SSA Expands Online Services

Want to do some financial and retirement research from the comfort of your own home, using your own computer?

The Social Security Administration has just expanded the services available with a ‘my Social Security” account, available through the SSA. Workers may create personalized online accounts, permitting access to benefit verification letters, payment histories and earnings records.Access can start during the working years and continue throughout the time benefits are received.

It certainly beats trekking to an SSA office, or spending time on the phone.

Beneficiaries (for both Social Security and Supplement Security Income benefits) can retrieve an official benefit verification instantly online. This letter serves as proof of income for loans, mortgages and other housing, plus state or local benefits. People can also use the verification letter to prove current Medicare health insurance coverage, retirement or disability status and age. The information could also prove useful and timely to a Social Security attorney or disability attorney working to help someone apply for Social Security Disability benefits.

Those not yet receiving benefits who sign up for an account can get a personalized online statement, with earnings and benefit information, and estimates of future benefits. The website also includes links to other information, such as applying for retirement, Social Security disability benefits and Medicare.

The online service lets people conduct business with the SSA without having to visit a field office or make a phone call. There’s also no need to wait for a verification letter (Social Security process nearly 9 million requests for the letters in the past year) to arrive by mail. And online services free employees to focus on other tasks, rather than complete verification letter requests.

People 18 and older can sign up for an account at www.socialsecurity.gov/myaccount . Once on the site, people must be able to provide information about themselves, and give answers to questions only they are likely to know. After completing a secure verification process, people create a “my Social Security” account with a unique user name and password, permitting them to access their information.

Disability Attorneys Handle "Light Duty" Disability Benefit Claims

A disability attorney can usually help older individuals that have been diagnosed with a restriction of only performing "light duty" at their job. Often times, this diagnosis can significantly reduce the number of hours the individual can work, by performing less mentally and physically demanding tasks.

While the Social Security Administration often defines "light duty" as "light work", the two labels might not always mean the same thing. The SSA usually defines any type or classification of work an individual performs by relying on the Dictionary of Occupational Titles, published by the Department Of Labor.

In that occupational dictionary, "light work" is defined as the task of exerting up to 10 pounds of force frequently, and/or 20 pounds occasionally. It also states that a negligible amount of force might need to be exerted to move objects. It might also include working in a sedentary position for long periods.

Defining the Condition

Most any disability attorney will agree that the legal definition of "light work" is hazy. However, it often requires standing or walking to a significant degree. It may also require the use of pulling or pushing the legs or arms for controls. Many "light work" jobs require working at a specific rate to keep up with production. Many times, someone who has been diagnosed as available for "light duty" simply cannot perform these light work duties.

Fighting for Individual Rights

An experienced disability attorney has the skill and knowledge to fight for these individual's rights and garner the disability benefits they deserve. Left alone without the skillful tools of a disability attorney, many claimants have their application denied. Without the knowledge of all of the laws concerning disability benefits with the Social Security Administration, a claimant can usually expect a negative outcome of their claim.

Skillful disability attorneys understand that claimants older than 55 with no transferable skills have a better chance of an approved claim. Additionally, non-English speaking, are illiterate individuals older than 50 years old, also have higher approval ratings.

Using the skills of a disability attorney to handle a "light work" claim is a sure way to make sure every avenue is taken for a positive outcome. Even "light work" claimants deserve disability benefits.