Filing For Social Security Disability For Pots Can Anyone Help?

[sonyasmith12]

I am a RN, haven't been able to work since beginning of Oct 2011. Am I waiting my time applying with the diagnosis of Autonomic Neuropathy & POTS? I know I have enough work hours.

[goodnuff77]

I was told you have to be unable to work for at least 12 months

[Brye]

I am an RN. I applied for disability 3 years ago, I think I was able to apply in less than a year. Maybe it varies from state to state? I would apply as soon as possible. They do reimburse you from the date they determine your disability kicked in. For me the date was the last day I worked.

Brye

[jenglynn]

I just applied but haven't heard back yet... but I think you just have to anticipate that you won't be able to work for at least 12 months. I am not by any means an expert, but they accepted my application and I received a letter back saying they received it and it was under review.

I actually HAD to apply for SSDI because I had applied and was approved for Long Term Disability through my employer. What a process!! But was approved within a week and thought great, I am all set. Then a couple weeks later I get a letter from LTD saying that upon their review my condition appears that I "MAY" qualify for SSDI so in order to keep my benefits I HAD to apply for Social Security. I don't know why, but I just didn't want to.. but I had no choice. You see, they don't "double pay" so if I get SSDI they pay me whatever they will pay me- and then if my SSDI is less than my LTD is my LTD pays the difference between the two. If SSDI pays me MORE then LTD would pay me nothing. I think (but am not sure) that if you get SSDI you also get a certain amount of if you have kids for their support, and I am not sure if LTD takes the amount received for the kids into account or ONLY my benefit. We have 6 kids but I think SSDI has a family max so I am sure the monthly amount I will (if I were to get it) won't be large. Not sure if any of that made sense??? The only good thing about it is that if SSDI denies me for whatever reason, my LTD company has attorneys that will fight SSDI for "me" (yeah right, for THEM) and do all the work for appeals etc.

I am curious to see if I get approved by Social Security. Most people I have talked to have said it is usually harder to get approved by a LTD company than SSDI so that is a good sign. And my condition at this point anyway is pretty debilitating... but who knows? Maybe they will deny me. I am one of the luckier ones because I do have the long term disability and I don't think the financial difference will be much, if any, if I do get denied OR approved. Based on my calculations it looks like what I will receive from SSDI will be about $600 less than my LTD pays me... But I don't know if the LTD can factor in the payments I get for the kids, if I do get any.

Jen

[Lemons2lemonade]

Hi sonya! Disability kind of works like this: there are two types i think they are ssi and ssdi. Disability is federal. The amount of money you get from social security is determined by how much you have worked in the past. I think that the most you can get is 900 a month. So what you do first: go to your local dshs office and apply for age, blind,disabled through them.This is state level support--they can help you out with things like food, small amounts of cash, and medical while your disability claim is being processed. Also, if your federal disability claim is approved for an amount too small (because you haven't worked much in the past) then the state level will supplement this.Then, you need to find a social security office in your area, go there, and tell them that you need to apply for disability. They will probably set up an appointment for you to talk to a guy, where you will talk about things like your work history etc. There are some rules for applying for disabiliy, this is their website http://www.ssa.gov/pgm/disability.htm

"Social Security pays benefits to people who cannot work because they have a medical condition that is expected to last at least one year or result in death. Federal law requires this very strict definition of disability. While some programs give money to people with partial disability or short-term disability, Social Security does not."

this is a link to a different site within the same page, that has some other useful info http://www.socialsecurity.gov/pubs/10029.html#a0=1

One thing to consider, is that you can apply initially online, and that this will save you time and also start accumulating money for you. How it works is that they determine an amount that they are going to pay you. Then you go through a claim process that can take A LONG time. Mine took 6 months. Usually, everyone gets denied the first time. However, you can appeal this denial, at which point, you hire a lawyer who takes their payment from your accumulated cash balance.

