Are you a homeowner in New Jersey and have been awarded either Social Security Disability benefits or Supplemental Security Income? If so, you may qualify for a special $250 annual tax deduction.
In order to receive the deduction you must show proof that you meet the requirements under New Jersey law.
In addition, you may also qualify for property tax reimbursement. This is essentially a property tax freeze.
If you are not a New Jersey resident you should review your home state's tax website or consult a tax lawyer or accountant in your area who is familiar with local state tax regulations.
Related post: Do I Have To Pay Taxes On Social Security Disability Benefits?
Monday
Can A Lawyer Help Me File For Supplemental Security Income (SSI)?
Yes, an attorney can assist you with your application for Supplemental Security Income (SSI). However, unlike when applying for SSD, the attorney cannot do your initial application online.
The reason why Social Security does not allow applicants to file their SSI application online is because before they review your disabilities and analyze your case from a disability standpoint, they determine whether you meet their financial criteria.
For this reason, most attorneys will require that if you are not eligible for SSD, that you apply for SSI on your own before they begin working on your case for you. The reason being, if you do not meet the criteria financially for SSI, there is nothing that your lawyer can do for you. You hire an attorney to assist you in proving to Social Security that you are disabled. If you do not meet the financial component, then Social Security never actually analyzes your case from a medical point of view.
If you intend on filing for Social Security disability benefits then I recommend you contact a lawyer in your area that is experienced in handling Social Security cases. They will inform you what their policy is on assisting with SSI applications if that is what you are applying for.
The reason why Social Security does not allow applicants to file their SSI application online is because before they review your disabilities and analyze your case from a disability standpoint, they determine whether you meet their financial criteria.
For this reason, most attorneys will require that if you are not eligible for SSD, that you apply for SSI on your own before they begin working on your case for you. The reason being, if you do not meet the criteria financially for SSI, there is nothing that your lawyer can do for you. You hire an attorney to assist you in proving to Social Security that you are disabled. If you do not meet the financial component, then Social Security never actually analyzes your case from a medical point of view.
If you intend on filing for Social Security disability benefits then I recommend you contact a lawyer in your area that is experienced in handling Social Security cases. They will inform you what their policy is on assisting with SSI applications if that is what you are applying for.
Friday
My Doctor Is Not Willing To Cooperate With Social Security or My Lawyer, What Should I Do?
Medical records are a crucial component of any Social Security Disability benefits (SSD) or Supplemental Security Income (SSI) case.
Unfortunately from time to time I have a client that tells me that either their doctor is unwilling to fill out paperwork stating that they are disabled or the doctor is unwilling to assist them in anyway. This isn't usually a deal breaker. Most of the time, if you've been treating with a doctor, then that doctor will have medical records for you. Those records include office visit notes, blood work results and any number of other test results that were forwarded back to that doctor's office.
As long as the doctor is willing to turn over those records then there should be no issue. If the doctor is not even willing to give you access to your records then it is critical to get your attorney involved. If it has reached this stage, then I strongly suggest beginning the process of looking elsewhere for a new treating physican.
This is not something that I like to advise and it should be a last resort. However, applying for Social Security can be a stressful process and more often than not a difficult process. There is no reason why you should have to stress out even more or make the process even more difficult. If you have a medical condition(s), either physical or mental that truly prevents you from working, then there are plenty of other doctors in your area who will treat you and are willing to assist you by providing the records needed to help prove to Social Security that you are in fact disabled.
Obviously, as an attorney, it is always much more helpful if a doctor is willing to complete forms that I send to him or her to complete. But, this isn't always necessary and often even if a doctor isn't willing to fill out additional forms as long as they are willing to provide your medical records this will not be an issue.
At some point at the beginning of the process, or preferably, before you have even applied for Social Security disability, you should discuss with your doctor your plans to apply for disability. Often this conversation will give you a better understanding how your doctor truly feels about your condition(s). If the doctor seems on board with you applying for Social Security disability then he or she is likely to be more cooperative when Social Security or your attorney requests information about your medical condition. If the doctor seems skeptical about the process then this could be a hint that in the future that particular doctor may not be of much assistance to your application for disability.
The truth of the matter is, many doctors have no idea what the criteria for Social Security disability is and some are much more reluctant than others to assist you through the process.
Unfortunately from time to time I have a client that tells me that either their doctor is unwilling to fill out paperwork stating that they are disabled or the doctor is unwilling to assist them in anyway. This isn't usually a deal breaker. Most of the time, if you've been treating with a doctor, then that doctor will have medical records for you. Those records include office visit notes, blood work results and any number of other test results that were forwarded back to that doctor's office.
As long as the doctor is willing to turn over those records then there should be no issue. If the doctor is not even willing to give you access to your records then it is critical to get your attorney involved. If it has reached this stage, then I strongly suggest beginning the process of looking elsewhere for a new treating physican.
This is not something that I like to advise and it should be a last resort. However, applying for Social Security can be a stressful process and more often than not a difficult process. There is no reason why you should have to stress out even more or make the process even more difficult. If you have a medical condition(s), either physical or mental that truly prevents you from working, then there are plenty of other doctors in your area who will treat you and are willing to assist you by providing the records needed to help prove to Social Security that you are in fact disabled.
