Latest / Dr Ed Weir Show / Common Social Security Mistakes! DO NOT FILE until you SEE THIS!

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Common Social Security Mistakes! DO NOT FILE until you SEE THIS! · Dr Ed Weir Show

0:00
People out there are making mistakes on
0:01
filing for all types of social security
0:04
benefits. We're talking retirement
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benefits, spouse benefits, surviving
0:07
spouse benefits, independently entitled
0:09
divorce spouse benefits. What the heck
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is that? Dwib benefits, disabled widows
0:12
benefits, Medicare, even Medicaid. This
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is a live Q&A. So if you got any
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questions about all any of all that and
0:19
we have Mai here who worked for the
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Social Security Administration, one of
0:23
my partners at the Social Security
0:24
Administration for many many many many
0:26
years and she is here to go through it
0:29
and again this is a live so if you got
0:31
any questions make sure you type it in
0:33
the chat there and we will answer as
0:36
many as we possibly can within the next
0:38
hour. But uh Mai let's go ahead and
0:41
welcome. How you doing today?
0:43
>> Hello. It's good to be here. Thank you
0:45
for having me.
0:46
>> Yeah, we're glad to have you back. Um,
0:48
so what are some common mistakes people
0:53
you've you've done this for a few
0:54
decades um and you talk to people on a
0:57
regular basis about all things social
0:58
security through our appointment system.
1:01
What kind of a mistakes are you seeing
1:02
happening out there?
1:05
>> Well, you know how the agency when they
1:06
transition um so now with the portal,
1:09
the ssa.gov gov portal, people can file
1:12
for retirement benefits, disability
1:14
benefits or whatnot. But how the the
1:16
agency transitioned into the online
1:19
platform at the time um they pretty much
1:22
transferred all the questions in a form
1:25
format onto their online website. And
1:29
then you know how forms are written, you
1:30
know, government forms, they're very
1:32
they're very vague and there's questions
1:34
that are phrased really confusing. Um,
1:38
so you may not know exactly what they're
1:40
asking for. So common mistakes that I've
1:42
seen on uh like a retirement application
1:45
per se, uh would be people indicating
1:48
non-service months incorrectly. So
1:50
non-service months is kind of like a
1:52
double negative. So they're asking you
1:55
which months do you plan on not working?
1:57
[laughter]
1:58
So or not making the amount that they
2:01
thought you would be making. Uh that
2:03
would prevent you from receiving
2:05
benefits. And then because that little
2:07
indicator is checked wrong, sometimes
2:10
you won't be getting the payments when
2:11
you thought that you may be getting the
2:13
payments. So, so that's what you want to
2:15
look for in terms of um you know filing
2:18
online. If you're doing it yourself and
2:21
if you're not sure what the question is
2:22
asking, um you might want to double
2:25
check that just to make sure that oh,
2:27
you know, this is when I check this
2:29
little box here, that means I am not
2:32
making the either the $2,40 per month.
2:36
Um or I'm not making the $24,480 for the
2:39
year and that will get me payments for
2:42
the rest of the year or the month that I
2:44
don't have any service.
2:47
That's something.
2:47
>> Yeah, that's the the and I I I know you
2:50
know this my but I' I've told people all
2:53
the time during my live here is um it's
2:57
difficult for people who didn't work for
2:59
social security for years and train for
3:00
months and months and years on all that
3:02
but as you know as I tell my regular
3:04
viewers the NSM on MCS is coded
3:09
incorrectly on a regular basis even by
3:12
social security employees and I always
3:14
say you know people come in and said but
3:16
Ed you told me that the year I retire,
3:20
they're not going to look at the annual.
3:22
They're going to look at how much I make
3:23
once I start my benefits. And I said,
3:25
"Yes, that is correct. You can make a
3:27
billion dollars up until July. If you're
3:30
going to start your benefits in August,
3:32
you just have to stay under for this
3:33
year $240. And as long as you stay under
3:35
$2,40 for the rest of the year, Social
3:37
Security doesn't care about the billion
3:39
dollars you made before that." And then
3:41
the next year comes around and the
3:43
people come back to my live and they
3:44
said, "Ed, you said that and that's what
3:46
I did." But they just sent me an
3:48
overpayment. Said they overpaid me. And
3:50
I tell them exactly what you just said.
