Anyone here on SSD? Share your story with me.

[coffeelover]

I've finally applied.
Last November to be exact. I have a number of health issues that all compounded together make for a diabilating life.

I'm only 39 and my health was great 12 years ago. It's gotten progressively worse over the past 4 years.
I've also had 15 surgeries/procedures over the past 10 years. 3 of those were c-sections.

I'm pretty sure I'm going to have to fight with the government to get disability. If I get denied initially, I will be hiring a lawyer.

I'm just looking for stories from others that have gone down the disability train. How long did it take to get approved, did you have to hire a lawyer? How did you sustain your living while waiting for approval?

Basically share your story.

Thankfully I have a very supportive husband who is able to do tons of stuff. He cooks, he cleans and he works full time too. I try and do the majority of things when I can.

On my good days I will scrub the house and make it look nice again. Because I know the bad days are coming and I won't be able to do much.

I'm at the doctors/specialists at least once a week trying to figure out all my issues. I don't even officially have a diagnosis for what's going on now. My gastro doctor thinks something autoimmune is going on along with my other stuff. Waiting lists for doctors are insane... Plus the medical bills. So much money is paid out and you get no answers.

I also have 2 little ones. (plus 3 older ones)  The youngest one has appt at U of M in Ann arbor on Thursday to figure out whats going on with her. Something autoimmune as well. Her health has deteriorated a ton the past few months and we've been trying to figure out what's wrong with her too.

My 6 year old has SPD, ADHD, Adjustment placement disorder and anxiety. She has an IEP in place. So far though physically she is fine.

[jim555]

The great thing about SSD is you can get Medicare after 2 years.  That alone is well worth any effort.  Good luck.

[scottish]

Immune system disorders suck.   I wish you well.

[eaknet]

If you have assets, you probably won’t get SSD. I believe you have to basically be destitute to qualify.

Good luck, if you need it I hope you get it. I have a couple disorders which may qualify me for it, but my preference is to continue to work and try to build the stash.


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[coffeelover]

If you have assets, you probably won’t get SSD. I believe you have to basically be destitute to qualify.

Good luck, if you need it I hope you get it. I have a couple disorders which may qualify me for it, but my preference is to continue to work and try to build the stash.


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We do have assets, 401ks and our house.

SSI is the one with SS that requires an income test. With SSD you had to have paid into it for so many years in order to get pay outs.

I've worked since I was 16, up until I was 34. So I have all of my credits in order to qualify for SSD.

[better late]

If you have assets, you probably won’t get SSD. I believe you have to basically be destitute to qualify.

Good luck, if you need it I hope you get it. I have a couple disorders which may qualify me for it, but my preference is to continue to work and try to build the stash.


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

We do have assets, 401ks and our house.

SSI is the one with SS that requires an income test. With SSD you had to have paid into it for so many years in order to get pay outs.

I've worked since I was 16, up until I was 34. So I have all of my credits in order to qualify for SSD.

you are correct. As I understand it, SSDI is independent of any assets you already have. Unlike SSI which limits your  assets to $2,000/$3,000.  You you "earn" SSDI by accruing credits by working-up to 4 credits a year (much like many here are earning social security retirement benefits by working).

A financial limitation with SSDI is that in general you are limited in your ability to actively earn money. SGA is $1180 per month in 2018; earning more than that (with two important exceptions) can cause your SSDI to stop abruptly. The other $ figure is $720 a month (I think it is) which is the trigger amount for a month to "count". I know when you're not working these figures don't matter but they are good to have a handle on. Let me know if you're interested and I can find some links I found helpful.

Passive income is not included in SGA and would not affect SSDI payments.

You may have to pay taxes on your SSDI, so worth reading up on that.

Good luck to you getting SSDI and ,moreover, having increasing numbers of "good days".

Have you read NOLO's book on SSDI. So much information on how to file and appeal.

[coffeelover]

If you have assets, you probably won’t get SSD. I believe you have to basically be destitute to qualify.

Good luck, if you need it I hope you get it. I have a couple disorders which may qualify me for it, but my preference is to continue to work and try to build the stash.


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

We do have assets, 401ks and our house.

SSI is the one with SS that requires an income test. With SSD you had to have paid into it for so many years in order to get pay outs.

I've worked since I was 16, up until I was 34. So I have all of my credits in order to qualify for SSD.

you are correct. As I understand it, SSDI is independent of any assets you already have. Unlike SSI which limits your  assets to $2,000/$3,000.  You you "earn" SSDI by accruing credits by working-up to 4 credits a year (much like many here are earning social security retirement benefits by working).

A financial limitation with SSDI is that in general you are limited in your ability to actively earn money. SGA is $1180 per month in 2018; earning more than that (with two important exceptions) can cause your SSDI to stop abruptly. The other $ figure is $720 a month (I think it is) which is the trigger amount for a month to "count". I know when you're not working these figures don't matter but they are good to have a handle on. Let me know if you're interested and I can find some links I found helpful.

Passive income is not included in SGA and would not affect SSDI payments.

You may have to pay taxes on your SSDI, so worth reading up on that.

Good luck to you getting SSDI and ,moreover, having increasing numbers of "good days".

Have you read NOLO's book on SSDI. So much information on how to file and appeal.

Good info here. No I haven't read that book yet. I'll look it up on the libraries website tomorrow when I'm ore awake and order it.

I haven't worked at all since 2013. I thought it was 2014 but I just double checked. My last day of work was July of 2013.

