Overpayment, Blindess, and Other Issues for a Social Security Lawyer

Q: What should I do when Social Security says Ive received overpayment?
A: Any social security lawyer will tell you that, if the Social Security Administration determines that they have paid you more than they should, they will probably send you a Notice of Overpayment. Overpayment happens for many reasons, like letting a change in your lifestyle/earnings go unreported. Overpayment also occurs when the SSA does not quickly apply any reported changes to you account, and waits to adjust your monthly benefits.
You may want to speak to a social security lawyer about your options, but in general, there are three different things you can do when you receive a notice of overpayment. One of these is requesting a reconsideration when you think the SSA has made a mistake. When you do this, you are essentially requesting Social Security to look over your file again and perhaps meet with you to work out the problem (when this happens, it is a good idea to bring your social security lawyer).
Another option is to ask the SSA for a waiver. This means that you acknowledge that you received an overpayment, but cannot pay the amount back. A social security lawyer will often tell you to do this if you were not at fault for the over payment. On the other hand, if you feel you were overpaid and it was at least partly your fault, you will generally work with the SSA to arrange to pay the money back. This allows you to pay back the amount owed in installments. You may want to speak to a social security lawyer to learn more.
Q: I am considered to be legally blind. Am I eligible for Social Security Disability?
A: A social security lawyer will tell you that, yes, you may in some cases be eligible for benefits. If you are legally blind, you essentially follow the same rules as applicants with other disabilities. You will be considered legally blind if your sight cannot be corrected to 20/200. Even those that do not fall under the category of legal blindness can receive some benefits. You may want to speak with a social security lawyer about qualifying as legally blind.
The SSA has special guidelines when working with legally blind applicants. Because being blind is so debilitating, many legally blind applicants can receive higher benefits than those with other disabilities. As of the year 2008, the highest benefit for the blind was $1,570 monthly. You may want to speak to a social security lawyer to understand how this affects you.
Q: Do I need to wait a year after the start of my disability to apply for benefits?
A: Heres the simple answer: no, you dont. Your social security lawyer will define an eligible disability as one that is either fatal, or has lasted or will last one year. You may take this to mean that you have to wait until you have been disabled a year to apply; but you should not. Your social security lawyer will encourage you to apply on day one.