How do I survive the Disability Process (Legacy Q&A Episode)

0:18 Good day, and welcome to another edition of Q and Day Social Security Disability Today. I am your host, attorney Anthony Reeves. Let's go ahead and get started. I regularly get asked questions about how do you survive during the disability process? And you don't know how often I get this. You know, a lot of times people come to me and they're like, you don't understand what we're going through.

0:41 It's hard. The process is broken because it shouldn't take this long for us to get disability benefits, and it's asking a lot of people to survive during the whole process. And let me be the first to tell you I get that. Trust me, no one knows or appreciates that more than any of your representatives, including myself, that the process needs to be a lot shorter. It really makes no sense that you have to wait so long just to get some type of determination. But unfortunately, until they fix the process, it is the process that we have.

1:08 But what I wanted to do today was to give you some tips, some things that you probably already know, but just some hopefully some things that maybe you haven't thought about with regards to surviving the Social Security disability process. So let's go ahead and get going. Your first tip is making sure you understand the process. It's going to take time. So many times people apply for disability benefits and don't realize they're going to be in this thing for a while. And what I mean by a while, you could be up to a year to maybe even two years. Now that's mind blowing to most people, But this is what I tell people. You can't change the circumstances, so you need to embrace it and be prepared to

1:46 be in the fight for the long haul. It's not a sprint, it's a marathon. So go into the process knowing when you're applying it may take you a year or longer to go through the process. I know a lot of times the government will tell you that a decision will be rendered within a particular period of time.

2:04 Keep in mind this you got to file your application. There's probably going to be at least one denial depending on what state drank. Some states have one level of denial, some states have two steps before you actually go before a judge. But the biggest thing I tell people is go in knowing ahead of time that this is not something that you're going to get resolved in a month or two. You may be in this for about a minute.

2:27 One make sure step number two, excuse me, step number two. Make sure you let everyone know who you're going to be contacting or who's going to be contacted by Social Security, know that you're applying for disability benefits. Why is this important well, because sometimes the things that others may do may cause your application to be delayed. So if you have doctors, and when Social Security ask you for the names of those doctors because they're going to contact them, let your doctors know so that the medical record staff can provide them the documents they need in a time.

3:03 With fashion, SoC Security, it's going to ask you about third parties of people who know who you are and can tell them about your condition. Let them know that they're going to be getting forms from Social Security and that they need to complete those forms sooner or not later, and that by them dragging their feet that may negatively affect you. So but here's one way you can take care of it. Let them know an advance, because sometimes what happens is people get stuff out the blue and not realizing they're going to get something, and that might adversely affect you. But if they know that it's coming they'll be looking for. Now, let's start with the more hardcore things to Step three, check your personal resources and assets.

3:44 The hard fact of the matter is is that you're going to have to make the choice of how you need to survive. So that may mean, and I hate to say it, but if you're unable to work due to your condition, that may mean utilizing some resources that you never thought you had to be able to use. That might meanshing out your four oh one K. That may mean using your savings account. It may mean something hardcore like maybe selling some things. Now, I know this is really harsh for me to say this, but the reality is this, if you're not working and you don't have any money coming in, you've got to survive. So you want to check your resources and that are available to you. Going along the line of your personal assets

4:20 and resources, let's go to the fourth step, which is don't be afraid to seek out assistance from your family and friends. When you're doing your resource check, you need to let people know I'm applying for Social Security because I can't work. I may need your help. I can't tell you the number of times I've had clients who've literally found themselves in the position of having to rotate between staying with family members or friends and their couches or their homes or their spare bedrooms because they've lost their homes, so they've lost their apartments, and they've lost their cars. Trust me, those resources will become very valuable to you. You because you want to be able to have a place to stay, to eat, and to survive

5:05 while you're going through this process. Yes, I fully understand that it makes no sense that you have to be in that situation while you're waiting for your disability benefits. But most importantly, you want to have that support system in place so that if you find you have to move around, you have people who already know that you may need assistance. Now contact step number five. Contact your city, state, or FEDS even about what city, county, state, or even FEDS about what resources that are in your area that's available for you. I'm talking about food stamps, cash assistance, section, a share of costs for medical treatment, county, or local health insurance. Because these are because remember, and this is

5:47 where I always tell people, nobody plans to be filing for disability benefits. When you're applying for disability benefits. That's because something has happened to you physically or mentally, or you're going a combination of both that has caused a significant life altering effect in your life. It's preventing you from being able to be gainfully employed to provide for yourself.

