Once you have overcome the many required hurdles to qualify for Social Security Insurance Disability (SSID) benefits, you do not want to lose it. Unfortunately, several things can cause your benefits to cease. Sometimes this cessation of benefits is temporary, but in other cases, it may be permanent. Knowing what these things are in advance can help you avoid them. Here are a few.
1. Fraud
Being found guilty of committing fraud to receive your SSDI benefits, or concealing information during a review, can not only cost you your benefits but can cause you to be charged and tried in criminal court. If found guilty, you could face felony charges that could cost you up to $250,000 and up to five years in jail. You can also face charges in civil court.
Fraud is often committed by those who do the following:
- Make false statements on their applications
- Submit falsified documents
- Withhold or conceal information
Due to this technological age, much of the information you submit is easily verifiable. Conflicting information may lead to further questions, an investigation, or the loss of your benefits.
2. Incarceration
If you are incarcerated for more than 30 days while receiving SSDI benefits, Social Security will suspend your benefits while you are in jail or prison. To have your benefits reinstated, you must contact Social Security and provide a copy of your release documents.
Once you know your release date, your case manager or other personnel can help you facilitate the reinstatement of your benefits prior to your release. Doing this in advance would reduce the delay in your coverage. Unfortunately, depending on your sentence, Social Security may require you to resubmit medical information for redetermination.
3. Age
Social Security Administration designed SSDI benefits to pay you until you reach an age where you can draw full Social Security retirement benefits. This age varies based on your birth year.
People born between 1943 to 1954 can receive full benefits at age 66, but people born after 1960 cannot draw full benefits until age 67. For those born between 1955 and 1960, full retirement is calculated at 66 and several months, gradually increasing until age 67.
4. Medical Improvement
Some injuries or illnesses improve over time. If these improvements are substantial enough, you may no longer qualify as disabled once you report this information.
Social Security periodically reviews all disability cases. The frequency of your review can vary based on your age, medical condition, and projected improvement. These reviews can range from six months to seven years. Improvements may show up in your self-reports, doctor’s notes, testing, or labs.
5. Return To Work
Some disabilities do not last a lifetime. As you recover from your illness or injury, you may find yourself able to return to work. Once you return to engaging in substantial gainful activity (SGA), your disability benefits will stop.
Social Security determines SGA by the amount of money you earn. In 2022, if you make anything over $1350, if you are not blind, and $2260, if you are blind, you are considered engaging in substantial gainful activities.
You are allowed to perform a trial work period before returning to work full-time. The earnings during this time period are much lower than the SGA, but you can earn income and continue to draw your SSDI for a short time.
Applying for, receiving, and keeping your Social Security Disability Insurance can be a difficult task. Fortunately, it is not something you have to do alone. Benefitsclaim.com has years of experience helping people navigate through the process. Contact us today for a consultation about your case.
