I Need Help/Suggestions And A Lawyer

[Bessie]

Well I just got off of the phone with the Social Security and I swear I think the guy was very misinformed. He told me that I would qualifiy for Medicare but not for Social Security Cash Benefits. Now I have 38 credits you need 40 for full retirement and you need 22 to be able to apply for disability at my age of 45. We went round and round. He said I made too much money in 1995 which was my highest earning year and it 10,000 :lmao: :lmao: :lmao:
Can you believe that is considered an excessive amount of income??? Oh and then he tells me I needed to work 5 years and earn 4 credits a year which is 1,000 but I would have to do it in a 5 year period. I said you are kidding me right? I am medically disabled and you really think I can work?
I think it is time to get a lawyer and let them deal with the people at SSA because I could not get anywhere with them. If anyone knows of a good lawyer please let me know. I really need some help. :help:

[ICNDonna]

My suggestion is to ignore what this guy said and complete an application.

Donna

[dancemomof2]

I agree complete the paperwork.

[armslee]

Unfortunately, you can't obtain a lawyer unless you have officially been denied. But on a good note, once denied, most lawyers will take you w/o charging you a fee unless SS awards you money.

Fill out the app online and then get ready for the mounds and mounds of paperwork to follow.

Best of luck!!

[Elle]

Ignore him and fill out the paperwork! Half of them don't even know what they're talking about (the other half are very helpful, but don't answer phones :wink: ).
There are 2 types of Social Security: One that depends on your earnings & one that doesn't. The one you need credits for doesn't have a maximum household income limit; the one you don't need credits for has a maximum income limit. But, what you made in 1995 doesn't matter in terms of making too much to qualify.
Like you said, you have enough credits to qualify for disability. You're not applying for retirement benefits, so that's not even relevent right now.
About the Medicare thing...he's wrong there, too. You can't qualify for Medicare unless you've been receiving disability benefits for 2 years or more (unless you have very restrictive conditions, i.e. blindness), or unless you're receiving retirement benefits. He may be talking about Medicaid. And, if you qualify for Medicaid, chances are you're under the income limits for applying for the SS Disability that doesn't count credits.

Here's what I would do: Chalk up today's SSA worker as being a blooming idiot :bonk:
Either apply online, or call and talk to someone else to apply. Don't take no for an answer. ANYONE can apply for disability and they have to accept your application - it doesn't mean they'll approve it, but they have to take it.

Keep this in mind just in case their does end up being an issue with the number of credits you need for disability: Although the number of credits you need to qualify changes as you get older, the number that will actually be required to qualify depends on the age the judge, or medical reviewer actually finds you disabled. For instance, you are 42 now but if your IC became disabiling at age 40, the judge may set that date as your date of onset. If that's the case, you would only need 20 credits to qualify for disability. That's b/c the number of credits you actually need are frozen on the date you become disabled (as determined by SSA).
By the time I was approved, I was actually no longer eligible b/c I didn't have enough credits. But, the judge dated my "onset of disability" nearly 5 years prior to my court date.
There's obviously a lot of ins and outs to go through the whole process and an attorney may be helpful if you don't feel comfortable going it alone. BUT, don't let ANYONE tell you that you can't apply. Tell them to go jump in their own toliet!:toilet: :biglaugh:
All joking aside, I'm sorry you're having such a cruddy week. I've got both IC & Fibro as well and know first hand how difficult some days can be. I think there must be something in the air this week! It seems as though everyone is having a rough time! I really do hope you start having better days soon! :angel:

[dancemomof2]

I sent you a link to the IC ruling for disbaility. It sounds like he was talking about RETIREMENT not disability. i received my Medicare the following May after my approval in July, since my B-day is in May that is the month medicare kicked in. File the paper work for SSD, after the denial or approvial appeal and ask for and Administ. Law judge hearing. Email me or PM me if you want to talk about all of this.