Would My Social Security Disability Benefits Ever Be Increased?

There is a small cost of living increase every year in December. Most claimants receive a cost of living increase in the range of $30 to $40 per month.

What If My Disability Gets Worse? Would My Social Security Disability Benefits Be Increased to Cover Additional Medical Costs and Other Expenses?

Your benefits would not increase if your disability worsens. When you get Social Security disability, you are paid from the outset for being totally and permanently disabled. There is no additional money for additional illnesses or injuries that you may incur once you have been deemed totally and permanently disabled.

Can I Receive Unemployment While on Social Security Disability?

No. To receive unemployment, you must attest that you are able to work and are actively looking for a job. This would be inconsistent with a Social Security disability claim, in which you attest that you are totally disabled and cannot work.

How Does Social Security Disability Calculate Backpay and When Would I Receive Backpay?

Once your claim is approved and Social Security determines that you are disabled, your benefits normally begin five months after the date on which you were determined disabled. You would not receive, under any circumstances, backpay for more than a year before you applied. Let’s say you were determined disabled in January of 2015, but you do not file your claim until January of 2019. Since you can only be paid up to a year before you applied, your benefits would begin on January of 2018. You can calculate your backpay by multiplying your monthly payment by the number of months since your benefits began.

Does It Matter How I Spend My Social Security Disability Backpay or Payments?

No, you can spend your payments on anything you want: medical expenses, household furniture, a new car, a nice vacation.

Does Getting Married or Having Additional Children Affect My Social Security Disability Benefit Payments at All?

Getting married will not affect your benefits because you are receiving those benefits based on your own work record. Neither marriage nor divorce would affect your monthly benefit amount.

If you have children while you’re receiving benefits, however, you are entitled to apply for additional benefits. Minor children under your care must meet all of the requirements in order for you to receive additional moneys.

What Would Cause My Social Security Disability Benefits to Stop?

With younger claimants, Social Security will often re-determine disability a year or two after benefits begin. During that re-determination, they will collect your medical records, and if they see that you are no longer disabled, they will cut off your benefits.

Additionally, if you begin working again and earning more than the minimum amount of money they allow, it is reasonable for them to decide that you should no longer be considered disabled due to your substantial monthly earnings.

For more information on Social Security Disability in California, an initial consultation is your next best step. Get the information and legal answers you are seeking by calling (323) 545-0132 today.