Social Security Disability: How To Avoid Denials

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If you are too sick or injured to work at your job, you may be considering applying for Social Security disability. For those who have worked enough and meet the medical requirements, Social Security disability will pay you a set amount monthly to help take the place of your salary. Getting approved for Social Security benefits can be a complex process, and many times the Social Security Administration (SSA) will deny your first claim application. You should know that you can take some steps to help ensure that your claim is approved, however. Read on to find out the common reasons that claims are denied, and how to avoid them.

Your Income Is Too High

The SSA limits your income at application time and once your application is approved to just $1,090.00 a month. The income limit is in place to prevent people who are able to earn money from using Social Social disability to increase their income, and the SSA has set that amount, which may be adjusted yearly, as the maximum income allowed to qualify.

On a more positive note, the SSA doesn't count some of your income towards that $1,090.00. Money in a retirement account, such as a 401-k or an employee pension account, does not count. Additionally, any income from your spouse or from rental properties doesn't count.

Your Medical Condition Is Not Severe Enough

Your condition must be on the SSA list of allowable conditions, and the level of severity must be bad enough that you are unable to do the work that you previously had been doing. Your condition cannot be temporary; the SSA requires that your condition last 12 months or more, or that your condition is expected to lead to death.

You Fail To Comply with SSA Communications

If you have given the SSA a bad or old address, your chances of approval are slim to none. The SSA will primarily communicate any requests for more information through the mail. Many times, these requests have strict deadlines for replying. If you fail to send in the required documents by the deadline, the SSA could make the assumption that you no longer require financial assistance through disability benefits.

You Fail To Comply with Medical Treatment

The SSA will look carefully at your medical treatment record. If you fail to seek help for your condition, fail to keep your appointments or fail to complete any required tests or exams, the SSA will likely assume that your medical condition is not bad enough for you to be approved for benefits. Unless you can show that you were unable to comply with any medical treatments, you will be denied on the basis of lack of medical evidence.

You can raise your chances getting the benefits you need by seeking the help of a Social Security lawyer like LeCroy Law Firm, PLLC, who knows how the process works and can guide you towards a successful approval or appeal.

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22 September 2015

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