Shane's blog

Many people assume that Social Security Disability benefits are only available to those who suffer from physical disabilities. This is definitely not the case. Those who suffer from mental illness may also be eligible for Social Security Disability benefits if they meet the SSA's qualifying criteria. In fact, mental illness is the most common affliction among younger Social Security Disability applicants. There are, however, some things that you must understand before applying for benefits based on a mental illness.

Sixty-six-year-old Paul G. Smith has received an 18-month prison sentence for Social Security Disability fraud. The chiropractor and former boxing judge's “under-the-table” employment definitely did not pay off when the Social Security Administration was made aware of his actions and prosecuted him due to the fraud he had committed.

June is National Headache Awareness Month, and the goal is to raise awareness and help people to better understand the nature of headaches.

Do you know what is and what is not considered normal?

Do you know how you can get help when suffering from chronic or severe headache pain?

If severe or recurrent headaches have been affecting your life or the life of someone close, the following information may help you better understand the affliction and the options that are available to you.

The Social Security Administration and the U.S. Government are not playing games when it comes to fraudulent Social Security Disability claims. The requirements for reporting changes are made clear to claimants before they begin receiving benefits. Those who are receiving benefits but are unclear about the requirements to continue receiving benefits would be well advised to consult a Social Security Disability lawyer.

Most would agree that the Social Security Administration is not against marriage. In its own interests, it really has no reason to have one bias or the other. However, disgruntled Social Security Disability beneficiaries are finding it hard not to make this conclusion, based on their personal experience.

There is no doubt that the Social Security Disability application process can be confusing, if not downright-overwhelming, for many disability applicants. Many people do not even know where to begin the Social Security Disability application process. A question that many would-be disability applicants ask is whether or not they actually have to go into their local Social Security office to apply for disability benefits. Some are unable to leave their homes and worry that they cannot obtain benefits because they cannot make it to the Social Security office for an appointment.

Federal Employee Retirement System (FERS) benefits are a type of government benefit payment available only to federal employees upon reaching retirement. It is not, as is sometimes mistaken, a type of Social Security Disability program. There is a completely separate provision for disability benefits under FERS.

In statistics, an outlier is any piece of data in a particular study that does not fit in with, or is incongruous with the other data. Put simply, it lies outside the realm of the other information. This term is sometimes used to describe the performance of judges, based on their statistics of approved versus denied cases compared to national averages.

It is no secret that it takes some disability applicants more than two years to receive their first payment upon applying for Social Security Disability benefits. In 2008, the average time to process a Social Security Disability claim was 480 days. When disabled workers are struggling financially and have no way of making ends meet, waiting 480 days for disability payments to begin is unacceptable, and the Social Security Administration is beginning recognize this fact.

There has been much commotion in the news about Obama's new 2012 Federal Budget plan, but very little is being said about exactly how this budget will affect the Social Security Disability program. Many Social Security Disability recipients are wondering exactly how this new budget affects them and are confused as to whether or not their disability benefits are at risk.