6:08 So things like food becomes important, food stamps, Things about where you live become important. Section eight. Things like health insurance, which is why I said the county health insurance become very important. Don't sit here and wonder, look and in your various areas aggressively to see what is available to you.

6:28 Step six, make sure you let social Security know about changes in your situation. Now, let me tell you what I mean by that. For instance, if you're going to move and no one can you know, no one can predict where you have to go. But if you're gonna move, social Security will be sending you forms and documents and setting up for appointments. Well, they can't do that if you leave that location and then guess what happens You don't tell social Security. So now let's let's kind of give it a hypothetical. Let's say they want to set you up for a doct's appointment. They send you a letter when you just moved and you never told them that you moved. Well, they send you to a doctor's appointment.

7:04 Cancel that appointment because new didn't respond. They sent a couple of ten day letters to say you gotten days, contact us. And then finally whoever was at the last address you were at forwarded you your mail and guess what happened They found if they found you. So then you call them and you tell them that you move.

7:18 Now they're going to try to reschedule you a doctor's appointment. That whole little exercise that I just went over, it was probably about a good two months of delay that's added on your case, which could have been avoided if you just simply called them and said I am moving. So you want to make sure you let them move and they know you're moving. If you've attempted work, well, it's kind of easier in that one because your Social Security number is associated with any employment opportunities, So you want to be sure that you let them know about that dire need. If you're in a situation where you're about to be evicted, you're about to be homeless, You've got thousands of dollars in bills. Let them know that

7:55 you're in a direk kneed situation. Keep them informed, even situations in your health condition, new medical information. If you've got a new doctor, they're going to want to know that, if you've got a significant condition. You'd be surprised the number of times I've had clients have been diagnosed with life threatening diseases and didn't tell Social Security, Like you know, I had an example of a young lady who was diagnosed with cancer, and I'm like, why didn't you let Social Security know that? Well, I figured they'd get it eventually. No, no, no, no, no, we need that and have information now because guess what, her case went from being the normal Social Security case to being the terminally ill case because of the type

8:31 of cancer she had. So it's important Social Security won't know about changes in your circumstances unless you tell them. If you don't know, if this is something that they need to know, call them. They'll tell you, all right. Step seven, don't be afraid to reach out to charities Goodwill, Habitat for Humanity, Salvation Army, various ministries. A lot of these different charities have offshoots available to them. To provide assistance to you, whether they be for clothes, whether they be for food, whether they be for medical treatment or even housing. These resources can be valuable to you if you find yourself being destitute and no other place directed to go to. And this is from my people out

9:14 there who say they don't have a great family relationship, they don't have any friends, and they're trying to figure out how are they going to survive. These resources are invaluable to you. And let me tell you another reason why charities are great. Charities know other charities. They keep lists of various persons who can do things that they cannot.

9:33 Don't be shy reach out to them. Step eight. If you don't have a place for your mail to go, contact your local post office. Find out if they have a general delivery mailbox for you to set your mail. You'd be surprised some post offices actually have what we call a general delivery mailbox. So this way when you if you're not getting your mail, or if you're worried that you're not getting your mail, you can get in a box there. So this way security can have a place where they can mail you correspondence. Now, keep this in mind if you're going to do the general delivery mail box. Please check it regularly. Don't check out like two or three weeks, every two or three weeks. Check it on a weekly basis. So this way, when Social

10:14 Security is reaching out, they know they have a good place to send correspondents to you. Now, Number nine, find out if there's any free clinics or health insurance opportunities through the county or the government in your area. People, under the regulations, you are required to prove you're disabled.

10:36 I can't say that any clear or any more firmly than that. Social Security is not going to be very forgiving of you if there are free clinics in your area and you haven't tried to go to them, or if there's county health clinic or hounty health or city health insurance available to you and you haven't used it.

