Social Security Disability – A Long Wait
SSI or Social Security Income – that thing the government required you to pay for all your working life. It’s purpose was to help you after you reached that golden year called retirement. Another reason those funds were deducted from your pay check each pay period was to help you, if there ever came a time in which you could no longer work. In other words, you became disabled.
Over the years we have all heard horror stories of folks who rightfully needed their SSI or disability yet their requests were denied. Years would go by with appeal after appeal failing. Eventually lawyers had to be brought into the argument… and still after years of fighting many are still denied.
Well, the Social Security has revealed that the wait time for those benefits may even be longer than previously experienced, and that doesn’t leave much hope for those who are depending on what the government has promised (and charged for) all those working years.
According to the Congressional Research Service – the time it takes to file the appeals at each stage, the entire process takes an average of 777 days, or a little more than two years for disability payments to even be approved. It then may take months (depending on the State) before the disabled person receives their first check.
In the meantime – those who have been forced to abandon the work force because of their disability – end up losing everything they have ever worked for, because they no longer have an income to meet their accountabilities (their bills). In a number of cases, some have taken part time work (Welcome to Wal-Mart) and have performed those duties in severe pain because of their disability. Those who continue to work take the risk of denial of their disability claims, because they are working.
Although there are many claims for disability that are fraudulent the whole Social Security System has become backlogged with cases. According to the Associated Press, “The Social Security system is so overwhelmed by applications for disability benefits that many people are waiting more than two years for their first payment. In Ohio, Michigan, Minnesota and other states, the wait can be even longer.”
Nearly 2 million people are waiting to find out if they qualify for Social Security disability benefits. It will be a long wait for most, even if they eventually win their cases.
About 26 years ago, a group of preachers were gathering to discuss retirement. One of my preacher friends stood up and said, “If you are depending on Social Security for your retirement, you best get a good self propelled lawn mower and start cutting grass.” Talking about prophecy!