SSDI Disability Story

[puppymommo]

I know we discussed social security disability a few months back and I thought I would share our experience. My husband applied to SS in February on the basis of schizophrenia. He had been off work since having another breakdown early in January and we (him, his doctor and myself) agreed that his condition was making it impossible to work.

Anyway I took the advice of several people on TUG and found a disability lawyer right from the beginning. He gave us a form for the psychiatrist to fill out and basically held our hand through the process. He told us that only 25% of cases are approved in the first review (which takes 3-6 months) and that he believed that we had a good chance of being in the 25%.

This week we received a letter that he was being awarded disability. We are so relieved. The rule is that you must be disabled (and not working) for 5 months before receiving benefits. So the first month of benefits will be August. Since the lawyer gets the first month's benefits for his fee, we will start receiving benefits in September.

The lawyer's fee seems reasonable to us. We might have had the same results if we hadn't hired a lawyer but we are glad we did.

Anyway as you can imagine this has been a very stressful process, dh being unable to work, financial issues, etc. It is a relief to have it over with and to feel like we had someone in our corner.

The next step is to file for benefits for DD. Apparently she is eligible for an amount equal to 1/2 of his benefit until she is 18 (December). This will go a long way towards college expenses (she starts in August).

So, just wanted you all to know it is possible! There are all kinds of conditions and I'm sure they are all looked at a little differently.

But that's my story.

 

[SOS8260456]

Glad it worked out for you without the stress of having to appeal.

 

[Pat H]

Actually your daughter gets benefits until she is 18 or graduates from high school whichever comes later. I believe that SS automatically takes care of getting the benefits for her. Also your husband will receive Medicare coverage after 1 year of receiving disability.

 

[Patri]

I am very happy for your happy ending. All the best to you and your family.

 

[dwojo]

If your husband was enrolled in a defined benefit pension plan from his former employer look into collecting that as well. My employer lets employees who are awarded Social Security Disability benefits to retire early and collect the pension benefits they are due.

 

[puppymommo]

If your husband was enrolled in a defined benefit pension plan from his former employer look into collecting that as well. My employer lets employees who are awarded Social Security Disability benefits to retire early and collect the pension benefits they are due.

That is a great benefit. Actually he had not been in his job very long and we took out the accumulation to help with finances while he is not working. But he already receives military retirement, which will continue along with the disability payments.

 

[glypnirsgirl]

What a reslief!

elaine

 

[pjrose]

Thank you for sharing. Many will remember the lengthy discussion of DD's potential disability application. All that is on hold for now, as we continue to seek medical opinions, but we are keeping the disability option in mind.

I'm so glad your husband's application was successful, and hope that this will help with some of the many stresses related to his disability!

 

[SOS8260456]

Two things I want to mention regarding daughter and college:

1. there are scholarships for children of with parent's with disabilities. My daughter graduates this year and when I was looking at the list that the school sent, there was a real easy one where you just had to write an essay on living with a parent with a disability. I know the due date for this particular one was back in Nov, but there may be other out there.

2. for the poster who's daughter may have a disability, we just recently found out that our daughter, who has a learning disability, qualifies for help through the Office of Vocational Rehabilitation. The college she applied to told us about this and when my husband inquired, we were told that as long as she has an IEP she would qualify for something. The maximum is $2500 per year. The OVR rep also said that even if she doesn't qualify for financial help, she is automatically eligible for a free laptop. The OVR rep went to her school and met with her. Now she doesn't have a severe learning disability (unlike our younger daughter), but they are assuring us that she will get some aide. I personally will believe it when I see it, but they keep assuring us. It is just something to look into.

One of my biggest complaints about dealing with disabilities is that you have to pull teeth to find out what you or your children are eligible for. Everything is a big secret.