Dennis W. Fox & Associates

 " Representing individuals before the Social Security Administration." Call 314-241-9666

 OTHER CONCERNS

Your Active Case is Being Reviewed
If you are receiving social security or S-S-I disability benefits, your case will be reviewed every so often, to determine if you are still disabled. This is usually called a "cdr," or continuing disability review. If you have a condition that's expected to improve, it may take place as often as every six months. Otherwise, the more severe your condition, the longer the period between reviews. The people at social security will notify you when it's time. Your review may take place by mail, phone, or in person, at the social security office. If you are receiving S-S-I, you'll have to answer the same type of questions as when you applied for benefits. For example, they'll ask about your income, the things you own, if you're paying rent, and look at your bank accounts.

You may want to take savings or checking account statements and your pay stubs to the review. In some cases, you may be asked to take special tests, to evaluate your medical condition

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Deductions for Impairment Related Expenses
There are many incentives to help you, if you are disabled and wish to work. Depending on how much you earn, you may be able to get disability benefits for a certain period, in addition to your paycheck. After you reach the point where your work is considered substantial, benefits may be reduced, or eventually stop. Monthly income of $500, or $880 if you are blind, is usually considered substantial. However, there are certain work expenses that you can deduct, when figuring your overall income. This includes many items or services you need in order to work, because of your impairment. It applies even if the item or service is also useful in your daily life.

Some common impairment-related work expenses might be a seeing eye dog, a wheelchair, prescription drugs, a job coach, or any specialized equipment needed to perform your job. In some cases, transportation to and from work may also be deductible.

To find out more about impairment-related expenses, contact the social security office.

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Government Pension Offset
If you receive social security spouse's or widow's benefits, and also get income from government pension, this may reduce the amount of your social security payment. This provision of the law is called government pension offset. Typically, it applies if you become eligible for a government pension based on your own work, which was not covered by social security. The offset can decrease your spouse's or widow's benefit by two-thirds of the amount of your government pension. In other words, two-thirds of your monthly government pension amount would be subtracted from each social security check. The reason behind the pension offset is that social security spouse's benefits were meant to support a non-working, dependent spouse. However, there are some exceptions to the pension offset rule.

For more information, call or visit the social security office.

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Higher Earnings than spouse's
There are several factors to consider when filing for social security retirement benefits, especially if you may qualify on either your work record, or your spouse's. When a person is eligible for benefits on more than one record, they can usually receive the greater benefit amount. Over the course of your career, if you earned more than your spouse, your own benefits will probably be higher than taking a spouse's benefit. So if you had high earnings when you worked, look at the options both ways. The social security office can help you get an estimate of your benefits, calculated according to your record, and your spouse's. That way, you can figure out which method might give you the larger retirement benefit.

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Medical Information
Medical evidence by itself may be sufficient to prove eligibility for disability. The social security administration provides a listing of impairments which inventories examples of common impairments that are believed to be sizable enough to prevent you from be engaged in substantial gainful activity. You will need more than a diagnosis that has the same name as a listed impairment. You must have the symptoms, clinical signs and laboratory findings specified in the listing. You will be required to give the names and addresses of doctors and medical treatment facilities, dates of treatment and any other information that may relate to the supposed disability.

If the social security administration asks for further medical documentation, they will cover the reasonable cost for existing medical evidence from any non-federal hospital, clinic, laboratory or other provider of medical services, including any necessary transportation costs.

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Medicare Continuation
Continuation of Medicare is another of the work incentives; it applies to those who are disabled and continue to work. During your trial work period, you can still receive social security disability payments, in addition to your paycheck. When you reach the level of substantial earnings, your disability benefits will eventually stop. However, Medicare coverage will continue for at least 39 months after the trial work period ends. You can get Medicare benefits during those 39 months, even if your wages are too high for you to receive disability checks. After Medicare benefits run out, if you are still disabled, you have the option of purchasing the same coverage, for a monthly premium. To find out more about Medicare continuation for the disabled, contact the social security office.

