Category Archives: Social Security

Link of the Day – Benefits Checkup Site

Written On July 8, 2007 By Bob Kraft

The National Council on Aging has a helpful site called Benefits Checkup that lets people search or sign up for for more than 250 different types of medical and retirement benefits. Here is a description from the site:
About BenefitsCheckUp
Many older people need help paying for prescription drugs, health care, utilities and other basic needs. Ironically, [...]

Posted in Link of the Day, Medical and Health Resources, Medicare, Social Security, Social Security Disability

How Social Security Disability Attorney Fees Are Calculated And Paid

Written On February 20, 2007 By Bob Kraft

We frequently have potential Social Security disability clients ask us about our fees. This is how we explain things to them.
Most Social Security disability attorneys charge the same fees for representing claimants. This is because the Social Security Administration has set a certain standard for attorney fees, and all attorney fees must be approved by [...]

Posted in Consumer Information, Practice Tips, Social Security, Social Security Disability

Is Someone Using Your Social Security Number?

Written On January 30, 2007 By Bob Kraft

The tech company Trusted ID, which launched IDFreeze last year to help protect people from identity theft, released their second product this month – Stolen ID Search.
At no cost, you type a social security or credit card number into the search box and Trusted ID will tell you if it is published on the Internet. [...]

Posted in Consumer Information, Link of the Day, Safety Tips, Social Security

Link of the Day – Changing Your Name On Social Security Card

Written On December 13, 2006 By Bob Kraft

One question we see from time to time is about changing a name on a Social Security card. The most common reason is marriage, but there are others.
The Social Security Administration has complete information about this subject on its Web site.

Posted in Link of the Day, Social Security

Link of the Day – Social Security Administration Fraud Hotline

Written On December 11, 2006 By Bob Kraft

The Social Security Administration has a Web site for reporting fraud, waste, or abuse in the Social Security system. Here is some basic information from the site:
What Should You Report to the Fraud Hotline?
There are a variety of situations that may be considered fraud in our SSA programs. Some examples are:

Receives Social Security Benefits for [...]

Posted in Consumer Information, Link of the Day, Political and/or Judicial, Social Security, Social Security Disability

Link of the Day – Social Security Administration Handbook

Written On December 7, 2006 By Bob Kraft

The online Social Security Administration Handbook has a huge amount of information about the Social Security system — both disability and retirement. You can find almost anything here.

Posted in Disability, Link of the Day, Social Security, Social Security Disability

Social Security Administration Announces 2007 Cost-Of-Living Adjustments

Written On November 20, 2006 By Bob Kraft

The Social Security Administration has announced cost-of-Living Adjustments for 2007. The information below is from the Social Security Administration Web site.

Cost-of-Living Adjustment (COLA):

Based on the increase in the Consumer Price Index (CPI-W) from the third quarter of 2005 through the third quarter of 2006, Social Security and Supplemental Security Income (SSI) beneficiaries will receive [...]

Posted in Consumer Information, Disability, Social Security, Social Security Disability

You Can Receive Disability Benefits Even Though You’ve Been Able To Return To Work

Written On October 25, 2006 By Bob Kraft

Suppose you suffer a back injury that requires two surgeries and rehabilitation over the time span of a year and a half.  After completing the prescribed course of treatment you return to work.  You have recovered enough to no longer have a “severe impairment” and, therefore, are no longer disabled according to the Social Security [...]

Posted in Disability, Social Security, Social Security Disability

Link of the Day – Protect Your Social Security Number

Written On October 9, 2006 By Bob Kraft

The Social Security Administration has good information on their Web site about protecting your Social Security number. Identity theft is one of the fastest growing crimes in the United States, and the biggest key to identity theft is obtaining a victim’s Social Security number.
Here are the tips from the Social Security Administration:

You should treat your [...]

