What Is Automatic Reinstatement
Automatic reinstatement is a financial safety net for Canada Pension Plan disability beneficiaries who try to return to work. If you are unable to continue working because of the same or a related disability, you can ask to have your benefits automatically restarted without having to go through the usual reapplication process.
Automatic reinstatement covers CPP disability beneficiaries who reported a return to work and began earning enough for their benefits to be stopped as of January 31, 2005, or later. You have up to one year from the month you stop working because of your disability to inform CPP that you would like your benefits reinstated.
Note: Quebec is the only province in Canada that opted out of the CPP. The Quebec Pension Plan, or QPP, is the province of Quebecâs own version of the Canada Pension Plan. Almost mirroring the CPP exactly, the QPP is a contributory earnings-related pension plan that pays benefits if the earner becoming disabled, retiring, or dying. Both Quebec and the federal government tax benefits paid from the QPP.
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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.
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Applying For Social Security Disability And Ssi Benefits
You can apply online for Social Security Disability benefits, you can file in person at your local Social Security office, or by calling 772-1213.
To find your local Social Security office, click here and enter your home zip code. Locate a Social Security Office.
Before you begin your application, you should collect certain information regarding your medical treatment, work history and other facts. To view a checklist of the information that you will need, Disability Checklist.
When you are ready to apply for Social Security Disability Benefits, Apply for Disability. You will not have to complete the entire application in one sitting. You will have the option of saving your application and returning to it later.
You can also complete most of your application for SSI Disability benefits online, but to finish the application process you will have to visit a Social Security office. You canApply for SSI to begin the SSI application process for yourself or for a child.
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Restrictions On Potentially Deceptive Communications
Because of the importance of Social Security to millions of Americans, many direct-mail marketers packaged their mailings to resemble official communications from the Social Security Administration, hoping recipients would be more likely to open them. In response, Congress amended the Social Security Act in 1988 to prohibit the private use of the phrase âSocial Securityâ and several related terms in any way that would convey a false impression of approval from the Social Security Administration. The constitutionality of this law was upheld in United Seniors Association, Inc. v. Social Security Administration, 423 F.3d 397 , cert den 547 U.S. 1162 126 S.Ct. 2346 .
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.
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How To Answer Questions On Disability Forms
To receive Social Security Disability Insurance or Supplemental Security Income, you have to fill out a lot of forms. You can do this online, over the phone, or in-person at your local Social Security office. If you do it over the phone or in person, a Social Security representative can help you. You can find the phone number for your local office online via their website. You can fill out the forms yourself. However, knowing how to answer questions on disability forms is not always straightforward.
You can work with a disability lawyer to fill out your application and gather supporting documentation. Given the low approval rate for first-time disability applicants, it can be a big help to have an attorney go over the forms with you and help you put together the most compelling claim possible, backed by strong evidence.
Regardless of how you choose to apply, it is essential to fill out the disability forms correctly and not omit any critical information. Here are some of the major items you can expect to encounter when applying.
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What Is The Approval Rate For Social Security Disability Benefits
Thirty-six percent of applicants who meet technical requirements are accepted initially, but 50% of applicants who appeal that decision are ultimately approved.
Todays young workers have about a one in three chance of becoming disabled or dying before they reach retirement age, according to 2016 actuarial estimates from the Social Security Administration . To lessen the financial burden of disability due to loss of work, disabled workers can apply for SSA-administered disability benefits.
In June 2022, around 7.8 million disabled workers received disability benefits in the United States. Thats approximately 4% of the adult population between ages 18 and 64.
Based on the latest state-level data, some states have much higher percentages of disabled workers receiving benefits than others. In 2021, 11.1% of West Virginias adult population were receiving disability benefits.
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What Do I Need To Know About Advance Designation
You should be aware of another type of representation called .
Advance Designation allows capable adult and emancipated minors who are applying for or receiving Social Security benefits, Supplemental Security Income, or Special Veterans Benefits the option to choose up to three people in advance who could serve as their representative payee, if the need arises.
