There is an excellent recent NY Times Magazine article by Jennifer Kahn, entitled Chronic Pain is a Hidden Epidemic. It’s time for a Revolution. (the link will take you through the paywall).
Many of my clients experience chronic pain. It is good to see the issue starting to get the attention it deserves from the
Social Security has issued Ruling 24-3p, entitled: Titles II and XVI: Use of Occupational Information and Vocational Specialist and Vocational Expert Evidence in Disability Determinations and Decisions. The Ruling became effective January 6, 2025.
The new Ruling rescinds and replaces Ruling 00-4p. The new Ruling follows two emergency messages from last year
Substantial Gainful Activity (SGA) is the amount of money that one can earn monthly and still qualify for Social Security disability benefits. The amount is adjusted each year for cost of living, as shown by this table. In 2024, the amount was $1,550 per month. This year, it rises to $1,620. SGA is based
Here in Maine and New Hampshire, where I attend Social Security disability hearings with administrative law judges, the hearing offices have caught up. Hearings are being scheduled promptly, with 75+ days notice, after the hearing request is processed. Many years ago, when I started handling these cases, the hearing offices had a large backlog of
On this day in 2008, I published a post on this blog titled “Disability is Functionality.” All these years later, it remains true.
Claimants often are surprised to learn that their disability applications were denied even though their doctors provided a letter stating that their patient is disabled, or their medical records show
The new fee cap, announced back in March, is now in effect. The relevant date for the fee cap is the date of the approval fee agreement. So if the fee agreement was approved prior to November 30, 2024 but is still unpaid, the previous cap of $7,200 applies. Social Security has announced that, in
Those receiving Social Security benefits, including disability and SSI, will receive a 2.5% increase in 2025.
Social Security is now using an updated version of its Work History Report, form SSA-3369-BK.
Of course, a new Work History form was necessary when the period of time for past relevant work was changed from 15 years to 5 years, streamlining the disability process. But Social Security took the opportunity to redesign the
My colleague Jonathan Ginsberg posted this before I did. So did Charles Hall.
Here is John Oliver commenting on our broken disability system.
A person’s mental health is often the basis of a disability claim. That person’s past relevant work (PRW) is often precluded by their mental health symptoms at Step 4 of the Social Security’s sequential evaluation. Frequently assessed functional limitations due to mental health symptoms, such as a limitations to “simple tasks” or