At-risk populations

How COVID-19 Highlighted Ways We Can Improve Social Services

For decades, asset limits have presented difficulties for individuals with disabilities. These limitations across public assistance programs often lock individuals out of better opportunities. In the face of the coronavirus and its devastating economic consequences, these limitations have been particularly troubling. For example, 60.5% of households where a person with a disability resides are considered…

Family Matters - Social Security Disability Insurance and family benefits

Why Apply for Social Security Disability Insurance Benefits?

By Matt Imhoff, Assistant Vice President of Representation, Integrated Benefits, Inc. The hidden benefits that often accompany a SSDI award make the long and paperwork-intensive application process worthwhile for many claimants.   Why am I doing this? Social Security Disability Insurance claimants ask their representatives this question all the time.   SSDI provides a maximum…

Family Matters - The Impact of the SSDI Application Process on Applicants, Caregivers and Families

The Impact of the SSDI Application Process on Applicants, Caregivers and Families

By Missy Biggs Applicants, caregivers, and families experience unexpected support and  frustrations during the Social Security Disability Insurance benefits application process. On the one hand, each family member (including a spouse, divorced spouse, children, and adult children disabled before age 22) may be eligible for a monthly benefit of up to 50 percent of the disability benefit amount.…

History of Social Security Disability Insurance Advocacy

The History and Future of Social Security Disability Insurance Advocacy

By Matt Jensen, Executive Vice President and Chief Marketing Officer, Integrated Benefits, Inc. This post tells a story about a benefit available to most people living and working in the United States – Social Security Disability Insurance (SSDI). The SSDI program pays benefits to you and certain family members if you are unable to work due to a medical condition…

Savings

Four Methods of Budgeting That Will Help You Save Money

The thing about budgeting is that we all know we have to do it, and often the hardest part is getting started. The challenge is even greater for adults with disabilities. In fact, 1 in 4 Americans with disabilities have a hard time finding employment and thus experience financial insecurity. Their economic situation is aggravated…

The pandemic's affect on Social Security

COVID-19 and the Social Security Administration

Though COVID-19 threatens everyone, the elderly face the greatest peril, including – possibly –the United States Social Security Administration. SSA turned 85 years old in August 2020, and it is time to check in on how the pandemic is affecting the department.   Social Security administers retirement, Social Security Disability Insurance, survivor, Supplemental Security Income…

May is Disability Insurance Awareness Month

Ask Me Anything about Social Security Disability Insurance

As the spread of the novel coronavirus and COVID-19 altered how we work, live and move about our communities, Americans started sending an increasing number of questions to The Council for Disability Awareness about Social Security Disability Insurance (SSDI). We turned to one of our member company experts – Ted Norwood of Integrated Benefits, Inc.…

Help Your Employees Understand Disability Insurance with these Five Questions

Employers are offering more and more voluntary benefits—and workers want these benefits. A recent study showed that nearly one third of eligible employees were signing up for voluntary offerings (that’s a higher participation rate than in earlier years). Amy Hollis is the national leader of voluntary benefits for HR consultancy Willis Towers Watson. She recently…

The basics of the Social Security Disability Income Program

By Ted Norwood, General Counsel and Director of Representation, Integrated Benefits, Inc. The United States Social Security Administration offers two programs—confusingly named Social Security Disability Income and Supplemental Security Income—aimed at providing or supplementing the income of people who are unable to work. SSDI (also called Title II benefits) provides disability coverage for individuals who…

Why Millennials Need to Think about Disability Insurance

Millennials are shaping up to be one of the most influential and unique generations of all time. They’re already the biggest population in US history, consisting of 92 million people (compared to 77 million “baby-boomers”), and they currently make up close to half of the American workforce. One thing that sets millennials apart from past…