Ticket to Work is an innovative employment program specifically created to help people with disabilities minimize or stop their dependence on benefit payments. This Social Security Administration (SSA) program provides training, career planning/counseling, job search support, rehabilitation services, and other crucial services to assist individuals with disabilities to resume work or find new employment opportunities. Read More

More than 2 million former government workers face significant cuts in their Social Security because they had a government job that included a pension. The decreased payouts are the result of the Government Pension Offset (GPO) and the Windfall Elimination Provision (WEP), two statutes that prevent retirees from receiving payments from both social security and Read More

Every year, millions of Americans apply for Social Security Disability Insurance (SSDI) benefits. Unfortunately, the Social Security Administration (SSA) denies 70 percent of initial claims. Forms of Social Security benefits There are two forms of Social Security benefits. Social Security Disability Insurance (SSDI) pays benefits to an individual if they are “insured,” that is, if the person Read More

Franklin D. Roosevelt signed the Social Security Act into law in 1935. The intent of this Act was to provide protection to average citizens and their families from falling into poverty during their old age. When there is talk about cutting the federal budget, the subject of cutting Social Security benefits is often brought up. Read More

Anyone that is applying for social security disability payments is going to be evaluated by a claims examiner at the DDS (Disability Determination Services). The evaluation performed by the claims examiner will include a residual functional capacity (RFC) assessment that is performed by a medical or psychological consultant at the DDS. This RFC assessment helps Read More

Evaluating vocational activity during SSD claims People seeking Social Security Disability benefits must prove they cannot perform “substantial gainful activity” because of their impairments. Additionally, claimants cannot engage in SGA while seeking benefits. To many SSD applicants, this may sound like a subjective requirement. However, as a Chicago disability attorney could attest, the Social Security Read More

Illinois Social Security attorneys can assist victims Serious car accidents affect many Chicago residents each year. According to The Chicago Tribune, in 2013, an average of 783 crashes occurred daily in Illinois. About two-thirds of these accidents were speed- or alcohol-related. Crashes involving these factors often have devastating consequences, as most Illinois Social Security attorneys Read More

Social Security Disability provides financial assistance to people who cannot work due to disabling medical conditions. As any Illinois Social Security lawyer knows, SSD benefits are not awarded based on financial need. Besides meeting medical criteria, beneficiaries must have adequate earnings to qualify as “insured.” Given this requirement, SSD benefits are not directly available to Read More

Claiming SSD for joint, bone and muscle conditions Musculoskeletal system disorders are conditions that affect the bones, joints and muscles. People who suffer from these disorders in Illinois may experience anything from mild pain and stiffness to significant physical limitations. These disorders can be highly debilitating, as any Chicago Social Security attorney understands. Fortunately, victims Read More

Claiming benefits with an Illinois SSD attorney The American Cancer Society estimates that over 1.6 million new cancer cases will be diagnosed in 2015. As any Illinois SSD attorney knows, people diagnosed with the disease may face numerous adverse symptoms and health complications. Fortunately, Social Security Disability benefits may be available to cancer victims. The Read More