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Medicare Hospital Insurance
At age 65, most people are eligible for Medicare hospital insurance; this is also known as "part a" Medicare. It helps pay expenses like hospital stays, skilled nursing, hospice, and home health care. Those who qualify get hospital insurance at no cost, because it's funded by taxes you paid when working. Your spouse, divorced spouse, widow or dependent parent may be eligible for hospital coverage through your work record, even if they did not work. There are special provisions for disabled widows and widowers under age 65, and disabled children. If you have permanent kidney failure, you may also be able to get hospital insurance, at any age. Ask the social security office for details. If you do not qualify under any of these rules, you may be able to purchase Medicare hospital insurance, for a monthly premium.

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Military Service
If you have served in the military any time after 1957, whether on active duty or inactive duty for training, you have paid into social security. If you were in the military before 1957, you did not pay into social security directly; however, you still may be able to get credits toward certain social security benefits. The rules are somewhat different for inactive duty in the armed forces reserves, and national guard weekend drills: this type of service has only been covered by social security since 1988. If you served in the military, then took a civilian job, you will receive work credits for both. The total number of credits you have will determine whether you're eligible for social security. When you retire, you may be able to draw full retirement benefits from both social security and the military. Unlike a government pension, getting military retirement usually does not reduce your social security retirement check. However, if you receive social security survivors benefits, this can affect payments from a department of defense survivors benefit plan. For more information talk to your military retirement advisor or contact the department of defense.

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Name Change
It's important to make sure the social security office is aware of any name changes, so that you'll get proper credit for all your earnings. Some common examples of name changes are when you get married or divorced. Those in the entertainment profession may also take a different name, for business reasons. Whatever the case, be sure to report the change to social security. Even if you don't work, social security needs to have your correct name on file, for any future benefits you may be eligible to receive. Ask for the form, application for a social security number card, and fill it out. You'll need to show proof of identity, under both your previous name, and your new name. Those not born in the united states may also have to present evidence that you are a u.s. citizen, or a legal alien.

To get the necessary name change forms, or for more information, call social security, at 1-800-772-1213.

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Notification Process
For most types of social security benefits, you must first file a claim; then, the social security office will notify you of the results by mail. The notification process usually takes longer for disability claims, where it may run from 60 to 90 days. In most cases, the delay is due to difficulty in obtaining medical records on a timely basis. Currently, efforts are underway to streamline disability approval procedures, so applicants can be notified sooner, and allowable claims processed faster. For programs like Medicare, you may be notified by social security when it's time to sign up: if you're already getting retirement, disability, or railroad retirement checks, social security will contact you a few months before you turn 65, to help you apply for Medicare. If you aren't getting benefit checks, then you need to contact social security about three months before your 65th birthday, to get Medicare application forms. If you have questions about notification, contact the social security office. They can inform you on the progress of your case, and let you know when you might expect a decision.

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Disability Benefits for Children
There are three ways a child is eligible for social security benefits. Supplemental security benefits are paid to disabled children younger than eighteen whose income is limited or come from homes with low income and resources. Social security dependents benefits are paid to children under eighteen on the record of a parent who is collecting retirement or disability benefits, or of the parent who was receiving those benefits has died. The age of qualification for benefits extends to nineteen if the child is if he or she is a full time student in elementary or high school. Social security benefits are also obtainable for adults who have been disabled since childhood.

To receive benefits, the adult child must be the son or daughter of someone who is getting social security retirement or disability benefits, or of someone who has died, and the child's disability started before age twenty-two.