In the event that you can no longer manage your benefits, you and your family will have peace of mind knowing that someone you trust may be appointed to manage your benefits for you. If you need a representative payee to assist with the management of your benefits, we will first consider your advance designees. We must still fully evaluate them and determine their suitability at that time.
You can submit and update your advance designation request when you apply for benefits or after you are already receiving benefits. You may do so through your personal account, contacting us by telephone at 1-800-772-1213 , or at .
Average National Approval Rate For Each Step Of Disability Benefit Application Process
Around 2 million people apply for disability benefits each year in the US.
Each square in the graphic represents 1,000 applications for disability benefits.
Applicants who dont meet the SSAs technical requirements are denied before their medical condition is officially assessed. Referred to as a technical denial, this was the outcome for about 37% of initial applications.
For clarity, technical denials will be temporarily removed from the graphic to focus on applications that met technical requirements and received a medical review.
After meeting the technical requirements, remaining applications were sent directly to applicants local Department of Disability Services to determine if applicants meet both medical and non-medical requirements. In December 2022, applicants waited an average of seven months for a decision.
The national approval rate for initial applications was around 36%.
The remaining applicants who were denied had 60 days to appeal the decision.
Time since initial application submission:7 months
Around half of applicants denied at the initial stage appealed the decision, according to an SSA report.
To better understand the likelihood of an applicant appealing the decision ultimately being granted benefits, applicants who were approved or didnt appeal their denial at the initial stage will be temporarily hidden from this graphic.
Time since initial application submission:11 months, 27 days
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How To Find Whether Jobs Exist In Significant Numbers
If you are denied disability after the hearing based on your ability to do other jobs, and you don’t have a lawyer, you can review the jobs named by the VE and research whether the positions, in fact, exist in significant numbers at either the national or local level. You can do this research at the Bureau of Labor Statistics website. Although not every judge will overturn a denial based on this, it is worth the effort, because Social Security judges generally do care that there is a factual basis for their decisions. Indeed, in a recent federal court case, the judge overturned a decision based on doubts about the number of jobs available for more information, see our article about a recent disability case that was overturned due to the vocational expert’s job numbers.
You could be eligible for up to $3,345 per month In SSDI Benefits
What Is The Disability Standard For Disability Insurance And Supplemental Security
Disability Insurance and Supplemental Security are reserved for workers with the most severe disabilities and conditions, and both use the same strict disability standard: inability to engage in substantial gainful activitydefined as being able to earn $1,040 a month in 2013due to one or more severe physical or mental impairments that are expected to last at least a year or could result in death. A workers impairment or combination of impairments must be so severe that the applicant is not only unable to do his or her previous work but also unableconsidering his or her age, education, and work experienceto engage in any other kind of substantial gainful work that exists in significant numbers in the national economy.
Medical evidence is the cornerstone for the determination of disability in both programs. To qualify, there must be medical evidence from a doctor, specialist, or certain other licensed or certified medical sources that documents a severe impairment. Evidence from other health care providerssuch as nurse practitioners or clinical social workersis not sufficient to document a severe medical impairment. And statements from the applicants themselves, their families, co-workers, friends, or neighbors are not treated as medical evidence.
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Do I Have To Visit The Grand Prairie Ssa Office In Person
There are numerous other options for getting help with your Social Security Disability claim or other benefit programs that do not include visiting the office in Grand Prairie. In addition, there are many other local offices in the Dallas-Fort Worth Metroplex.
There is also the Dallas Region SSA Field Office in Dallas, which oversees the local offices and also provides services. Alternatively, you may be able to get answers to your questions over the phone by calling the national hotline at 1-800-772-1213. This hotline is open weekdays from 8 a.m. to 7 p.m. The SSA recommends calling later in the week and in the afternoon or early evening for the shortest wait times.
If you are comfortable with using the computer, you can apply for SSDI and SSI benefits from the comfort of your own home. These online applications allow you to provide the same information about your care providers, medical history, and other details as the claims completed in person in the Grand Prairie office.
