Social Security Disability Lawyers
Retaining the services of a lawyer who specializes in Social Security Disability claims may be an option you want to consider. Many of these lawyers have the experience with the Social Security administration and know how to expedite the process. They can advise you on how to present your case. Also, there are a number of lawyers and law firms specializing in applying for Social Security Disability benefits. In these cases, a lawyer only gets a part of the back pay that may be owed you. If you have been disabled for a year and are approved for those payments, the lawyer will get a portion of the past due payments. The lawyers fee is set by the Social Security Administration.
Who We Are And What We Do
MRC DDS disability examiners and medical consultants determine eligibility of Massachusetts applicants for 2 disability programs:
- Social Security Disability Insurance , ages 18 65
- Supplemental Security Income , ages birth 65
If you think you may be eligible for payments, call 772-1213 to file a claim or contact your local Social Security Office . You must contact the Social Security Administration to apply for benefits. If you are looking for an online application for either SSDI or SSI visit ssa.gov. For an update on case status call the Vocational Disability Examiner as identified in your introductory claimant letter.
- Looking for an overview of annual benefits for their case
ssa.gov or 1-800-772-1213
The claims processed by the Massachusetts DDS include:
- Initial applications
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What Is A Social Security Benefit Verification Letter
The Benefit Verification letter, sometimes called a budget letter, a benefits letter, a proof of income letter, or a proof of award letter, serves as proof of your retirement, disability, Supplemental Security Income , or Medicare benefits. You may use your letter for loans, housing assistance, mortgage, and for other income verification purposes. You can also use it to prove that you dont receive benefits, have applied for benefits, or that you have never received Social Security benefits or SSI.
In addition to name, date of birth, and the benefits received, the Benefit Verification letter includes other identifiers to prevent misuse and fraud.
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Can I Schedule An Appointment With The Albuquerque Social Security Office
The Social Security Administration does not currently have online appointment scheduler.
The SSA website, SSA.gov, is the best way for most people to get help.
If you cannot use the website, or need more help, you can contact your local office phone number or national 800 number for help scheduling an appointment.
When visiting a local field office, appointment is not required. However, if you contact the office and schedule, it may reduce the time you spend waiting for help.
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Contact A Professional Relations Officer
DDD’s Professional Relations Officers serve as points of contact regarding Social Security disability programs in Ohio. They provide presentations to health professionals about how medical information is used to evaluate disabilities, recruit health professionals to become consultative examination providers, assist consultants in using SSAs Electronic Records Express , and much more.
DDD is actively seeking Ohio-licensed psychiatrists, clinical psychologists, and psychiatric nurse practitioners in Ohio to conduct independent psychological exams of Social Security disability claimants. Opportunities exist throughout Ohio with a significant need in Northwest Ohio. Please contact ANY of the Professional Relations Officers to learn more.
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When Both Appeal And Waiver Requests Are Denied
SSA will try to recover the overpayment from you. It usually does this by reducing the amount you get each month.
If you get SSI, SSA can lower your benefits by up to 10% to recover the overpayment. The current SSI benefit is $783 per month. The most SSA could lower your benefit by is $78.30 per month. If you get SSDI, SSA will lower your monthly benefit to $0 until the overpayment has been paid back.
SSA will ask you to repay the overpayment within 30 days. If you cannot afford to pay the full amount all at once, you can ask SSA to pay back the overpayment in installments.
If you do not repay the overpayment, SSA may do one or more of these:
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Garnish your wages
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Reduce the overpayment amount from your tax refund
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Reduce future SSA benefits may you receive, including retirement benefits
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Report your nonpayment to credit bureaus
You can ask SSA for a compromise or change in repayment rate.
Asking for a compromise means asking to pay SSA less than the full amount of the overpayment. SSA will not compromise the overpayment if you still have the money that was overpaid, or they found you were at fault in causing the overpayment. You can make an offer of compromise in writing and give it to your SSA office.
Asking for a change in repayment rate means asking SSA to collect the full overpayment but in smaller amounts at a time. You can ask for a change even if you agree that you were overpaid and with the amount of the overpayment.
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Social Security Processing Center Phone Numbers
The Social Security Processing Centers calculate and pay a claimants disability benefits, once a favorable decision or determination has been made.
The SSA has posted on its site the telephone numbers for the various processing centers. These numbers are for attorney and non-attorney Representatives to call, rather than individual disability claimants.