3:52
The T2CS
3:55
incorrectly coded the NSM on MCS.
3:59
And and I say, "If you want to freak out
4:02
the office, go in there and tell them
4:04
exactly like that and they will be able
4:07
to figure it out." So you've just spoke
4:08
a foreign language, but they were able
4:09
to figure it out. And they come back the
4:11
next day and they say, "Yep, yep, they
4:12
figured it out. They deleted the
4:13
overpayment. All it's all good." So
4:15
>> yeah, you're speaking their lingo. That
4:17
that would amazing.
4:18
>> Exactly. [laughter]
4:18
>> Exactly. Exactly. So you have to make
4:20
sure we do you do that right. Um all
4:22
right. What else what else you got there
4:23
that people are making mistakes.
4:26
>> Well, protective filing is the other
4:28
thing I noticed. um you know a lot of
4:30
times people don't ask about protective
4:32
filing because um you may have contacted
4:35
Social Security you know 6 months before
4:37
to ask about oh you know I'm I'm
4:39
interested in an appointment to file for
4:41
benefits and then all of a sudden they
4:44
you know they're like well okay we can
4:46
set up set you up with an appointment or
4:48
whatnot and then you change your mind or
4:49
whatnot and then you let this whole
4:51
thing slide and and never really come
4:54
back on it until a year later and you
4:56
said well you know I did contact social
4:58
security some time ago and ask about
5:01
benefits. Um, but you know, I kind of
5:03
let that slide because you know, things
5:05
happen and well, you can actually get
5:07
protected all the way back then if you
5:10
have, you know, if they didn't send you
5:11
any closeout notice or anything like
5:14
that. I mean, it's possible that you
5:16
could get a protective filing and people
5:18
don't really pursue protective filing as
5:20
often as they should um because they
5:22
don't usually ask about it. And Social
5:24
Security, you know, when they file your
5:25
claim, they just look in their system
5:28
for the most current date and they'll
5:30
give you that.
5:32
>> So,
5:32
>> and people Yeah. losing a lot of money
5:35
that you don't know what you don't know.
5:37
>> Yeah. You don't know what you don't
5:38
know. But the thing is I learned that it
5:40
doesn't hurt to ask. So you can ask them
5:42
to query the system and say, you know,
5:44
I've contacted I've contacted social
5:46
security maybe a year ago. Can you see
5:48
if there's anything in the system that
5:50
shows that? And if there is, and then
5:53
you can always ask, can I get protected
5:54
back to the date that I've initially
5:56
called?
5:58
>> And I've had some people had some luck
6:00
with um
6:02
now with the the phone system, it takes
6:04
three hours to get in there. And when
6:06
you get in there, AI answer it. They
6:07
gives you all kinds of wrong answers and
6:09
it just tells you something that you
6:11
didn't ask about. Um, and if you did
6:13
that, let's say at the end of the month,
6:15
you called and were on hold for 3 hours
6:18
and you, you know, had your life to deal
6:20
with, so you forgot about it, and then
6:22
you called back the next month. What I'm
6:24
telling people is to take a screenshot
6:26
of their phone that they, you know, that
6:28
they called the 800 number and they were
6:29
on there for three hours or an hour or
6:30
whatever. And that way when they do get
6:33
someone eventually says, "Hey, I called
6:35
y'all last month. It's not my fault
6:37
y'all didn't pick up the phone. I know
6:38
it's not your fault you didn't pick up
6:40
the phone. It's because, you know, all
6:42
the resources were cut from you, but
6:44
here's the deal. I wanted my benefits to
6:47
start last month or two months ago when
6:48
I called. It's not my fault or your
6:51
fault that uh you know, you weren't able
6:52
to do that." Um, so you get that
6:54
protective filing. Um, let's see here.
