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Recent changes in same-sex marriage laws may also have an implication on Social Security Disability and Supplemental Security Income eligibility. On June 26th, 2013, Section 3 of the Defense of Marriage Act (DOMA) was ruled unconstitutional by the Supreme Court. With this ruling, Social Security can now recognize same-sex marriages when determining benefit amount and […]
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Sara Khaki was a guest on the radio show Atlanta Legal Experts on Business RadioX On August 19th, 2014, our Social Security Disability attorney, Sara Khaki, was interviewed by the Atlanta based radio show Atlanta Legal Experts. During the interview, Sara answered some common Social Security Disability questions, such as: What is the Social Security Disability process […]
Read MoreGaining health insurance can be the most overwhelming experience our clients go through, especially if their child has special needs. Raising a child is expensive; raising a special needs child can be astronomical. There are government programs (local and federal) out there designed to provide for special needs children. Our Georgia clients typically face two […]
Read MoreRepresentative Payee: What, Why, and Who? What happens if a claimant is awarded disability but either cannot or does not feel they can manage their Social Security Disability funds properly? Fortunately, a system is in place where Social Security will appoint a representative payee to manage the funds. More often than not, Social Security will […]
Read MoreWhat Your Family Is Entitled to if You’re Found Disabled by Social Security: Dependent Benefits & Auxillary Benefits When a person is awarded Social Security Disability (SSDI), they often have dependents that rely on the disabled person’s income. Thus, there may be times when the dependents of a disabled person become eligible for benefits from Social […]
Read MoreA common question we get from our clients is how their medical file is developed. How your medical file is developed and who develops it is affected by what level the appeals process is at – Initial (when you first apply), Reconsideration (appealing an initial denial), or Hearing level (when you see a Judge about […]
Read MoreThe Major Backlog with Social Security Disability One question we get from our clients who are the hearing level is “why do I have to wait 12-18 months just for my hearing to be scheduled?” This is a truly legitimate and reasonable question. It seems ludicrous to have to wait so long for a hearing to be […]
Read MoreCan I be on Long-Term Disability While Applying for SSDI? Last month, on October 9th, Sara Khaki co-presented at a Continuing Legal Education event on Social Security Disability at the Georgia State Bar Headquarters in downtown Atlanta. The seminar was called Health Matters: Representing Employees with Permanent and Temporary Impairments; the event was filled with […]
Read MoreMany people ask “Do I have to do anything else?” once they start receiving monthly disability benefits. The answer is yes. The Social Security Administration (SSA) does a yearly review of disability benefit recipients to ensure that each person receiving benefits does indeed continue to qualify. To make sure that you remain eligible, you have […]
Read MoreInside the ALJ Hearing at ODAR As many Social Security Disability claimants know, most disability applications are denied with the initial application and appeal. Most cases that are approved are actually awarded at the hearing level where the claimant attends an Administrative Law Judge Hearing at the Office of Disability Adjudication and Review (ODAR) with […]
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If you have sustained an injury or disability that you think could qualify you for Social Security Disability Benefits or Social Security Income, there are a few requirements you must meet before you can collect benefits. For instance, anyone who applies for benefits must have an impairment that prevents them from performing substantial gainful work […]
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A vocational expert (VE) is essentially a witness who can be called upon by the Social Security Administration (SSA) to testify at a disability appeal hearing. VEs are typically present at most disability hearings and must give their qualified opinion about a claimant’s ability to work. At a hearing, the judge and your legal counsel […]
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When the Coronavirus outbreak first began in the early months of 2020, the United States government made a quick decision to give economic impact payments, also referred to as stimulus payments or stimulus checks, to eligible Americans. The purpose of this decision was to mitigate some of the extreme consequences of the virus for businesses, […]
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Many individuals across the country qualified for an economic impact payment, commonly referred to as a stimulus check, under the Coronavirus Aid, Relief and Economic Security (CARES) Act. The CARES Act was signed into law in March 2020 and qualified many Americans for stimulus checks, including those currently receiving benefits from the Social Security Administration […]
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Much of the country is adapting to a new way of life brought on by the Coronavirus pandemic, and the legal system is no exception. Courts, law enforcement officials, and attorneys alike are redesigning their workflow to accommodate social distancing regulations and stay-at-home orders. While your disability claim or case may have to move to […]
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Adalia Ellis Gives Talking Points on a Difficult Conversation KIDS QUESTIONS ON RACISMTalking to kids about the social and political unrest that is going on in the news, racism, and cases of police brutality.Social Activist and Professor with a Masters in Teaching, Adalia Ellis, guides on how to have honest conversations with our children so […]
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Navigating new social practices and other changes brought on by COVID-19 has been challenging for everyone. Yet dealing with such adjustments can be made even more difficult for those in the midst of family-law related issues such as custody battles, divorce proceedings, and child support dilemmas. Although the state has disbanded its stay at home […]
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The Book We Recommend to Anyone Facing a Big Transition Long before the days of smartphones, laptops, and Netflix, books were the hot entertainment pastime. In the Elizabethan era, Shakespearean folios brought readers to tears; in the 1850s, Melville’s fictional whale terrorized characters and readers alike. Now, in modern times, readers can go online to […]
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How to Trust Someone New After Being Cheated On Infidelity certainly isn’t a fun topic to discuss, but with over 30 percent of the married population admitting on the General Social Survey to cheating on their spouses, it’s a topic that warrants a little probing. Whether you’ve been cheated on, done the cheating, or know […]
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If you were a fan of the twisty, thrilling, enlightening, and bitingly funny first season of the hit HBO series “Big Little Lies,” then you might be counting down the days until the second season airs in June of this year. The star-studded cast — featuring Reese Witherspoon, Nicole Kidman, Shailene Woodley, Laura Dern, Zoë […]
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