).

Doctor's or expert opinions are very helpful at getting you approved faster, but they need to be in SSA language (# of hours can sit, stand, walk per day, amount of weight can lift and how frequently, any restrictions on repetitive activities, with mental health its effect - mild, moderate, marked on concentration, pace, interaction with people etc.)
prototype states or not, the process is Initial application, reconsideration (initial app all over again) then hearing level. Initial and recon can take easily up to 6 months each and how long the wait is from the time you ask for a hearing until it occurs depends upon the hearing office your at (my area its about 15 months, places like Atlanta last I checked the hearing wait was 3+ years)

 

[KPeveler]

I had to cut my hours from 40 hrs a week to 10 hrs a week for the last 2 years, plus 10 hrs a week of class. Now I know that I have no hope of working 40 hrs a week again... So I guess my date of disability is very weird... since working 10 hrs a week put me the amount you are allowed to earn on disability.


ah well... here is hoping i figure something out!

 

[barkley]

check to see if your state has a disability program.

some like california have one that lasts up to a year for employed persons who become totaly unable to work or must reduce their work hours due to a doctor's documented disability.

 

[Momelie]

Yep, it took over three years from the date I applied for benefits until I got a "fully favorable decision" and by the time that came through I didn't even have to wait to be eligible for Medicare, or wait for a check, I actually got nearly 4 years of back benefits (which I then had to turn around and pay taxes on, but that's a whole 'nother story, LOL!). There's more bad than good to being disabled when you're still in the prime of life, but you already knew that, didn't you?

My best advice to you is to hire an attorney - not one of those national firms, but a local attorney who knows your state's system well. Remember that although SSDI is a national system, it is administered at the state level. My attorney worked for Social Security in the local office for 25 years, got state retirement, then hung his own shingle out. In Florida, he got my case through the initial level and three appeals during one whopper of a state budget crisis and employee furlough in record time for our state. (And it didn't hurt that he knew when/which of the judge's secretaries to remember with candy bars or flowers on appropriate occasions!) And the SSDI attorneys get paid from a percentage of your earnings, not up front, so don't worry about that right now, they are worth every penny of it!

 

[Holoshed]

You know, I was there once and it is horrible!

I live in North Carolina and the area I am in apparently has a very high level of disability cases compared to most others around here.

I luckily lived with my mom (I am only in my 20s) at the time and it helped cover it but it was NOT exactly easy.

The thing that always upset me the most was that, with Medicaid, I had to go to this big place that handled all the "contract mental health care" for a BIG area and it was always swamped. I would hear some unsavory people brag how they got someone they knew to push them through or how they would just "fake being skitzo" just to get it and then do what they wanted.

Those people were clogging the system up and people like me had to wait for a judge to come in. They were SO full with cases they had to bring in judges from other states. I had my hearing rescheduled by them three times because the "out of state judge" to hear my case got overbooked (in my state, not theirs).

I also watched 5 people before me walk out basically getting told no before I was approved. The judge was a bit of a hard butt and would tell people FLAT OUT no if he felt they faked it. That part I liked.

The WORST part is be ready for them to severely shave down your onset date. I lost 2 years as part of the negotiation. The judge made it clear if I did not accept his "one time offer" of one year of back pay he would turn me down when he "reviewed it" later, since they have time to make their decision after the hearing. You can guess I took the shortened money and was done with it because I NEEDED my Medicare and the back pay for bills.

Oh and a last resort if you have good credit, you live on credit cards while you wait but as said above it will most likely result in bankruptcy.

 

[mdvlprof]

For me, the worst part is waiting for insurance. Got benefits after 6 months. Won't get insurance for 2 years.

Cerebellar stroke left me with vertical double vision. So I can't drive..ergo can't work. Weakness and tremors, I've learned to deal with. The loss of independence-not so much. Hard when used to camping, hiking, etc. Not complaining too much. Use a cane-prognosis that I wouldn't get out of wheelchair except with help.