[Jan]

SSDI can be way more than $900 a month. It is determined by your years of work and salary. The amount you get for dependents is 1/2 of what you receive. For example, if you get $1600 a month, and you have two kids, each of your kids will get $400 a month. When one turns 18, the other one will get $800 until that one graduates from high school or turns 18. So having lots of kids doesn't get you more money. Just lots more smaller checks. You usually act as the rep payee for the kids in order to use the money.

As far as LTD, I found that much much easier to get than SSDI. And then when I got SSDI my LTD wanted me to pay back ALL the money i got from SS as back payment. And they wanted to include what I got for the kids. That money is in your kids name. You are legally required to use the money you get FOR the kids and have to do a yearly accounting of it. So I called the state insurance licensing people and they called the LTD company and they backed off on me giving them the kids money. My LTD company was a jerk through the whole thing.

[jenglynn]

Jan,

I should have known that was too easy My LTD was approved SO fast. I was thinking the same thing. Isn't the money received for dependents actually "their" money- like child support in a way. I don't see how they can factor that money into it. But, I've tried to read what I can understand of the legal-eze of my policy- and it does appear that they factor all of the money received, including money in the child's name- to determine the monthly amount. That just seems very unethical to me. I also read that I would have to re-pay all that money back. Nice!!!! Like I have a HUGE savings account piled with money as I'm disabled and unable to work.

Thanks for clarifying... I thought my hopes of LTD being harder to get we're too good to be true- because I got it so quickly.

Thanks!

Jen

[Jan]

Jen,

The whole LTD thing is crooked in my opinion. When you are healthy, it seems like this great deal, you get some percentage of your income if you get disabled and then when you do, they MAKE YOU apply for SSDI which is also determined by your salary, so LTD never really has to lose any money at all. It probably varies by policy but I think mine was exactly like yours.

One thing is the LTD company does not have access to what you get in SSDI. If you get approved they will ask you how much you are getting and if you refuse to tell them they will estimate it. They also may not know if you have kids. I wouldn't volunteer that info if you can help it although I am sure they will ask. If you didn't have custody of your kids, it is very possible another person, like an ex-spouse could be rep payee and get the money yet they still count it against you. Seems illegal.

I get $50 a month from LTD because that is the minimum payment they have to send. They have even made me go to their doctor after I had been on it for years, to see if I was still disabled. I think they figured I would just not go, that it wouldn't be worth the effort, but I'll be darned if I didn't go. I am sure that visit and all the paper work involved cost them more than they paid me that year. If you ever lose SSDI, then LTD will kick back in so they want you to let it drop. Don't fall for that if that is how it works for you.

One thing about SSDI vs LTD is there are rate increases (at least there usually are) for SSDI where LTD stays the same until you die.

Good luck. I know how you feel about not wanting to apply. There are only so many papers I want to fill out where I explain how pathetic my life is. When I got SSDI someone said, I guess that is the good news/bad news. And it is true, yipee, I get SSDI, oh wait, yipee I am disabled. Not such a happy thing when you think about it.

And don't even get me started on how I think it is such a racket that there are lawyers who make their whole living representing people to get SSDI and then they take all the back pay. And SS pays the attorneys out of your money before you get it. If SS wasn't so backed up, that whole branch of attorney's probably wouldn't exist because no one could pay them.

[jenglynn]

Jan,

Thanks for all of the (unfortunate) insight. I agree that these LTD companies are almost scams in a way. We pay them and they do everything they can to get out of paying US the benefits we paid for. And I so agree about the kids. That seems unethical at the very least and illegal at worst. I don't know how they get away from that. I can't remember if they know if I have kids or not. But they can get the info from my employer.

