New York Disability Benefits Law Blog

Disability can strike anyone, anywhere. A new study, though, shows that rural communities have much higher per capita rates of Social Security disability beneficiaries than other parts of the country.

Nationwide, approximately 4.6 percent of working-age people collect federal disability benefits. In rural areas, this rate is often much higher. For example, in west-central Missouri, between 10 and 13 percent of working-age adults collect SSD benefits. Even higher rates exist in the rural south and in communities along the Appalachian Mountains. The highest rate in the nation is in Buchanan County, Virginia, where 27 percent of working age adults collect Social Security disability benefits.

The National Organization of Social Security Claimants' Representatives (NOSSCR) is an organization consisting of over 4,000 attorneys and advocates who represent people seeking to claim Social Security Disability and Supplemental Security Income benefits. NOSSCR members are dedicated to providing the highest quality of representation possible for people seeking benefits.

The web site for NOSSCR, http://www.nosscr.org, is a useful tool for any individual seeking information about the Social Security Disability benefits process. On the web site, a frequently asked questions section answers the most common questions that potential beneficiaries may have, such as eligibility for benefits, the claims process and information about hearings. In addition, there is a complimentary lawyer referral service that can assist the public in finding a qualified Social Security benefits attorney.

The Social Security Administration (SSA) will no longer be sending the handy "Your Social Security Statement" benefit summaries in the mail. The change comes as a cost cutting move that the SSA estimates will save $90 million in 2011-2012.

The statements provided a section on the amount of benefits you would be eligible to receive if you needed to file for Social Security Disability (SSD). Another section listed the amount of Family and Survivors' Benefits your child and/or spouse would receive based on your earning record if you were to die in the near future. The family maximum benefit was also listed.

Where to go for Information Now

Currently, if you want to receive an estimate of your potential SSD benefits, you will need to do so on-line at ssa.gov. Several calculators are available. You can use the quick calculator to obtain a rough estimate by providing your date of birth and current year's earnings. The site also includes two detailed calculators, which require earnings records from all prior years.

Despite recently instituted application reform, Social Security Disability (SSD) determination hearings are backlogged. According to the Transactional Records Access Clearinghouse (TRAC), Syracuse University's data research organization, over 728,000 people are awaiting hearings for their disability claims. This number marks a five percent increase in pending cases. While the Social Security Administration (SSA) disputes the significance of the increase in pending hearings, its own records reveal that the number of pending hearings topped 740,000 as of May 2011.

18.3 million Americans receive more than $180 billion in benefits through the Social Security Disability and Supplemental Security Income programs. The troubled economy, frustrated job market and aging baby boomer population are all likely contributors to the significant number of pending cases.