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Spouse earns medicare coverage
When your spouse earns Medicare coverage, you will also be entitled to Medicare hospital insurance, when you turn 65. You can receive hospital insurance at age 65, even if your spouse is younger than you and continues working, as long as he or she is at least 62, and will qualify for benefits upon retirement. At age 65, both you and your spouse will also have the option of purchasing Medicare part b, for a monthly premium. Special conditions may apply, if you are a disabled widow or widower between 50 and 65; or if you, your spouse, or your dependent child has permanent kidney failure. In these cases, you can sometimes qualify for Medicare benefits before you reach age 65. However, the rules may vary from one year to the next. For more details on how you can qualify for Medicare coverage through your spouse, contact social security.

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Under 65
In certain situations, you may be able to get Medicare part a hospital insurance before you turn 65. For example, if you have received social security disability benefits for at least 24 months; or, if you worked enough years in a local, state or federal government job, and are also disabled.

Those who are getting a disability annuity from railroad retirement will qualify for hospital insurance after a waiting period. Speak with a representative at the railroad retirement office for more details. There are also ways to get Medicare part b medical insurance when you are under 65. Typically, if you're eligible for part a hospital insurance, you can purchase part b medical insurance for a monthly fee. No social security or government work credits are needed to purchase part b Medicare. To find out more about Medicare benefits for those under 65, contact the nearest social security office.

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When the claim is approved - your first check
There is a waiting period before you can receive your first disability check; so you'll want to apply for benefits as soon as you become disabled. Assuming you qualify, your benefits will not start until the sixth full month of disability. This waiting period begins with the first full month following the date your disability began. It's up to social security to decide when your disability officially started. If you have delayed filing your claim, your first disability check may include back benefits of up to one year. However, no back benefits beyond one year will be paid; so again, it's important to file your disability claim at the earliest opportunity. As a social security beneficiary, you will also have certain responsibilities: these will be outlined in the guide, what you need to know when you get disability benefits. For this publication, and other information, contact the social security office nearest you.

Or, call their toll-free number, at 1-800-772-1213.

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When you retire
If you've worked long enough under social security, you will likely qualify for retirement benefits at age 65, or reduced benefits as early as 62. In the next century, the age at which you may draw full benefits will slowly rise, from the current 65, to age 67 in the year 2027. Today, over 30 million retired workers and their families receive monthly benefits from social security.

These payments are not intended to completely fund your retirement, but act as a supplement to your personal savings, and income from any company retirement plans you may have. In general, financial planners say when you retire, you need about 70 percent of your previous income, to live comfortably. Social security benefits alone replace about 42 percent of an average salary.

To find out more about the benefits available when you retire, and how much you can expect to receive, contact the social security office.

Ask how you can get a personal earnings and benefit estimate statement.

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When your spouse dies
When your spouse dies, you and your dependent children may be eligible for monthly survivor's
benefits from social security. In some cases, you may also receive a small, one-time payment. If there are no dependent children, you must be at least 60 years old to draw these benefits. Those who are disabled may qualify as early as age 50. The benefit amount varies, according to what your deceased spouse would have received, or was getting, when they died. Also, the earlier you take benefits, the lower the amount you will receive. Survivor's payments run from about 71 percent of the deceased spouse's benefit, if taken at age 60, up to 100 percent, if not drawn till you are 65. For a disabled widow or widower between 50 and 59, your check would be 71 percent of the deceased partner's benefit amount. If you are eligible for retirement benefits on your own work record, you may choose to draw reduced survivor's benefits, then get full retirement at 65. Or, you could take early retirement, then file for full survivor's benefits at age 65.

A social security representative can help you decide which option would be best for you.

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Special Employment Situations in Business Together
If you run a business with your spouse, you need to take special steps, to ensure that you receive social security credit for your work. Usually, when you both own and operate the business, and expect to share in the profits or losses, you may qualify for social security credits as a partner. You do not necessarily need to have a formal partnership agreement. However, you do need to file a separate self-employment return, called schedule se. Always file this form, in addition to any joint income tax return you may file with your spouse. Otherwise, all the business earnings will be credited to your spouse's social security number. If your share of the earnings are not shown under your social security record, you may not receive proper credit. To get the schedule se self-employment return, and for details on filing, contact the social security office.

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