Social Security Benefits FAQ
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by: albert.tobega
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Social security regulations are labyrinthine, and working out which social security benefits you are allowed to receive can be challenging. To make the process easier, here are answers to some of the questions frequently asked by applicants for disability benefits.
SSA is only for people whose disability is complete and who have been disabled (or are expected to be disabled) for one year or more, so there are no partial disability social security benefits. If you need partial disability, you will have to apply through a state or local disability program. If SSA denies you benefits on the grounds that you are not completely disabled, this will not bar you from applying for and receiving partial disability benefits from local and state disability programs.
However, you can continue to work while receiving disability social security benefits as long as you are able to work only at a low level or for short periods of time. When you apply for disability, the state agency in charge of your case will assess your total earning capacity. If your annual earnings fall under a certain amount, you will still be considered eligible for disability. The agency will measure your total POTENTIAL earnings, not your total REAL earnings: You will not be eligible for social security benefits if there is another occupation that you have the training and physical ability to perform, and you would be able to earn above the minimum income level by switching to it. You will not be pushed beyond your limits and asked to do work you are not capable of doing. The state agency takes into account applicants health, age, experience, and education when evaluating which jobs they are suited to do. Help is available for applicants who need assistance at moving from a lower paying job to a job that would enable them to support themselves.
Many applicants are told by their doctors that there is no further treatment for their condition, but their social security agents ask them to continue visiting doctors. If you are in this position, there is an explanation! First, your regular doctors may not be able to provide all of the information the state agency needs to evaluate your case. The agency will arrange for you to see a doctor who has the specialized experience or equipment necessary to complete the examination. The visit is not for treatment; it is simply part of your case evaluation.
Second, even untreatable conditions change, and not all disabilities are permanent. Regular examinations to chart the progress of your health are essential. Your health may improve enough that you can return to work, even without medical treatment.
And third, medicine brings new miracles every year. Why miss out on a cure because you stopped going to the doctor out of resignation? Occasional doctors visits are a minor nuisance compared to the vast improvements you could someday see.
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