Practice Areas
Social Security Disability
The process of obtaining Social Security Benefits is often stressful and time consuming – and cases that deserve benefits can be denied if the right lawyer isn’t advocating for their clients.
With an 80% approval rate and over 25 years of practicing law, I am well-versed in the varying factors of the most straightforward cases to the most unique cases.
What We Are Expert At
Types of Social Security Disability Benefits:
Social Security Disability Insured Benefits (SSDI)
Assuming the Judge determines you are disabled and you have enough credits, you will receive SSDI. The amount of your back pay and monthly check depends on how much you have worked and earned in the past. During the time you worked, the government collected social security taxes from your checks and your employer also paid social security taxes. You earned credits from those taxes paid and that determines the amount of benefits. However, your credits generally run out about five years after you are unable to work. Therefore, it is to your advantage to apply for disability as soon as possible after you are unable to work.
Most of the time, you must have worked 5 of the last 10 years to have enough credits to apply for SSDI. Under SSDI, the average monthly check (benefits) for an individual is about $1,100 with a maximum of about $3,000 per month. For a family, the average monthly check (benefits) is about $1,900.
Your children that are residing with you and under the age of 18 may also qualify for benefits. The average benefit (monthly check) for a child is $300.
Benjamin Richardson
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Supplemental Security Income Benefits (SSI)
Assuming the Judge determines you are disabled and even if you do not have any earned credits from your prior work to qualify for SSDI, you may still be eligible for SSI benefits. SSI is based on financial need. In general, you cannot have property valued over two thousand dollars ($2,000.00) excluding the value of your home and one vehicle. Also, you cannot qualify for SSI if you have over a certain amount of household income. Household income includes the income of all people living in the home. Generally, a couple cannot have over one thousand two hundred dollars ($1,200.00) per month income. This amount is increased for children in the home and other factors. The amount of benefits may be reduced based on the income of the household and depending on the number of children in the household and living arrangements.
Children under the age of 18 may qualify for SSI benefits if determined disabled. However, the financial need requirements apply. Under SSI, the maximum benefit is about $750 per month for an individual, but the typical beneficiary receives less.
Gloria Rose
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Disabled Widow's Benefits
You may be able to receive more benefits (larger monthly check) if your spouse or ex-spouse is deceased and you meet the following requirements:
1) You must have been married for at least 10 years, AND
2) You were found disabled within 7 years of spouse or ex-spouse’s death and you are at least 50 years old. Otherwise, you must wait until age 60.
3) Regardless if you are disabled or not, at age 60, you can receive regular widow benefits off of a deceased spouse/ex-spouse as long as you were married for at least 10 years.
Walter Myers
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Adult Child Benefits
Beneficiaries under this program are often called “adult disabled children” and must be between the ages of 18 and 22. If found disabled, they collect Social Security disability benefits based on their parent’s work record. A disabled adult child can collect SSDI only if a parent, adoptive parent, or stepparent is receiving Social Security retirement or disability benefits (SSDI) – or had earned enough credits before dying to be entitled to one of these benefits. In some cases, a grandchild or stepgrand-child can also be eligible for these rewards as well (if there is no living parent and the grandparent/stepgrandparent are collecting).
Gloria Rose
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