Follow the rules to maintain your benefits.
Being approved for Social Security Disability benefits can be quite a lengthy and difficult process, even with the help of an experienced Social Security attorney. Beyond the initial application, you may be required to provide additional information and go through an appeals process before ultimately being approved for benefits. However, even after you have been approved for benefits, you will still be required to maintain contact with the Social Security Administration (SSA) and provide certain information that may impact your ability to receive benefits.
The first and most important thing that you will be required to inform the SSA about is if you start to work, whether you get a job or earn money through self-employment. It does not matter how little (or how much) you are making at this new employment; if you are earning money, you should consult with Social Security attorney and report it to the SSA. Your benefits are based on your inability to work due to your disability, so the SSA will want to know what type of work you are doing, how many hours you are working each week, and if you begin or end new employment. Depending on your answers to these questions, you may become ineligible for benefits. For example, if you qualified for benefits based on a back injury that left you unable to do work that involved heavy lifting or standing on your feet for long periods of time and then you took a job as a cashier, the SSA may determine that you are no long eligible for benefits.
Under SSA rules, you can attempt to go back to work after you have been approved for benefits for a period of nine months. These months do not have to be consecutive, but every month in a sixty month (five year) period of time where you earn over a certain amount ($810 for 2016) will count as a month that you attempted to work. If you are unable to fully return to work, you can continue on your benefits. If you work for longer than nine months, you can extend your benefits for up to three years if your earnings are under $1,130 per month (or $1,820 if you are blind). If your earnings exceed that amount for a particular month, then you will not receive benefits for that month, but you are still eligible for benefits for future months. Ultimately, the SSA wants to encourage people to try to go back to work if possible, so they have set up rules to permit people with disabilities to attempt to return to employment without penalizing them if they are unable to do so. A knowledgeable Social Security attorney can advise you on your best options for returning to work and how you can be sure to follow the rules for reporting income and employment.
Next, if you receive another type of benefits for your disability, you should inform the SSA about these benefits. This could include workers’ compensation payments, government benefits, black lung compensation and other types of benefits. Let the SSA know if you start receiving these benefits, if you stop receiving them, or if they change in some way (for example, if a monthly benefit ended because you received a lump sum payment). Depending on the type and amount of the benefit, you may become ineligible for Social Security Disability benefits.
Finally, there is an obvious piece of information that you should always tell the SSA: if you have moved. In 2017, it is easier than ever to change your address via the SSA website, or you can always call or stop by your local Social Security office. Making sure that your contact information is up-to-date is critical to ensuring that you receive your benefits in a timely manner.
If you would like to apply for Social Security Disability benefits or require advise about your benefits, contact PLBH today at (800) 435-7542 or info@plblaw.com. Our attorneys are experienced and highly knowledgeable about Social Security rules and regulations, and we will work hand-in-hand with you to help you be approved for and maintain your benefits. Initial consultations are always free!