Posted in Consumer Information, Link of the Day, Social Security

Link of the Day – Association of Administrative Law Judges

Written On October 7, 2006 By Bob Kraft

The Association of Administrative Law Judges is a union for governmental Administrative Law Judges. This site has interesting information for those of us who either practice law in the Social Security disability system or who have their own claim pending in the Social Security disability system. As the Web site explains:
The objectives of the Association [...]

Posted in Link of the Day, Political and/or Judicial, Social Security, Social Security Disability

Link of the Day – Social Security Office Locator

Written On August 29, 2006 By Bob Kraft

Do you ever need to find a Social Security office’s address or phone number? The Social Security Administration makes it easy for you. Just go to the Social Security office locator page.

Posted in Link of the Day, Social Security, Social Security Disability

Link of the Day – Medicare Information From Families USA

Written On August 9, 2006 By Bob Kraft

You will find quite a bit of helpful information about Medicare at the Families USA Web site.

Posted in Disability, Government, Link of the Day, Medical and Health Resources, Social Security, Social Security Disability

Link of the Day – Social Security Administration Hearing Office Locator — Dallas Region

Written On July 15, 2006 By Bob Kraft

The Hearing Office Locator — Office of Disability Adjudication and Review — Dallas Region 6 is a Web page of the Social Security Administration that contains addresses and contact information for the hearing offices in Arkansas, Louisiana, New Mexico, Oklahoma, and Texas.

Posted in Government, Link of the Day, Social Security, Social Security Disability

Link of the Day – Texas CHIP And Medicaid

Written On June 10, 2006 By Bob Kraft

Many of our personal injury clients and Social Security disability claimants have to use the Texas Children’s Health Insurance Program or Medicaid because of financial problems resulting from their injury or disability.
Texas has a good Web site explaining the benefits of these programs, and proving  away to apply online for CHIP or Medicaid.

Posted in Consumer Information, Link of the Day, Medical and Health Resources, Social Security

Link of the Day – Keeping Up With News From Washington

Written On June 1, 2006 By Bob Kraft

It seems that almost daily, our representatives in Congress and the White House try to do something that will hurt our personal injury clients and Social Security disability claimants in some way. The best sources for comprehensive daily news from Washington are the Washington Post and the New York Times.

Posted in Government, Link of the Day, Political and/or Judicial, Social Security, Social Security Disability, Tort Reform

Link of the Day – Disabled American Veterans

Written On May 31, 2006 By Bob Kraft

The Disabled American Veterans is a worthwhile organization that tries to improve the lives of veterans and their families.  According to their Web site, they do this by:
Providing free, professional assistance to veterans and their families in obtaining benefits and services earned through military service and provided by the Department of Veterans Affairs (VA) and [...]

Posted in Disability, Link of the Day, Social Security, Social Security Disability

Link of the Day – SSI Monthly Benefit Amounts

Written On May 28, 2006 By Bob Kraft

Link of the Day – SSI Monthly Benefit Amounts

Posted in Link of the Day, Social Security, Social Security Disability

Retrieving Old Client Files From The Social Security Administration

Written On May 22, 2006 By Bob Kraft

North Carolina attorney Charles Hall, at his wonderful Social Security News blog, has posted a link to the Social Security Administration’s latest rules on retrieving stored folders, which has always been a problem for lawyers representing Social Security disability claimants.

Posted in Practice Tips, Social Security, Social Security Disability

Link of the Day – Friday Fun

Written On May 19, 2006 By Bob Kraft

The Social Security Administration has released their latest list of most popular baby names in the United States. This list is for 2005, and to save you the suspense, the most popular girl’s name was Emily, and Jacob was the most popular boy’s name.

Posted in Friday Fun, Link of the Day, Social Security

Link of the Day – Legal Information Institute’s Social Security Library

Written On May 9, 2006 By Bob Kraft

Cornell Law School’s Legal Information Institute has an excellent Social Security disability research site. This is a valuable resource for anyone representing Social Security disability claimants.

Posted in Internet Research or News, Link of the Day, Social Security, Social Security Disability