Outlook For 2025

 As we get ready to wrap up 2024 and ring in 2025, a lot of my clients are asking me what to expect for 2025. The truth is I have no idea. Martin O'Malley, the former Commissioner  of the Social Security Administration ("SSA"), stepped down to seek a nomination for chairperson of the Democratic National Committee. Though he was only SSA's Commissioner for about a year, I  found him to be the most proactive Commissioner that we have had in the 20 years that I have practiced law before the Social Security Administration. He will be truly missed, but I suspect he will go on to be one of the top leaders in the Democratic Party. He previously did run for President in 2016, but I for one, would like to see him reignite his ambitions for the top job again.   

Currently, Carolyn Colvin has been made the Acting Commissioner of SSA, though we expect she will be replaced by a new Commissioner once President-elect Donald J. Trump takes office in January. 

Only time will tell what is in store for SSA over the next four years, but I remind people that SSA has been helmed by a variety of Democratic and Republican leaders since its infancy in 1935 and it never has been dismantled. SSA could truly be made much more efficient, especially with drastically decreasing the bloated and overused consultative examination process that seems to be SSA's main way of manufacturing a reason to deny deserving claimants who do actually meet SSA's definition of disability. Therefore, I am open to the idea that some outsiders may look at SSA's processes to see how they can be made more accurate and efficient. I still cannot comprehend how SSA is making mistakes like denying stage 4 cancer patients' benefits, when they meet both the medical and technical rules for disability.  I like accountability, so I am open to a system that makes all employees accountable for the work that they do. 

SSA, nor any other Federal agency, has ever been open to embracing change. Change is scary for all of us, but SSA is a broken Administration that needs to be revamped. Mr. O'Malley certainly did his part to try to bring SSA into a modern era. Hopefully, the next Administration follows his lead.

Regardless of what happens, I will still be around to help those who need assistance with their SSDI/SSI claims. There are also many other excellent attorneys, non attorney representatives, social workers, and nonprofits, who devote their lives to helping those who are having difficulty navigating the Social Security Disability system. 

Please enjoy what is left of 2024, but keep an open mind to where we are heading for 2025. Life is what we make of it, so I am both hopeful and interested to see what 2025 brings for all of us!

Happy Holidays to all.....and just remember the main difference between in-laws and outlaws during the holiday season, is that the outlaws are wanted..I kid..I kid :)!

Got a question that you need answered? Please check out our website at www.westcoastdisability.com . We try to provide you with valuable information on our website that may help you navigate the Social Security Disability process. Also, feel free to shoot me an email at megan@westcoastdisability.com or call us at (800) 459-3017 x 101.

SSA Announces a Cost-of-Living Adjustment (“COLA”) for 2025

The Social Security Administration has announced this month a 2.5 percent benefit increase for 2024. This cost-of-living adjustment (“COLA”) will begin on December 31, 2024 for Supplemental Security Income (“SSI”) beneficiaries. Social Security Disability Insurance (“SSDI”) and Social Security Retirement recipients will see the effects of the COLA in their January 2025 benefit payments. This COLA will affect the more than 72.5 million Americans who receive monthly Social Security and Supplemental Security Income benefits.

Additionally, the maximum amount of earnings subject to Social Security tax will be increased from $168,600 to $176,100.

For more information on the 2025 COLA adjustment, please visit Social Security’s website for more details.

Got a question that you need answered? Please check out our website at www.westcoastdisability.com . We try to provide you with valuable information on our website that may help you navigate the Social Security Disability process. Also, feel free to shoot me an email at megan@westcoastdisability.com or call us at (800) 459-3017 x 101.

Social Security Removes Wet Signature Requirements For Many Forms

     The Social Security Administration ("SSA") is trying to ease the burden on claimants trying to access benefits by reducing the number of forms that require a wet signature.  So far, SSA is allowing digital signatures on 30 forms. Most notably, SSA is allowing claimants to digitally sign the Authorization to Disclose Information to SSA form (aka as the SSA-827 form), a commonly used form that is required several times throughout the Social Security Disability Insurance ("SSDI") and Supplemental Security Income ("SSI") application and appeal processes. 

For more information on SSA's digitalization improvements, check out SSA's press release from yesterday: 
https://www.ssa.gov/news/press/releases/2024/#2024-09-05

    Got a question about SSDI or SSI that you need us to answer? Please check out our website at www.westcoastdisability.com . We try to provide you with helpful information on our website that will allow you to successfully navigate the Social Security Disability process. Also, feel free to email me your questions at megan@westcoastdisability.com or call me at (800) 459-3017 x 101.

