Florida Social Security Disability Lawyer Blog

Beginning March 2012, the Social Security Administration will stop mailing paper checks. All payments will be sent electronically, to an account designated by the beneficiary. The payments can either be made directly into a bank or credit union account, or placed on a Direct Express Debit Master Card. Either way, the Social Security beneficiary must elect one of these options, prior to March 1, 2013, in order to receive payment.

According to the U.S. Department of Treasury, electronic payments, compared to mailing of paper checks, will save taxpayers a whopping $1 billion dollars over the next ten years. It costs the U.S. treasury $1.00 to mail a paper check, compared to ten cents to transmit the same check electronically.

Given the political momentum to "fix" Social Security, there will be no controversy regarding electronic Social Security payments, according to Social Security Attorney and Lawyer, Randy Zeldin, Esq., of Boca Raton. Randy Zeldin is a Social Security Attorney and Lawyer representing individuals in Boynton Beach, Delray Beach, Boca Raton, Deerfield Beach and Pompano Beach, Florida.

The 2011 Social Security Trustees Report projects that the Disability Insurance Trust Fund will be exhausted in 2018. This means that, the Trust Fund will be able to continue to pay 86 percent of scheduled benefits thereafter based on tax revenue. Some argue that "sustainable solvency" can be restored by either a reduction in benefits or an increase in revenues or a combination of both.

The Social Security Administration has recently announced that it expects to award $5 million dollars under the Disability Consortium Research Program, to study disability policy. The U.S. Congress, particularly the House Ways and Means Social Security Subcommittee, will be studying disability policy and the looming threat of insolvency.

Continue reading " Studies to Commence on Social Security Insolvency " »

A Social Security Administrative Law Judge must give consideration to the Veteran Administration's determination that the plaintiff was totally and permanently disabled. In the case of King v. Commissioner of Social Security, the Court determined that some weight must be given to a prior determination, that a Veteran Social Security applicant, is already receiving Veterans benefits. The weight given to a finding of Veteran's disability, depends on the facts of each case. Since the regulations for disability status differ between the SSA and the VA, the Social Security Judge is no required to give "great weight" to Veteran's disability status. On the other hand, the Social Security Judge cannot ignore Veteran's disability status and must consider it in making a decision.