Disability cases are broken up into two different groups for processing: claimants under age 54 and claimants age 54 and over. From there, you can find the phone number for the correct processing center with the claimants Social Security number.
The numbers are invaluable when tracking down a retroactive payment for a client or a Representatives fee that is overdue.
Gordon Gates specializes in Social Security disability law, and he handles claims at every level of the Social Security disability claim process. He assists clients
Gordon Gates specializes in Social Security disability law, and he handles claims at every level of the Social Security disability claim process. He assists clients with initial applications for disability benefits, with appeals of denied claims, and with hearings by an administrative law judge.
Gordon has successfully appealed unfavorable administrative law judge decisions the Social Security Appeals Council and to U.S. District Court to have those claims remanded for new hearings.
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How To Stop Social Security Check Payments
The SSA can not pay benefits for the month of a recipients death. That means if the person died in July, the check received in August must be returned. Find out how to return a check to the SSA.
If the payment is by direct deposit, notify the financial institution as soon as possible so it can return any payments received after death. For more about the requirement to return benefits for the month of a beneficiarys death, see the top of page 11 of this SSA publication.
Family members may be eligible for Social Security survivors benefits when a person getting benefits dies. Visit the SSAs Survivors Benefits page to learn more.
How Do I Talk To A Real Person At The Social Security Office
To speak to a Social Security Representative either in person or on the phone, you can do any of the following:
- Go to your local Social Security office in person
- TTY 1-800-325-0778 8:00 a.m. â 7:00 p.m. local time
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Apply Over The Telephone
You can apply by calling the Social Security Administration at their toll-free number: 1-800-772-1213. If you are deaf or hard of hearing, you can call them at TTY 1-800-325-0778. Applying over the telephone can be frustrating as an automated system will answer and youll likely be put on hold before getting you in contact with someone. A Social Security worker will ask you the questions on the application and will submit it once they are finished.
What Documents Do I Need To Apply For Social Security
Documents the Social Security Administration may ask for include:
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How To Contact The Ssa
People that do not want to apply for benefits online, or need to speak to the SSA for any other reason can also call the national toll-free number. Be advised that wait times are typically shorter later in the day and Wednesdays through Fridays.
Spanish speakers can receive assistance by calling the same toll-free number and informing the pre-recorded system or representative that they would like to talk to a representative in Spanish.
For those who cannot make a call during these times, recorded information and services are available 24 hours a day and on weekends.
Contacting Social Security By Phone
The website is a great place to start, but sometimes the information provided may not seem to address your situation or answer your particular question. So your next step might be to call. Since Social Security doesnt publish the phone numbers of most local offices, you likely have to call the main number at 1-800-772-1213. Even if you have the number of your local office, youll probably want to start with the SSAs automated system.
If you call, you can perform many services through the automated system, including requesting a benefit verification letter and/or statement of your benefits, inquiring about the status of a claim, applying for a replacement card, finding the address of your local office, and conducting some business related to Medicare.
If the automated system isnt enough, you can speak to a representative between the hours of 8:00 a.m. and 7:00 p.m., Monday through Friday.
The Social Security Administration provides interpreters free of charge. You can call 800-772-1213 to speak with an interpreter who speaks Arabic, Armenian, Chinese, Farsi, French, Greek, Haitian Creole, Hmong, Italian, Korean, Polish, Portuguese, Russian, Somali, Spanish, Tagalog, or Vietnamese. You can also schedule in-person appointments, during which time the Social Security Administration office will arrange for an interpreter.
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What Kind Of Documentation Do I Need To Bring
The documentation that you need to bring along varies depending on what it is you are trying to do. At a minimum, you will need some form of identification. This might be a drivers license, U.S. Passport, or state-issued non-drivers identification card. You might also need your current Social Security card and even your birth certificate. It is usually best to take everything you can even if you are not sure whether you need it. It is better to carry documentation that is not needed than to arrive without the proper documentation.
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Where To Report Changes Or Provide Requested Information:
You may report changes to SSA by calling 1-800-772-1213 or by visiting your local SSA office in person.
You may report changes to SSP by calling toll free at 1-855-488-0541 OR by fax at: 518-486-3459 OR by email at: OR by regular mail at:
NYS OTDA PO Box 1740 Albany, NY 12201
NOTE: If you receive Social Security Retirement, Survivorâs, or Disability payments and also receive SSP benefits, SSA does not share your federal benefit information or any changes, including address or living arrangement, with SSP and you must report changes directly to SSP.
