Alabama Social Security Disability Guide - by The Forsythe Firm - (256) 799-0297.

We live in an age of specialization.  Professionals are focused on just one area of expertise.  This focus can serve clients well. At the Forsythe Firm we are focused on the area of Social Security disability.  In fact, it's all we do.  We represent claimants who are disabled and need long-term disability benefits.  This may involve helping them file an initial application for benefits, taking them through the reconsideration process (in Tennessee or other states)--or representing them in a hearing before an administrative law judge or other appeal. Our firm is large enough to serve you, yet small enough to get to know you as an individual.  We are a local firm with our office right here in Huntsville.  One of our principal advocate-partners also maintains an office in the Nashville area to serve our middle Tennessee clients. Our first responsibility is to evaluate each individual's needs and determine how we can best help to meet those needs....

Redstone Arsenal in Huntsville is home to a large population of veterans.  Our firm works with many veterans who in the process of getting a medical discharge, or who are already discharged from the army and have disability ratings from the Veterans Administration. These veterans are often qualified for additional benefits from Social Security.  Here is a quick check list of facts about Social Security and wounded warriors (veterans): You may receive full VA benefits and Social Security benefits at the same time. Social Security benefits are not automatic; you must apply separately. Your disability does not have to be service related to get Social Security benefits. Social Security may deny disability benefits, even to qualified veterans. An immediate appeal is the best way to protect your rights if denied. Receiving SSDI benefits will not reduce your VA benefit or vice versa . You may receive SSDI benefits even while you are still on active duty and while you are re...

My office gets dozens of calls each week from individuals trying to reach the local Social Security office by telephone.  Unfortunately, this can be difficult because you can't find the correct telephone number or you don't know how to navigate the automated answering system at the local Social Security office. To help, I have tried to provide basic information here that will help you call the local Social Security offices in Huntsville or Decatur and actually speak to someone. Social Security Operating Hours:  Monday - Friday from 9:00 AM to 3:00 PM.  Not open weekends or any federal holiday. Social Security Office Telephone Numbers:   All offices use regional toll free numbers. Huntsville, AL local office    (866) 593-0665 Decatur, AL local office              (888) 289-9185 Florence, AL local office           ...

Most claimants who are approved for Social Security disability benefits also receive back pay--paid in a lump sum--in addition to their monthly benefits.  Back pay depends on 2 things:  date of the application for benefits and date the disability began  You are permitted to collect retroactive benefits that you qualified for prior to filing your application.  You can collect benefits back to the date you became disabled.  However, the regulations limit these retroactive benefits to 12 months prior to the application date, even if you actually became disabled years earlier.  You are also entitled to add the 5 month waiting period, for a total maximum retroactive payment of 17 months. Back payments are different.  Back payments allow you to recover one month of benefits for each month after you filed your application, up to the month Social Security finally pays your benefit.  Back payments are in addition to retroactive benefits and there is...

SSDI stands for Social Security Disability Insurance.  When you first began working, the Government deducted a percentage of your wages, called a FICA tax.  This continued as long as you worked, in most cases.  This money was set aside in a government trust fund to help you if you later became disabled and could not work. SSDI is a type of insurance program, usually called "Social Security disability."  To get benefits out of SSDI, you must prove  that you have a medical disability so severe that you cannot work any full-time job; that this disability has lasted, or is expected to last, for at least 12 consecutive months. That sounds simple but Social Security has made it rather difficult to prove that you are disabled.  One reason is that their definition of 'disability' is so strict.  You usually must prove that you cannot perform even simple, unskilled work at the sedentary (sitting) level.  On top of that, the application process is som...

Many people are amazed by what is not covered by the Social Security Act and, therefore, do not qualify for disability payments.  Here are some examples: You were laid off and have looked everywhere for work but can't find a job. The type of jobs you were trained for no longer exist or have moved out of the USA. There are no jobs open in your field in the state of Alabama. You can't get a job that pays above minimum wage and you can't live on that. You can't get or renew a license to continue doing your present work. You can no longer pass the physical exam to keep your present job. While it might seem that those are perfectly good reasons for not working, the above problems are simply not medical disabilities :  they are unemployment problems.  The fact that no jobs exist, no jobs are open in your area or state, or you can't renew a license (such as a commercial drivers license) are not covered by Social Security. The last item, not being able to pass a ...

Starting federal disability payments first requires a medical determination that you are disabled.  This is accomplished by filing an application for Social Security disability under Title 2 of the Social Security Act.  A state agency known as the Disability Determination Service will examine your application to determine if you meet the requirements for disability. Here is a brief checklist of things you need to know as you consider filing for disability: Are you currently working?  If you are now earning at least $1,090 per month before taxes or withholding, you are engaged in substantial gainful activity and are not eligible for federal disability benefits. Are you covered by Title 2 disability insurance, also called SSDI (Social Security Disability Insurance)?  Unless you are a very young individual, you generally would need to have worked at least 5 years out of the most recent 10 year period. You can find out if you are covered by calling Social Security ...