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Possible Advice If You Are Filing For DisabilityIf you are considering filing for social security disability (SSD) benefits, you are likely suffering from a medical condition that is seriously compromising, if not outright inhibiting your ability to perform tasks associated with work. You may already be experiencing a loss of earnings as a result of your condition, or be facing calls from bill collection agencies, or even the prospect of losing your home. For some individuals filing for SSD, paying for utilities, getting medical care, even putting food on the table, are tasks that get more difficult by the day. The bad news is, the process of filing for disability is a long one. The initial claim can take four months (or longer) to be evaluated, after which 70 percent are rejected. The request for reconsideration can take several months as well, and around 85 percent of those are rejected as well. If you choose to file a new claim, you face starting all over, with the resultant waiting periods, after which you may be rejected once again. If you choose to appeal your case before an administrative judge (the most commonly recommended course of action), it could be two years before the case is heard, and there will most likely be legal fees associated with the process (its highly advisable to get a disability lawyer at this stage of the game). The real question is, how do you survive financially while waiting to be approved for social security disability benefits? Well, the good news is, there are free resources available to those in need, and tapping these resources can help float you until your social security disability benefits are granted. In anticipation of these difficulties, you should take the following steps: 1. Get help paying your utilities. You local social services department should be able to provide you with the appropriate contact information, and may even offer one-time assistance for bills (not during the winter months). For help during the winter months, check into the low income energy assistance program (LIEAP). 2. Get help, even if it’s only temporary, with paying your medical expenses. Again, your local social services department or county health department should be able to point you in the right direction here, providing the names of free clinics, churches, charitable organizations, or prescription assistance programs with resources available to those in need. You may also consider filing for Medicaid, because some counties allow you to receive medical benefits while your claim is being processed, even if your disability claim is ultimately denied. 3. Get help putting food on the table. File for food stamps, WIC (if you have minor children), and any other food assistance programs available in your area. 4. Get help keeping your home. If you are facing foreclosure or can no longer afford to maintain your current home, you should file immediately for public housing assistance or section 8. It takes a long time to qualify for housing assistance—do not procrastinate on this one. For more information on: Social Security Disability and SSI Disability.
A few words about Elder Law 
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