- Q. My social security payments are different this month than last month. Social Security sent me a letter stating I had an overpayment and that my payments were going to be reduced until the overpayment was repaid. How/why did this happen?
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A. We need a letter or a privacy release from you describing your situation. Also send us letters received from Social Security if possible. Once we have received these letters, we can then contact Social Security and ask them for a specific accounting of exactly when and how much you were overpaid, when your payments will return to normal, and if the amount of your regular monthly payments will change after the overpayment is repaid. This can sometimes happen if Social Security discovers that you were receiving worker's compensation or veterans benefits or another form of compensation/income while you were receiving social security.
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- Q. I know my claim/appeal is pending with Social Security, but how will I know when a decision has been made?
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A. The SSA will notify you by mail as soon as a decision is made on your claim. The decision letter will explain how and why they came to their decision and will outline your appeal rights should you disagree with their decision. If you haven't received a decision or a response from the SSA in the time frame they gave you, contact our office. We will then contact the SSA to see why you have not received a response. We would need a letter or a privacy release from you to do this.
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- Q. My claim/appeal is pending with Social Security, but money is extremely tight right now and I don't know if we can wait for the payments. Is there anything you can do to help?
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A. If your financial situation is very desperate, you can send copies of information to our office that would demonstrate you are in dire need. This can consist of proof of rent or mortgage payments, pay stubs, or receipts of weekly or monthly bills. We can then send this information to Social Security and if they determine that you qualify as a dire need situation, they may be able to expedite your claim or get critical payments for you while your claim is pending.
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- Q. What is the status of my claim/appeal for Social Security benefits? I have been waiting for a long time without hearing anything from the SSA. Is there any way to know what's going on and how much longer it will be?
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A. The first thing we need is a letter or a privacy release from you describing your situation. Please include all pertinent information, such as: social security number, date of birth, when you filed the claim, phone number, and an address at which you can be reached. If possible, also include copies of letters from doctors and any other supporting documents. We will then contact SSA to find out exactly where your claim currently is (i.e. with the disability ratings board, with a hearings officer, etc.). We may then be able to find out if they are waiting for medical records or supporting documents from sponsors, either of which could cause a slowdown in processing your claim.
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- Q. I disagree with the SSA's decision on my claim. How can I appeal?
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A. To learn about the SSA appeal process go to: http://www.ssa.gov/pubs/10041.html
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- Q. How can I contact SSA or find an office near my residence?
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A. Go to: https://secure.ssa.gov/apps6z/FOLO/fo001.jsp
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- Q. Where can I apply for Social Security Benefits online?
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A. Go to: https://secure.ssa.gov/apps6z/ISBA/main.html
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