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Getting approved for disability benefits for degenerative joint disease (DJD) is a multi-step process. The first step is proving that your medical condition is severe enough to satisfy the Social Security Administration (SSA). The SSA uses the Blue Book, also called the Listing of Impairments, to evaluate medical conditions for the purpose of disability benefits. … Read More »

Everyone wants to get all the benefits they deserve when they apply for Social Security disability (SSD), but most people receive payments that are far below the monthly maximum. For 2017, the maximum SSD benefit is $2,687 per month. However, the average benefit amount is much lower, at only $1,171 per month. Naturally, many people … Read More »

In most cases, disability claimants should be able to receive their back pay, or the first installment thereof, within 60 days of being approved. However, because it can take months to navigate the Social Security Disability (SSD) system and approval process, by this time, many applicants are already facing serious financial hardship and debt. A … Read More »

The Social Security Administration (SSA) maintains two distinct disability benefit programs, Social Security Disability Insurance (SSDI) and Supplemental Security Income (SSI), and calculates each benefit differently. In this article, we review the basic formulas the SSA uses when determining benefit amounts for disabled applicants and provide examples to demonstrate how Social Security disability is calculated. … Read More »

There are several ways to check the status of your claim, depending on which stage your case is currently in. If one of our attorneys at the Law Offices of Ogle, Elrod & Baril, PLLC is representing you for your disability case, you can always call 865-999-0962 and speak to your lawyer directly for the … Read More »

There are numerous mental disorders that can qualify someone for Social Security Disability (SSD) benefits, such as autism, schizophrenia, mood disorders, and anxiety disorders. In fact, of all the disability claims the Social Security Administration (SSA) receives each year, roughly a third of them involve diagnoses for mental disorders. Unfortunately though, mental illness-related claims are … Read More »

The Social Security Administration (SSA) does not have a set amount that it provides to all disability recipients. Rather, it considers a host of factors when determining claimants’ benefits. The first factor the SSA considers is which of the two disability benefit programs qualify for. The SSA calculates the benefits for Social Security Disability Insurance … Read More »

The Social Security Administration (SSA) provides two different types of disability benefits — one is taxable, the other is not. If you receive Supplemental Security Income (SSI) benefits, you will not have to pay income taxes on those payments. However, if you receive Social Security Disability Insurance (SSDI), a portion of those benefits will be … Read More »

The Social Security Administration (SSA) sets a limit on how much you can make and still qualify for Social Security disability benefits. This limit, which depends on the type of benefit you receive, changes every year. There are also rules for how much money you can make while receiving Social Security disability (SSD), but these … Read More »