The Social Security Administrations Announces 9 New Compassionate Allowances Conditions For 2024

 The Social Security Administration (“SSA”) added 9 new conditions to the Compassionate Allowances program.  SSA also revised two conditions that were already on the Compassionate Allowances list. This brings the total number of conditions on the list to 287. Disabilities that comprise the Compassionate Allowance list represent the most serious disabilities that affect individuals. The purpose of the program is to expedite disability decisions, so individuals suffering from these severe diseases receive their benefit decisions as quick as possible. More than one million people with life-threatening disabilities have received their benefits through this expedited process.  The new additions include:

1.      Bainbridge-Ropers Syndrome

2.      Costello Syndrome

3.      Adult Heart Transplant Wait List - Status Levels 1-4

4.      Child Heart Transplant Wait List - Status Levels 1A/1B (revised existing condition)

5.      Histiocytic Malignancies

6.      Histiocytosis Syndromes (revised existing condition)

7.      Neonatal Marfan Syndrome

8.      PACS1 Syndrome

9.      Plasmablastic Lymphoma

10.  Renal Medullary Carcinoma

11.  Snijders Blok-Campeau Syndrome

To see a complete list of all the impairments which qualify for the Compassionate Allowances program, visit this website: https://www.ssa.gov/compassionateallowances/conditions.htm/.

Got a question that you need answered? Please check out our website at www.westcoastdisability.com . We try to provide you with valuable information on our website that may help you navigate the Social Security Disability process. Also, feel free to shoot us an email at megan@westcoastdisability.com or call us at (800) 459-3017.

Crowdstrike Strikes the Social Security Administration

Just an FYI - folks! If you were planning on heading to your local Social Security Administration ("SSA") office or calling your local SSA office today to check the status of your application or appeal, wait until next week. The global Microsoft and Crowdstrike outage problems that were responsible for canceling  numerous flights and elective surgeries have also caused SSA to close today. SSA claimed that while their offices were closed, you could still call in and get your questions answered, but I am finding it impossible to get through any of their phone lines. Let's hope this one-day outage doesn't lead SSA to fall further behind in processing claims. 

Got a question about SSDI or SSI that you need us to answer? Please check out our website at www.westcoastdisability.com . We try to provide you with helpful information on our website that will allow you to successfully navigate the Social Security Disability process. Also, feel free to email me your questions at megan@westcoastdisability.com or call me at (800) 459-3017 x 101.

Archaic Asset Limitations for the Supplemental Security Income ("SSI") Program Continues to Create Issues for Vulnerable Americans

Here is some excellent reporting by National Public Radio's, Mr. Joseph Shapiro, regarding the pitfalls of the Supplemental Security Income ("SSI") program:

https://www.npr.org/2024/06/08/g-s1-3475/social-security-ssi-asset-limits

We hear these stories all the time. The SSI program is archaic and incomprehensible, so please make sure you educate yourself as to the resource limits when it comes to SSI. Even going $5 over the 2K resource level, for an individual, and 3K level, for a couple, will get your SSI benefits cutoff. You may also get saddled with an overpayment. 

Some of the resources that the Social Security Administration ("SSA") looks at are:

Bank Accounts;
Burial funds (in certain instances);
Cash;
Deemed Resources;
Land;
Life Insurance; 
Personal Property;
Retirement Accounts;
Stocks, bonds, CDs, mutual funds;
Anything else you own which could be changed to cash and used for food and shelter.

Vehicles; and

For more information on how SSA looks at SSI resources, visit SSA's resource page at: https://www.ssa.gov/ssi/text-resources-ussi.htm

Got a question about SSDI or SSI that you need us to answer? Please check out our website at www.westcoastdisability.com . We try to provide you with helpful information on our website that will allow you to successfully navigate the Social Security Disability process. Also, feel free to email me your questions at megan@westcoastdisability.com or call me at (800) 459-3017 x 101.

The Social Security Administration Announces the Top Baby Names for 2023

Did you name a baby Liam or Olivia in 2023? If so, you are in good company. The Social Security Administration announced that Liam was the top male name, while Olivia was the top female name for 2023.

Here is the list of top 10 names for baby boys and  girls for 2023.

Male names:

1. Liam

2. Noah

3. Oliver

4. James

5. Elijah

6 Mateo

7. Theodore

8. Henry 

9. Lucas

10. William

Female Names:

1. Olivia

2. Emma

3. Charlotte

4. Amelia

5. Sophia

6. Mia

7. Isabella

8. Ava

9. Evelyn

10. Luna

All of these make sense to me with the exception of Luna. Do not get me wrong...it is a lovely name, but I have never met a human named Luna. I have known a plethora of cats and dogs named Luna, but I have never met a human child named Luna. I must be wrong because Luna was the tenth most popular name for girls.

Got a question about SSDI or SSI that you need us to answer? Please check out our website at www.westcoastdisability.com . We try to provide you with helpful information on our website that will allow you to successfully navigate the Social Security Disability process. Also, feel free to email me your questions at megan@westcoastdisability.com or call me at (800) 459-3017 x 101.