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Social Security Disability Determination Services
- Social Security Disability Insurance
- Supplemental Security Income
- Call or visit any Social Security office to schedule an appointment. You can locate the SSA field office closest to you via this link,
- Contact SSA toll-free at 1-800-772-1213 .
How Do I Apply For Survivors Benefits
To apply for survivors benefits, please visit . A family member or other person responsible for the beneficiarys affairs should do the following:
- Promptly notify Social Security of the beneficiarys death by calling 1-800-772-1213
- If monthly benefits were being paid via direct deposit, notify the bank or other financial institution of the beneficiarys death. Request that any funds received after the death of the beneficiary be returned to Social Security as soon as possible.
- If benefits were being paid by check, DO NOT CASH any checks received for the month in which the beneficiary died or thereafter. Return the checks to Social Security as soon as possible.
A one-time payment of $255 is payable to the surviving spouse if he was living with the beneficiary at the time of death, OR if living apart, was eligible for Social Security benefits on the beneficiarys earnings record for the month of death. If there is no surviving spouse, the payment is made to a child who was eligible for benefits on the beneficiarys earnings record in the month of death. Monthly survivors benefits can be paid to certain family members, including the beneficiarys widow or widower, dependent children and dependent parents.
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Getting Your Application Ready
Get this information ready for your SSDI application:
- Names, addresses, and phone numbers of doctors, therapists, hospitals, clinics, and others who have treated you
- Prescriptions and results of medical tests
- Copies of medical records
- Your Social Security Number and the Social Security Numbers of your spouse and any children under the age of 18
- A certified copy of your birth certificate
- Proof of U.S. citizenship or of legal residency, if you were born outside the U.S., like naturalization papers, your U.S. passport, or your green card
- A certified copy of your military discharge papers , if you were in the military
- Tip: If you are a veteran, let Social Security know. Social Security may review your application faster.
Social Security provides a detailed checklist of the information you need to complete the application process.
Bureau Of Disability Determination Services
- Social Security Disability Insurance
- Visit the SSA website at www.ssa.gov to apply online.
- Contact SSA toll-free at 1-800-772-1213 .
Contact Information
- If you think you may be eligible for Social Security disability benefits, call the Social Security Administration at 1-800-772-1213 or www.ssa.gov to file a claim or for more information.
- If you have already filed a disability claim with Social Security, you may contact DDS at 1-800-842-8320 about the processing of your claim.
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Medically Qualifying For Ssd In Texas
You will need to meet medical requirements to qualify for disability benefits. This means you will need to meet one of the SSAs Blue Book Listings. There are hundreds of qualifying conditions listed within the Blue Book.
Within each listing, you will find exactly how that condition qualifies. You will need to provide medical evidence that you qualify. This may be in the form of test results, doctors notes, x-rays and scans, prescriptions and more.
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Using Our Automated Telephone Services
Services for all beneficiaries
- Request a benefit verification letter
- Ask for a form SSA-1099, Social Security Benefit Statement, to request a replacement tax summary
Services for Medicare beneficiaries only
- Request a replacement Medicare Card
- Request a form SSA-1020 to apply for help with Medicare prescription drug costs
Services for people who have applied for benefits
- Ask to receive a claim status
Services everyone can use
- Find the address of your local Social Security office
- Request a form SS-5,Application for a Social Security Card, to:
- apply for an original Social Security card or a replacement card if yours was lost or stolen,
- request a name change on your card, or
- update or correct other information on your Social Security number record.
Informational Messages
You can listen to informational messages on the following subjects:
- Payment delivery dates
- Best times to call our 800 number
- Social Security Internet address and services
- Supplemental Security Income
- Non-receipt of your Social Security benefit
- Representative payee
Services for Social Security Benefits Only
- Change address and/or phone number
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Indiana Disability Determination Bureau
Title II covers workers who have established eligibility through prior work and Title XVI has a needs-based income and resource eligibility requirement. The purpose of these programs is to identify people who have disabilities that preclude the ability to work, or for children, preclude the ability to fully participate in learning activities. These programs have two desired outcomes. The first desired outcome is to correctly identify disabled adults and children. The second desired outcome is to have adults with potential referred to a public or private Vocational Rehabilitation Services, through the Social Security Administrations Ticket to Work program.
In order to accomplish its mission, the Indiana DDB must work closely with the 26 local SSA Field Offices throughout Indiana, and Social Security Administration at the regional and national levels. The DDB must follow the statutory definition of disability in making its medical determinations.