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Ssdi And Ssi-Turning 62 In September-How Should I File To Be Protected...

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mrs rockman (widow of vet)

Question

I will be turning 62 the last part of September. I know i can go on and fill out all of the paperwork online for this.

My question is, I will not be working after 08/05/11, due to my service connected disabilities and one other disability ( not recognized by VA yet).

The VA is sending me a letter that I will no longer be able to work after the 5th. (for the pulmonary disease).

By the way, our outside cardiologist put it in writing that the pulmonary affected my AO IHD. We are sending this in as new evidence.

The VA pulmonologist is the one writing the unable to work anymore.

We asked the VA pulmonologist if this disease affected my heart and he said yes. We asked if he would include this in our progress notes, he said yes, & and we did see him typing this. We have not gotten our records printed on this. I do hope that VA did not take this out of our records to protect themselves, but it would not surprise me at all. If it is in there, we will send both for new evidence.

Should I go on and file for SSI and then on 08/05/11, file for SSDI? I know that they will recognize the SSI first and then I would be assured of some money at least while I "wait the waiting game!!

Any ideas on this, for I need to start filing this weekend for SSI.

Help, I could really use some of your wise imput!!

Rockman

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  • HadIt.com Elder

You should file for both SSA and SSDI at the same time, if possible, assuming you will be or are 62. Don't bother to file for SSDI if you are still working.

The SSA sees a concurrent application as we've gotta pay one way or another, and the fact that you are asking for early retirement as an indication that the disability is preventing you from working.

Assuming, of course, that you have the medical docs necessary to prove the disability when you file.

I did this, and received the age 62 SSA payments for almost a year before SSA finally got around to getting the SSDI paper through the mill.

In the middle of everything, I ended up (On the advice of a senior SSA clerk) asking for an earlier effective date for SSDI, and actually got it!.

A side issue was that when I brought the paperwork to request an earlier effective date (prepared per the senior clerk's instructions) a junior clerk did not want to accept it.

I told the clerk that I wanted the SSA received date stamp on my copy, and that the paperwork was only to be given to the senior clerk (by name).

~14 K retro total as a result! Part was the difference between the SSA 62 payment, and SSDI. The rest was due to the earlier effective date.

You also have to consider how your disability might impact your life expectancy. Many disabling conditions significantly reduce it.

The type of work you were doing and are qualified for can have a major effect on SSA's denial or approval.

I was approved in part because I could no longer safely climb ladders to get into large aircraft to supervise repair actions and engineering modifications.

Then, just to add insult, the VA refused to acknowledge that the SSA had ruled that I was totally disabled solely by conditions that were and are service connected.

Finally had to get a lawyer to deal with the VA. When all is said and done, the VA ends up taking about 30k out of retro due me, and pays the lawyer.

A friend who ran a small painting business and also climbed ladders was disapproved by SSA.

The reasoning in the original disapproval and his appeal was that he ran the painting business and "could hire someone"????

Edited by Chuck75
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Chuck75

Nothing succeeds like personal experience. It is good to know that you can file for both since it will help this vet survive.

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You should file for both SSA and SSDI at the same time, if possible, assuming you will be or are 62. Don't bother to file for SSDI if you are still working.

The SSA sees a concurrent application as we've gotta pay one way or another, and the fact that you are asking for early retirement as an indication that the disability is preventing you from working.

Assuming, of course, that you have the medical docs necessary to prove the disability when you file.

I did this, and received the age 62 SSA payments for almost a year before SSA finally got around to getting the SSDI paper through the mill.

In the middle of everything, I ended up (On the advice of a senior SSA clerk) asking for an earlier effective date for SSDI, and actually got it!.

A side issue was that when I brought the paperwork to request an earlier effective date (prepared per the senior clerk's instructions) a junior clerk did not want to accept it.

I told the clerk that I wanted the SSA received date stamp on my copy, and that the paperwork was only to be given to the senior clerk (by name).

~14 K retro total as a result! Part was the difference between the SSA 62 payment, and SSDI. The rest was due to the earlier effective date.

You also have to consider how your disability might impact your life expectancy. Many disabling conditions significantly reduce it.

The type of work you were doing and are qualified for can have a major effect on SSA's denial or approval.

I was approved in part because I could no longer safely climb ladders to get into large aircraft to supervise repair actions and engineering modifications.

Then, just to add insult, the VA refused to acknowledge that the SSA had ruled that I was totally disabled solely by conditions that were and are service connected.

Finally had to get a lawyer to deal with the VA. When all is said and done, the VA ends up taking about 30k out of retro due me, and pays the lawyer.

A friend who ran a small painting business and also climbed ladders was disapproved by SSA.

The reasoning in the original disapproval and his appeal was that he ran the painting business and "could hire someone"????

Chuck75-

Thank you for this great personal information. We will then file both the day he leaves work for good-August 5th!!!

I am glad you did so well with Social Security, but to have to go thru all you did with the VA is just not right!!

You serve and protect, but just where is the protection afterwards??

Also, you mentioned that you had to prepare the papework to request an earlier effective date and it was per the senior clerk's instructions. Would you mind letting me know just how you worded the letter in case we need it? Almost for certain, we probably will need it at some point. Knowing how to prep yourself is half the battle. Again thanks again!

I work in a prison and just walking to the crash gate is difficult at most. I do take my oxygen into work daily. The job is also very hard on my PTSD. It really would not matter where I worked, I can no longer walk very far and not be totally out of breath.

Have a good day!

Rockman

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Rockman, I was forced to retire and filed after trying to work somewhere else and could not do it! After filing I just sat back and let them do their thing. You are going about it the right way in getting prepared and having your docs all in a row!

I was approved in 4 months for SSDI of course I did not get much retro but I did start getting my full payments quickly!

You will be fine! Enjoy your retirement and live a long life!

Thank you sir for your service!

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We just got Rockman out of the hospital. He thought it was his heart, but it was his lung condition mostly, but this also is hard on his IHD. We were told that he had pulmonary hypertension. I saw somewhere on this site that it would be an automatic 100%. I cannot remember where and just wish for his health back. With his condition, he cannot afford to drive to the VA. He has to be able to get to a er quickly. I have no idea as to what we will now be facing when we get this last bill. We will pay what we can and I will not worry about it.

He really needs for his filing with SSDI to be with all of his service related disabilities. His heart and his PTSD are connected, but his pulmonary fibrosis and pulmonary hypertension is not. Now we are a rock in a hard place.

Mrs. R

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How is he doing now? Have you heard anything more from the VA or SSA?

We just got Rockman out of the hospital. He thought it was his heart, but it was his lung condition mostly, but this also is hard on his IHD. We were told that he had pulmonary hypertension. I saw somewhere on this site that it would be an automatic 100%. I cannot remember where and just wish for his health back. With his condition, he cannot afford to drive to the VA. He has to be able to get to a er quickly. I have no idea as to what we will now be facing when we get this last bill. We will pay what we can and I will not worry about it.

He really needs for his filing with SSDI to be with all of his service related disabilities. His heart and his PTSD are connected, but his pulmonary fibrosis and pulmonary hypertension is not. Now we are a rock in a hard place.

Mrs. R

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