Obviously, as an attorney, it is always much more helpful if a doctor is willing to complete forms that I send to him or her to complete. But, this isn't always necessary and often even if a doctor isn't willing to fill out additional forms as long as they are willing to provide your medical records this will not be an issue.
At some point at the beginning of the process, or preferably, before you have even applied for Social Security disability, you should discuss with your doctor your plans to apply for disability. Often this conversation will give you a better understanding how your doctor truly feels about your condition(s). If the doctor seems on board with you applying for Social Security disability then he or she is likely to be more cooperative when Social Security or your attorney requests information about your medical condition. If the doctor seems skeptical about the process then this could be a hint that in the future that particular doctor may not be of much assistance to your application for disability.
The truth of the matter is, many doctors have no idea what the criteria for Social Security disability is and some are much more reluctant than others to assist you through the process.
Thursday
I Receive A Social Security Check, Why Must I Sign Up For Direct Deposit?
Truthfully, you do not have to sign up for direct deposit. But, you also will not have the option of receiving a paper check beyond March 1, 2013. If you do not want to set up direct deposit then you can elect to receive your monthly Social Security benefits via the Direct Express prepaid debit card.
Social Security is moving to an entirely electronic payment system because they claim it will save them $1 billion over the next ten years. According to the Social Security Administration, it costs 92 cents more to issue a payment by paper check then it does by direct deposit.
Read more about the change in the Senior Journal.
Social Security is moving to an entirely electronic payment system because they claim it will save them $1 billion over the next ten years. According to the Social Security Administration, it costs 92 cents more to issue a payment by paper check then it does by direct deposit.
Read more about the change in the Senior Journal.
Tuesday
I Worked On The Books, Why Does Social Security Say I Don't Have Enough Work History Credits?
As you probably know, in order to qualify for Social Security Disability benefits (SSD), you need to have enough work history credits. If you do not have the work history credits, then it is possible you could still qualify for SSI or still qualify for SSD if you can prove that you were disabled prior to your date last insured.
Unfortunately, not everyone pays into Social Security while they are working. Sadly, this is not even something that you may have realized while you were working. Most people assume that if someone hasn't paid into Social Security that means they were working off the books or not paying taxes. But, there are certain jobs, where the employee pays taxes but they do not pay into Social Security.
It's becoming less frequent, but there are still jobs, mainly within the federal or local government that have their own pension plans that have decided not to require their employees to pay into Social Security. According to the National Association of Government Defined Contribution Administrators, about 30% of government workers do not pay into the Social Security system. Unfortunately those workers who have not paid into the system may end up not having enough work history credits when they retire or if they intend to file for disability benefits.
In dealing first hand with New Jersey public employees, I know that it is not even a generalization that can be made across the board for all of the public employees of one state. There are certain divisions or job titles within each of New Jersey's major government pension systems; Public Employees' Retirement System (PERS), Teachers' Pension and Annuity Fund (TPAF) and Police and Firemen's Retirement System (PRFS), that do and don't pay into Social Security.
Of course, even if you have a government job that does not withhold Social Security taxes from your paycheck, it is possible to qualify for SSD or retirement benefits if you have acquired enough work history credits from a previous job or a part-time job that you have.
If you are unsure whether or not you have enough work history credits then you should contact your local Social Security office.
Related post: Do I Have To Pay Taxes On Social Security Disability Benefits?
Unfortunately, not everyone pays into Social Security while they are working. Sadly, this is not even something that you may have realized while you were working. Most people assume that if someone hasn't paid into Social Security that means they were working off the books or not paying taxes. But, there are certain jobs, where the employee pays taxes but they do not pay into Social Security.
It's becoming less frequent, but there are still jobs, mainly within the federal or local government that have their own pension plans that have decided not to require their employees to pay into Social Security. According to the National Association of Government Defined Contribution Administrators, about 30% of government workers do not pay into the Social Security system. Unfortunately those workers who have not paid into the system may end up not having enough work history credits when they retire or if they intend to file for disability benefits.
In dealing first hand with New Jersey public employees, I know that it is not even a generalization that can be made across the board for all of the public employees of one state. There are certain divisions or job titles within each of New Jersey's major government pension systems; Public Employees' Retirement System (PERS), Teachers' Pension and Annuity Fund (TPAF) and Police and Firemen's Retirement System (PRFS), that do and don't pay into Social Security.
Of course, even if you have a government job that does not withhold Social Security taxes from your paycheck, it is possible to qualify for SSD or retirement benefits if you have acquired enough work history credits from a previous job or a part-time job that you have.
If you are unsure whether or not you have enough work history credits then you should contact your local Social Security office.
Related post: Do I Have To Pay Taxes On Social Security Disability Benefits?
Monday
Montclair, NJ Social Security Office Closing
According to The Bergen Record:
As part of its belt-tightening, the U.S. Social Security Administration will be closing its walk-in office on Bloomfield Avenue, consolidating that facility with its office in Clifton, officials said Friday.
The closing of the 7,100-square-foot facility will take place in early March, Shallman said. At that point, employees and operations from Montclair will be shifted to the Social Security office at 935 Allwood Road, Clifton, which is within five miles of the Montclair facility.
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