Florida Social Security Disability Lawyer Blog

The 2012 Board of Trustees Report for the Social Security and Medicare Trust Funds was released on April 23, 2012. While the Fund remains relatively stable, the impact of the recession has resulted in some deterioration from last year, particularly for the Disability Insurance Trust Fund. The 2012 report finds that if no action is taken, the Social Security Trust Funds will be able to pay 100% of scheduled benefits until 2033, three years earlier than previously reported. Even if no action is taken, scheduled benefits would still be paid at a reduced level of about 75% after 2033 using incoming payroll tax revenue. However, the need to shore up the Disability Insurance Trust Fund is much more immediate, with exhaustion now projected to occur in 2016, two years earlier than in the 2011 Trustee's Report.

Social Security Disability Attorney and Lawyer, Randy Zeldin, Esq., represents individuals seeking Social Security Disability Benefits from Fort Lauderdale to West Palm Beach, including all of Palm Beach and Broward Counties.

The Social Security Administration has announced that there will be a 3.6% cost-of-living adjustment (COLA) for Social Security and SSI beneficiaries in 2012. This is the first increase since 2009. The COLA is determined by comparing the change in the Consumer Price Index from the third quarter of 2008, the last year that a COLA was determined, to the third quarter of 2011. The last COLA increase in 2009 was 5.8%, the largest increase since 1982.

The average monthly benefit in 2012 for all disabled workers will be $1,111 (v. $1,072 in 2011). For a disabled worker, spouse and one or more children, the average monthly benefit in 2012 will be $1,892.

Attorney Randy Zeldin, Esq. represents individuals seeking Social Security Disability Benefits in West Palm Beach, Ft. Lauderdale, Boca Raton, Pompano Beach, Deerfield Beach, Delray Beach and Boynton Beach.

Since the beginning of the current recession in 2007, more than 1.6 million Americans have taken themselves out of the work force, but obtaining Social Security Disability benefits. The outcome is that the U.S. unemployment rate appears better than it is, because the number of persons in the labor force has decreased. Many of these persons have permanently quit looking for employment, as measured by the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics and moved onto the rolls of the Social Security Administration. This is the conclusion of a report recently issued by Bloomberg News.

Historically, it is not unusual for the labor force participation rate to decrease during a recession. Of the 5.7 millions persons who have dropped out of the labor force, Bloomberg estimates that about 25% of these, roughly 1.6 million persons, have opted for Social Security Disability. Many others have simply retired, taking Social Security retirement, if they are in fact eligible.

Continue reading " Recession Moves Unemployed To Social Security Disability " »

In Fiscal Year 2010, there were 1,256 Social Security Judges nationwide. Each one averaged 200 or more decisions. Of these Judges, there were 259 Judges, about 20%, with an allowance decision rate higher than 80%. The average allowance decision rate in Fiscal Year 2010 was 67%.

In Fiscal Year 2011, there were 1,359 Social Security Judges, who again averaged about 200 decisions each. Of these Judges, there there were 181 Judges, about 13.3%, with an allowance rate higher than 80%. The average allowance decision rate in Fiscal Year 2011 was 62%.

The source of these statistics is the Office of the Inspector General, Congressional Response Report, (March 2012).

Social Security Disability Attorney and Lawyer Randy Zeldin, Esq., represents individuals seeks Social Security Disability in West Palm Beach and Ft. Lauderdale, Florida. All consultations are free of charge.