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Applying For Disability Benefits
You can apply for Social Security Disability benefits online or in person at your local Social Security office. You will be asked to fill out a number of forms, which you should complete with as much detail as possible, and you may be asked to attend a consultative exam. After completing the disability application process, you will receive a decision from the SSA within two to four months. If you are approved for benefits, this notice will tell you when benefits will begin, which benefits you will be receiving, and how much you will be receiving each month. If you are denied benefits, you have 60 days from the date of denial to appeal the SSA’s decision to deny benefits.
If you do need to pursue a Social Security Disability appeal, do not give up hope. A number of applicants who are denied during the initial stage of the application process go on to successfully receive benefits through the process of an appeal
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More Interesting Facts: Social Security Income By State
As ofSSI statistics for 2017, California accounts for nearly 15% of all of those who receive SSI benefits. Wyoming has the lowest numbers of total people who get SSI.
Pennsylvania makes up only roughly 4% of the total individuals receive SSI. In 2017, that total was 361,250 people.
A significant percentage of those who receive SSI in Pennsylvania have a disability. In fact, statistics indicate that roughly 93% of Pennsylvania residents receiving SSI benefits fall under the blind and disabled category as of 2017.
What Is The Social Security Disability Phone Number
If you have questions about your social security disability benefits, you need to contact Social Security at the social security disability phone number. You can find information on the government website though they do not publish the direct lines to their local offices.
To get information about your disability benefits, you can call 1-800-772-1213. It is a toll-free number that provides automated telephone services. From there, you can hear recorded information and also do some general requests. The line is open 24 hours a day. If you do not find what you need in the automated services, you can request to speak with a representative of the Social Security office. Their hours are between 7am and 7pm from Monday to Friday.
If youre wondering how long you should have to wait to talk to a representative, you should know that you will experience shorter waiting times if you call after Tuesday. For those who have hearing disabilities, there is a special line that you can call that is toll-free TTY. Call them at 1-800-325-0778 and someone will assist you in consideration to your special needs. The line is open from 7am to 7pm from Monday to Friday.
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Use Of The Social Insurance Number
Canada established laws that restrict the use of SINs in income reporting and has a limited list of federal departments and programs that can collect Canadian citizens’ SINs, such as the Income and Health Care Programs, the Labour Adjustment Review Board, and the Rural and Native Housing Program.
Some private-sector companies, such as telecommunications firms and airlines, can also collect their customers’ SINs. Generally, Canadian law bars private companies from acquiring a customer’s SIN unless there is a specific and lawful reason .
Financial institutions that let customers earn investment income, such as credit unions and banks, can also collect SINs. If certain companies deny services to a customer for not providing a SIN, that customer can file a complaint with the Privacy Commissioner of Canada.
As with American SSNs, theft and misuse of SINs and the accompanying identity theft is a growing problem. A thief can use a stolen SIN to work illegally or to obtain credit, and the legitimate SIN owner could be requested to pay additional taxes for the income they didn’t receive or could have difficulty obtaining credit.
How And When You Should Apply
- Apply as soon as you become disabled. It can take 3 to 5 months for approval.
- You receive benefits after you have been disabled for five calendar months in a row. You will not be paid for any of those 5 months.
- You can apply in one of these three ways:
- At your local Social Security Administration Office
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Visit The Social Security Disability Office
If you really need to visit the Social Security Disability Office, then you can search for the nearest office by going to SSA Search page. However, you will need to schedule an appointment before you go there and also be prepared to wait a few hours before you get a chance to speak with a Social Security Administration officer.
The Number Of People Qualifying For Social Security Disability Benefits Has Increased
For over 60 years, Social Security disability has helped increasing numbers of workers and their families replace lost income. Several factors have contributed to this increase, which the Social Security Trustees and our actuaries have projected for decades. For example, baby boomers have reached their most disability-prone years and more women have joined the workforce in the past few decades, working consistently enough to qualify for benefits if they become disabled.
Despite the increase, the 9 million or so people getting Social Security disability benefits represent just a small subset of Americans living with disabilities.
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