Carmichael SSI Benefits Lawyer
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Carmichael SSI Benefits Attorney
If you are dealing with a disability and have a severely limited income, you may be trying to find a way to keep yourself together financially. Thankfully, the Social Security Administration (SSA) has multiple methods of providing certain Americans with the right kind of financial assistance. One of these methods is Supplemental Security Income, or SSI benefits. If you are unaware of how to apply for SSI, a Carmichael SSI benefits lawyer can help you.
Unfortunately, many people who apply for SSI benefits are often denied multiple times due to random and frequent errors in their applications. They may have no way of knowing the reason why their benefits keep being denied. If your application is denied, enlisting the help of the right law firm is a wise decision. A helpful lawyer can help you work on your appeal, go through your past denials, and determine how to fix your next application so you are approved.
What Is Supplemental Security Income?
Supplemental Security Income, or SSI, is a program funded by the federal government and provided by the Social Security Administration. SSI benefits give qualifying applicants a certain amount of monthly financial assistance. SSI benefits can help people with a qualifying disability or people of advanced age with their basic expenses, such as food, shelter, and clothing. The amount you may receive in benefits is not fixed and is based on each applicant’s needs.
The amount you could receive monthly in SSI benefits may be reduced substantially if you already have somebody willing to help you handle monthly expenses on their end, such as a spouse or a domestic partner. If your spouse already makes enough to maintain the household expenses, there is a chance that your benefits could be denied outright based entirely on that. SSI benefits are intended to be a reliable safety net for individuals who cannot support themselves.
Are You Eligible for SSI Benefits?
In order to be considered for SSI benefits, you are required to meet a number of specific criteria to assure the SSA that you are not trying to take advantage of the program. You must be at least 65 years old, blind, or have a disability that keeps you from joining the workforce. Additionally, you must also have a limited income and very few resources, be a citizen of the United States, and be a current resident of the United States or the Northern Mariana Islands.
Qualifying for SSI benefits may not necessarily prohibit you from qualifying for other forms of governmental assistance, including others provided by the SSA, like Social Security Disability Insurance (SSDI) benefits. You may want to ask your lawyer if you qualify for any other forms of financial assistance.
Applying for SSI Benefits
There are many different ways you can apply for SSI benefits. You can go through the Social Security Administration website, apply over the phone, or visit your local SSA office and speak to somebody there. If you have never done something like this before, an SSI application can feel overwhelming, even more so if you are trying to fill it out by yourself. However, an experienced SSI benefits lawyer can make the process much easier.
A lawyer can stand by you throughout the entire application process, from start to finish. The process will be very involved and require you to answer questions about your medical history. You will need to provide substantial documentation about your disability, your income, your current living situation, and your detailed medical records.
Make sure you have all of this information ready for your SSA agent. Additionally, you will need to gather pay stubs, proof of citizenship, banking statements, and any other relevant documents your agent needs to finalize your application.
Denial or Approval of Your SSI Application
Once everything is submitted properly, the SSA will inform you of their decision in due time. If your application is denied, that may not be the end of the process. You can always appeal the decision with the help of your lawyer.
It may take quite some time before you hear back from the SSA about whether your application has been denied or approved. If you filled out your application correctly, the timeline may be somewhat shorter. If you left out some vital information, it might even take longer. By hiring an experienced SSI lawyer, you are ensuring that you don’t leave any vital information out of your application.
If your application is still denied, your lawyer can go through everything you submitted to determine the exact reason why this happened. While submitting an appeal of their decision can make your case take even longer to finalize, it’s a necessity. If they don’t approve your application, you won’t get your SSI benefits at all.
Why Would Your SSI Application Be Denied?
There are many different reasons why an SSI benefits application would be denied. Most SSI benefits applications are denied because many applicants are unable to provide sufficient medical evidence that proves their disability is severe enough to keep them from holding gainful employment. Their monthly income may be too high to earn benefits, or their condition might be temporary.
Reach Out to an SSI Benefits Lawyer From Gade & Parekh, LLP, Today
Applying for SSI benefits can be a particularly grueling process if you are not sure what the SSA is looking for in an application. The entire process can be confusing, tedious, and overwhelming. If you don’t know where to find all of your documentation, you may feel like your application is already doomed to fail. That’s why it is so important to retain the services of an experienced Carmichael lawyer. They can help you make sure all relevant information is included in your application to maximize your chances of approval.
The legal team at Gade & Parekh, LLP, can walk you through the entire process, help you locate all the proper documentation, and work on your appeal if your application is denied. We are here to help you get your benefits. Contact us to speak to a team member and schedule a consultation to discuss your case.
