SSI
Ways to Jeopardize Your Social Security Benefits
A steady flow of monthly income via Social Security is something claimants certainly look forward to. After all, the program has been around for over eighty years and has never missed a scheduled payment. While that consistency is certainly a…
A Perspective on Social Security’s Customer Service
Much has been written over the past few months and years about public perspectives on the quality of Social Security’s customer service practices. Much of it has been negative, citing the painful wait times associated with the 800-number service, the…
Origin of “Ticket to Work” Program Celebrates 50 Years of Progress
Social Security’s Ticket to Work (Ticket) Program, the portion of the Rehabilitation Act of 1973, “supports career development for people ages 18 through 64 who receive Social Security disability benefits (SSDI/SSI) and want to work.” As the Social Security Administration celebrates 50…
COLA’s Impact on SNAP Benefits…a Bit of a Challenge?
The 3.2% cost-of-living adjustment (COLA) announced for January 2024 is certainly a welcomed boost for Social Security recipients. But as everyone knows, it only allows for catching up on price increases that have already happened, and the process as applied…
Stimulus Payments Surface as Another Factor in the “Clawback” Debacle
Amid rhetoric and Congressional oversight reviews of the Social Security Administration’s movement to recover benefit overpayments amounting to more than $26 billion, there’s a new wrinkle. Reports are surfacing of beneficiaries receiving letters requesting repayment of benefits caused by misunderstanding–or…
Ask Rusty – How Do Disability Programs Affect Social Security’s Budget?
Dear Rusty: I read with interest an analysis of the history, reasons, and financial costs of the SSI (Supplemental Security Income) and SSDI (Social Security Disability Insurance) programs. My question is, specifically, what portion of the Social Security budget goes…
Ask Rusty – Will Opening a Joint Account Affect My Disabled Father’s “SSI?”
Dear Rusty: I live in Michigan and my senior disabled father lives in rural Kentucky. His income is part Social Security and part disability. I talked to a local credit union near his home and explained I would like to…
The odds of approval of your SSDI application varied greatly by state
After you file your SSDI claim, it usually takes three to five months to decide. The time will depend on how much evidence you provide with your application. Three to five months is just the average; it can take longer…
Default Effects: Oldest and Poorest Social Security Beneficiaries in the Crosshairs
As the negotiations grind relentlessly toward a June 1 deadline, anxiety is building in the senior community regarding just what will happen should the U.S. Treasury enter default status. Amid conflicting commentary on whether or not an agreement can be…
Attention Veterans: Good Idea to Review Social Security Benefits
If you haven’t reviewed the benefits available to Veterans recently, now might be a good time to check out the SSA website pages dedicated to this topic. The Information for Military & Veterans page at SSA.gov provides a collection of…