I know.. applying for SSDI was HARD- emotionally. I hope I get "approved" so I don't have to go through the stupid appeal processes but like you said... once you get it... "Yay, I am approved".... but that also means... "YAY- I'm disabled". I NEVER thought I would be someone applying for SSDI in my 30's- okay VERY late 30's (38) but STILL my 30's I never imagined not being a working, productive member of society. It is really hard to accept- but I really don't have an option now. But it is a painful relevation to come to. And of course, some people don't get it either. My dad, for example. He KNOWS how sick I am. KNOWS I spent 2 months in the hospital. 9 concussions. Has been around me. But when I told him I had to apply for SSDI he said "I don't think I've ever been so disappointed in you. Why did you bother going to get your degree and now working on your Masters if you plan on living off the government the rest of your life." OUCH. Hold on a sec, dad, while I take the knife out of my back. It is not like I CHOSE this. I worked as long as I physically could. And I certainly don't want or plan for it to be the rest of my life.

I am blessed for the most part because MOST of my family is caring and understanding and so supportive. But there are a few who can make me feel pretty useless in a matter of seconds. I always tell myself "No one can make you feel inferior without your permission" which I think was said by Eleanor Roosevelt and that is so true... but there is just something about my dad and his opinion. But, I can't force him to understand so it is better that we just don't discuss it.

Jen

[Lemons2lemonade]

Can you only make more than 900 if you are married and have kids. I was told I would only get 900 and that is the most anyone can get.

[ken870]

It is according to how long you have worked and how much you put into social security I make over $1700 a month for ssdi.

[goodnuff77]

Everything thing for SSDI is based on work history and how much you made in those years. I'm 34 but been working since I was 13. I have 2 kids and married. I was told I'm getting the max payment for the state I live in. It's well over $900. If you dont have enough credits for SSDI I belive you go to SSI. I know in maine the max SSI is $700 and no insurance.

[Clairefmartin]

I just was quickly approved for SSD (the one you pay into). I am 33 with 2 kids and a working husband, but it was based on my work history and points, and it is over $900, and has no mention of kids. Also - you won't receive payments until you have been "disabled" and out of work for 6 months, and mine is good for 3 years until I face a review. It is also taxed as income. You also need doctors and SSD to detrmine if you will be disabled for at least 12 months. You do not need to go to a local office, I did everything online and via mail, as I am homebound.

Hope that helps.

[icesktr189]

I applied for disabled adult child since my dad is.on ssdi. If approved, I will recieve 1200/month. I applied Janurary of 2011 and now im waiting for my court hearing (second appeal). I am only 22 but have pots friends my age on ssdi or ssi.

[lillybits]

i was denied and hat to appeal. now i have to go to one of the ssdi doctors at the end of this month. I guess they dont believe my neurologist that wrote that i am incompasitated.... watch i will have a good day and get denied again... my luck i swear....

[Jan]

Lily,

I had to go to a SS doctor and he said he didn't know anything about POTS but could see I was disabled and he wouldn't disagree with my primary doctor. They are supposed to be independent. I think the primary purpose of sending people to SS doctors is to discourage people and make them give up. (I know, I am so cynical)

I also had to see an SS shrink. I don't know what he said but he must not have said I was a hypochondriac. lol

[Hummingbird]

Sounds like I am in a similar boat as several of you. I am 41 and was working an as RN up until March 2011 when my POTS symptoms worsened dramatically and I became unable to work. I am currently on LTD. My initial SSDI claim was denied, as was my appeal. I am waiting to appeal again. It has been one of the most difficult years of my life. Besides my faith, one of the best things that has helped me is being able to talk to others with POTS that understand my symptoms and can relate.

[lillybits]

Lily,

I had to go to a SS doctor and he said he didn't know anything about POTS but could see I was disabled and he wouldn't disagree with my primary doctor. They are supposed to be independent. I think the primary purpose of sending people to SS doctors is to discourage people and make them give up. (I know, I am so cynical)

I also had to see an SS shrink. I don't know what he said but he must not have said I was a hypochondriac. lol

ha ha ya i am not looking forward to that but i am hoping that they will see that i am trying and that i am as disabled at this point in my life as the doctors see it. I usually try to laugh everything off but the little bit of extra cash that i could get now until i can get back on my feet with out my husband stressing on me would be great!