I don't believe they can take my husbands income into consideration. If so that would be a lesson to learn if so.

 

[jim555]

Income does NOT factor into Social Security Disability.  SSI it DOES, but that is a different thing.
Your SS Statement will show the amount for SSD which is based on your SS earnings record.

[chloes1]

I've finally applied.
Last November to be exact. I have a number of health issues that all compounded together make for a diabilating life.

I'm only 39 and my health was great 12 years ago. It's gotten progressively worse over the past 4 years.
I've also had 15 surgeries/procedures over the past 10 years. 3 of those were c-sections.

I'm pretty sure I'm going to have to fight with the government to get disability. If I get denied initially, I will be hiring a lawyer.

I'm just looking for stories from others that have gone down the disability train. How long did it take to get approved, did you have to hire a lawyer? How did you sustain your living while waiting for approval?I was approved the first time I applied. It took 10 weeks for the approval

Basically share your story.  I have Rheumatoid Arthritis, it's been a very difficult 20 yrs or so.  SSDI does not take into account your net worth because it isn't means tested.  Bill Gates or Warren Buffet could receive SSDI!  You will need to be careful about your gross earnings until you are ready to go off of SSD.  Your assets and your spouse's earnings do not factor into the SS decision.

You can pm me if you like and I'll answer any other questions (if I can) you have.

Thankfully I have a very supportive husband who is able to do tons of stuff. He cooks, he cleans and he works full time too. I try and do the majority of things when I can.

On my good days I will scrub the house and make it look nice again. Because I know the bad days are coming and I won't be able to do much.

I'm at the doctors/specialists at least once a week trying to figure out all my issues. I don't even officially have a diagnosis for what's going on now. My gastro doctor thinks something autoimmune is going on along with my other stuff. Waiting lists for doctors are insane... Plus the medical bills. So much money is paid out and you get no answers.

I also have 2 little ones. (plus 3 older ones)  The youngest one has appt at U of M in Ann arbor on Thursday to figure out whats going on with her. Something autoimmune as well. Her health has deteriorated a ton the past few months and we've been trying to figure out what's wrong with her too.

My 6 year old has SPD, ADHD, Adjustment placement disorder and anxiety. She has an IEP in place. So far though physically she is fine.

[aneel]

My mother went down this path in the early 2000s.  During the process we learned that there is nearly a blanket policy of denying applicants during the first application round.  She had to apply a second time.  From start to finish it took 3 years.  There was some sort of back pay once she was approved the second time, but she had to send most of that to her COBRA provider (as she was utilizing that in between).

My impression (from the sidelines) was very bleak and I feel this is a major unspoken / unpublicized issue in the US.

Good luck and good health to you.

[Roadrunner53]

Can someone explain what is:
SGA
SSD
SSDI

[chloes1]

Can someone explain what is:
SGA substantial gainful activity
SSD social security disability
SSDI social security disability insurance

[chloes1]

Also, I double checked the amount you can earn (gross earnings btw) is $850 to trigger the trial work period. Any 6 mos in a five year period and you can expect to be evaluated as no longer disabled.

There are critical exceptions but in general that's how you can expect things to go.

[GnomeErcy]

And here I was thinking this was a conversation about solid state disks...

[coffeelover]

Also, I double checked the amount you can earn (gross earnings btw) is $850 to trigger the trial work period. Any 6 mos in a five year period and you can expect to be evaluated as no longer disabled.

There are critical exceptions but in general that's how you can expect things to go.

I don't expect I will work another day in my life. Not officially on the books.  I do work at home. Being a wife and mother is enough work. It does me in for sure.

Thankfully my husband makes a decent living. We don't spend much and live by our budget.

[coffeelover]

Income does NOT factor into Social Security Disability.  SSI it DOES, but that is a different thing.
Your SS Statement will show the amount for SSD which is based on your SS earnings record.

It's funny because the SS website showed the amount I would get each month if I were to become disabled.

Than when I applied they took all numbers off of the website due to a pending claim.

I still know roundabout what I should get each month.
I am wondering if I will receive anything for my 4 and 6 year olds though. Not so sure because we do have husbands income. Yet, I thought they can't take husbands income into consideration because they're going off of my work income.
So potentially we could be getting enough each month that would pay our house payment and all household bills. Which would be awesome.

[jim555]

Income does NOT factor into Social Security Disability.  SSI it DOES, but that is a different thing.
Your SS Statement will show the amount for SSD which is based on your SS earnings record.

It's funny because the SS website showed the amount I would get each month if I were to become disabled.

Than when I applied they took all numbers off of the website due to a pending claim.

I still know roundabout what I should get each month.
I am wondering if I will receive anything for my 4 and 6 year olds though. Not so sure because we do have husbands income. Yet, I thought they can't take husbands income into consideration because they're going off of my work income.
So potentially we could be getting enough each month that would pay our house payment and all household bills. Which would be awesome.

You get more with children.

[chloes1]

Each child under age 18 ( unless they are in high school, I *think*) can receive a benefit equal to 50% of your benefit. You have to submit the paperwork though.

You will need to file a form once a year so you can tell social security what you did with the money. In our case I fed, clothed and housed my son and after signing the form telling them that it's all good.

You don't need to keep receipts anymore than you need to get paranoid. Save what you don't spend and spend what is necessary to keep your (and their) lifestyle as intact as you can.  When I was first on disability I needed someone to help me cook and run errands, and then again when my son was born. Some of his benefit helped to pay for that help.  You don't have to explain or justify where the money goes...