10:54 Trust me, the judges know Social Securities knows what resources that are in your area. So they're not going to be very nice or sympathetic if you try to give them that noise about there's nothing in your area, because the first thing they're going to do is quote you those places, look and try to get access to them. Now.

11:14 Step ten, No matter how painful it may be. Don't cut corners of what your doctors tell you to do. People, This is the hardest part I have to tell you. Just listen carefully. I know you like those cigarettes. Your doctor tells you to stop smoking, stop, I know you like to have a little beer every now and then.

11:32 If the doctor tells you stop drinking, stop drinking. Look here, I am gonna lie. You know that pork is ruthless sometimes, boy calling your name. If the doctors tell you to stay off the pork and stay on a particular diet, do it. Because there's a thing that they call compliance. Social Security wants to know. Is your condition improving under the instruction of your doctor. Well, they're not going to know if you're not doing what they told you to do.

11:56 Do what your doctors tell you to do, even if it's something that you don't like. All right, Step eleven, Remember what your doctors tell you, which, excuse me, what you tell your doctors will ultimately come back to bite you if you're not mindful of it. Meaning what you tell your doctors is what they're gonna put in your medical records, and in which and those medical records are gonna go before judge, just be mindful. I always tell people, tell the truth. What sometimes happens is that people get into these situations where they tell their doctors everything and don't worry about it, and then they go before court and they try to switch up, not realizing that they said something completely different in their records. So keep that

12:33 in mind. And then this is the final point, step twelve. The most important point I can make to you out of everything I've said, recognizes that the hard choices you make may affect you later. This is what I mean by this. I've said this a million times to people. Your bills ain't gonna stop coming just because you apply for disability benefits. Taxman ain't gonna stop looking for you just because you say you can't work. I hate to be the bear bad news. And most of you know this already. So you got families, you got kids, you got loved ones, wives, husbands, girlfriends, boyfriends. You know people are who look to you for whatever the caspability or even you're looking for yourself, and you're going to need

13:17 to make some hard choices. And I tell this speech to people a million times. If you make those choices, recognize they maybe consequences associated with them. If you applied for unemployment even though you're eligible to receive it, keep in mind it's applying for unemployment implies you can work. Applying for social security implies you can't work. That inherently creates a conflict that some courts have a problem with.

13:44 So that may affect you negatively. If you get back into the workforce and you start working full time again, the fact that you are re employed may come back to bite you later. So keep that in the back of your mind as well. Even part time work. Let's say you're doing a job and you're like, well, I'm only working ten to twenty hours a week. Then the question comes, well, can you work more than ten to twenty hours? Why are you only working ten to twenty hours?

14:09 If you had a job like that to pay forty if that gave you forty hours a week, can you do it? Keep those things in the back of your mind. Also, taxes. I've seen this a million times. Sometimes be mindful of the hookup because what happens is sometimes we'll have people people I've had this happen with my client and my peers have talked about this, where our clients will have people who will file taxes for them and try to work some real strategic loopholes, which ends up looking like they work when actually they didn't. Well, guess what you just did when they were trying to hook you up the little loopholes, they may have committed fraud. And so think about how this plays out. You've committed fraud against

14:50 the United States government in the IRS, and then you're going to come to Social Security talking about being truthful and I can't work. See again the inherent conflict and the problem is that, like I said, people have to survive, and I know you're trying to survive, but the reality is is that you need to be mindful of this.

15:07 Sometimes the choices that you make in trying to survive may have an impact on your case later. Make sure you're aware of that. For those of you who are not sure quite how to maneuver and supports. And this is in my next video, I'm going to talk about what do you need to do? When should you start determining whether you should get a representative? I tell you, but just take these words in my mind. The Social Security process is a long process. It's not an easy one.

15:33 You're gonna have to make some tough choices to survive. Just note a couple of things. One keep social Security informed about what's going on, and to recognize that some of your choices come with consequences, some good, some not so good. Again, this is Attorney Anthony Reeves. It's always, it's a pleasure to be with you, and this is your que day social Security disability today. That the passage and purpose, the passage and fetus, the passage and fect, purpose, the passion,