Disability Benefits Guidance Is Open for Business!

Inaugural Post

Disability Benefits Guidance is open for business!

Enter the maze with eyes wide open!

This blog will help you through the Social Security maze by educating you of key, but little known Social Security rules that may impact your case and how to address them! Forewarned is forearmed!

This inaugural post, however, seeks to make sure you understand why you need this service. At first glance it may seem expensive especially if you have stopped work due to your disability. In reality, you can't afford not to educate yourself about this complex program and how to access it due to the dollars at stake. I promise my service and fee structure is designed for you to get the most bang for your buck with you choosing what you need. Check out my fees page and if you have any questions or concerns email me at elizabeth@helpwithbenefits.org. I am happy to consider a payment plan if it means you getting the knowledge you need to proceed.

So why do you need this service, you ask, and not an attorney?

There may be a time and a place for legal representation - possibly way down the pike. Most attorneys or non-attorneys consider taking cases when the individual has been denied twice and reached the second stage of appeal which requires a hearing with a judge. While qualified representation is essential for a hearing you can greatly benefit from expert assistance long before that. It's possible with guidance you can avoid appeals altogether. If not, you will have a much stronger case that a representative would be glad to take. While I don't have a statistic on this, from professional knowledge, I can tell you representatives decline far more cases than they accept so it behooves an applicant to develop a quality case early on in the event they have one of those inevitable cases that require a hearing.

This is where Disability Benefits Guidance comes in. I am about pro-active guidance from the get-go! I want to make sure you know what YOU have to prove and what documentation YOU need to prove it. I analyze all the factors and guide you on how to fill the gaps in your case. I can help with the big picture (strategizing your case) or the paperwork - or both! With this service you will know how to remove barriers to an approval and expedite your claim both of which will save you dollars in the long run.

By the way, if you have a hearing coming up soon you should immediately seek legal representation which I do not provide. It is not wise to go it alone. The hearing usually takes a year or more to be scheduled from the date you file the hearing request so if that time is approaching don't delay. I can provide you some guidance while you locate a representative, for example, how to pitch your case. Here are the two premier organizations in the United States that will refer you to a representative in your community (stay away from googling Social Security firms or online organizations that approach you but are out-of-state or are just seeking to get you in the door when you are applying but don't plan to pro-actively get your case approved early in the process):

NOSSCR

National Organization of Social Security Claimant’s Representatives

nosscr.org

845-682-1881

NADR

National Association of Disability Representatives

nadr.org

800-747-6131

Otherwise, I can work with you before you apply, while you apply or while you undergo the first appeal or even soon after a second denial to help you prepare for representation. We will meet virtually (accepting clients nationwide!). If you reside in the greater metropolitan Richmond, Virginia vicinity and prefer to meet in person I am happy to make that happen. This website also explains that I help with disability reviews that occur periodically after you are approved or with essential benefits planning if you want to work and are a client of Department of Aging and Rehabilitative Services (DARS) - certification for this work is in progress. Honestly, there isn't anything Social Security disability benefits-related that I can't handle!

Many thanks to all of you behind the scenes who have helped me launch this important service!