The increase in people applying for Social Security disability benefits in 2008 illustrates the continuing challenge for claimants to receive their entitled benefits, according to Allsup which represents tens of thousands of people in the Social Security Disability Insurance (SSDI) process each year.
Disability applications now number 2.6 million, according to the Social Security Administration. SSA reports the time for a decision at the initial application level is 106 days. “One of the realities facing someone who has become disabled and can no longer work is that wait time for their SSDI decision,” said Edward Swierczek, an Allsup senior claimant representative and former Social Security Administration (SSA) employee. Individuals must have paid FICA taxes to be eligible. More details are provided in the SSDI Overview on Allsup.com.
One of the first positive financial steps someone with a long-term disability can take is applying for SSDI benefits. For more insights on when to apply, visit: “Time Is Money When People Wait Too Long To Apply”
To help individuals with disabilities apply for and receive the benefits they deserve, Allsup is reissuing its “Top 10 Tips to Break Through The Backlog Determine eligibility. File immediately. If an initial claim is denied, Allsup notes the wait time for an appeals hearing decision now takes an average of 514 days. Obtain doctor’s support. Claimants need written medical confirmation of their qualifying conditions when they apply. According to Allsup, not having a doctor’s support when filing could significantly impact one’s ability to secure disability benefits.
Get help. Filing for disability benefits is a complicated process akin to preparing a difficult income tax return. Prepare an accurate medical record. Establish your work. As noted above, individuals must have worked for five of the previous 10 years to qualify for benefits. A 15-year work history is needed.
Meet deadlines. If benefits are denied at any stage of the process, claimants have only 60 days to file an appeal. Reduce spending. The long wait for benefits means that people lose their savings, their cars and sometimes even their homes. Allsup reminds applicants that high-interest debt will add to long-term problems. Maintain health insurance. The Social Security Administration denies more than 60 percent of all initial applications, but two-thirds of the people who appeal and reach the hearing level eventually will receive their disability benefits (http://www.allsup.com/About-SSDI/SSDI-Process.aspx?=PRW09-2).
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