6:57
What else are we looking at?
6:59
>> Yeah. Uh well well in in addition to
7:01
protected filing I mean think about all
7:03
the leads that people listed as a spouse
7:06
they lead you know they they list their
7:08
spouse they probably listed kids on the
7:10
application and then social security
7:12
forgets to develop for these leads and
7:15
um it comes back that well you know a
7:18
year down the road then your wife
7:20
decides to file and well then you know
7:22
the husband was entitled a year before
7:24
and then the wife uh nobody contacted
7:27
the wife to take that application for
7:29
the spouse or the wife never called
7:32
Social Security to inquire. So, things
7:34
like that or even kids that's listed on
7:36
the application that Social Security has
7:38
a duty to follow up on these leads, but
7:41
if nobody did and they didn't close you
7:43
out, they you didn't get a letter saying
7:44
that you need to contact Social
7:45
Security, then, you know, that could go
7:48
back to when you know the number holder
7:50
originally filed as well. So, those are
7:53
the things to look for um when you're
7:55
filing your application or if you're
7:57
interested in calling Social Security
7:59
for an application for retirement or
8:01
spousal benefits and kind of, you know,
8:03
think about, have I contacted Social
8:05
Security before or did I listed somebody
8:07
on my application that should have been
8:09
protected? Um those are, you know, Yeah.
8:12
good things to look out look out for.
8:15
>> Yeah. And it's it's unfortunate that
8:17
people have to learn how to deal with
8:19
the bureaucracy because they paid for
8:23
help. All those decades you paid into
8:25
FICA. A small percentage of that went
8:28
into actually customer service. So
8:30
you're like, "Okay, I'm going to pay my
8:31
FIC out of my pay for 40, 50 years." And
8:34
so this is going to give me my
8:36
retirement or give survivor benefits or
8:38
disability benefits. But you know about
8:41
1% or less than 1% of that money I want
8:45
someone to be there to help me get all
8:48
the benefits I'm eligible the right
8:49
check at the right time. And
8:50
unfortunately that part of yeah the the
8:54
social contract is pretty much just
8:55
thrown out and and that's why we are the
8:58
biggest channel on YouTube right now is
9:01
because people are looking for help and
9:02
we we uh we'll continue to be here for
9:05
people. U we shouldn't have to be but
9:07
we're going to we're going to continue
9:08
to be here for people and you can talk
9:10
to my and she's got a put a team
9:12
together of former social security uh
9:13
insiders managers uh claim specialists
9:16
experts. So, you can go to
9:18
myggovexpert.com
9:20
and talk and there's a little button
9:22
there. You say talk to a former Social
9:23
Security Insider and you can talk to my
9:25
or one of our uh teammates there and get
9:28
help filing for retirement, disability,
9:30
survivor benefits, anything. Um, they
9:32
can help you out there. All right, let's
9:34
get to some questions. How do I know if
9:36
I'm getting the right amount of social
9:37
security as a surviving spouse? I don't
9:40
have my husband's employment records. He
9:43
was General Motors for 35 years, only
9:45
employer prior to death. So, what do you
9:48
say on that one, Mai?
9:50
>> Well, generally it's 50% of your
9:52
husband's PIA. Um, and then you can call
9:55
Social Security to find out um if you're
9:57
eligible for any additional benefits.
9:59
Um,
10:00
>> this is a survi a surviving spouse.
10:02
>> Oh, a surviving spouse. I'm sorry. I
10:04
thought it was a a spousal. Okay. Um,
10:06
yeah. Okay. So, surviving spouse is, you
10:09
know, you can get up to 100% of your
10:11
husband's benefits if you're full
10:12
retirement age 67 and above. So if you
10:15
have any if you're a little bit younger
10:17
then you may have some age reductions
10:18
but generally yeah you can get 100% of
10:21
your um husband's uh benefits at the
10:24
time that he was receiving it but you
10:25
can call social security and certainly
10:27
inquire about surviving benefits. Uh and
10:30
then generally they do have a outreach
10:32
for widows. Uh right and um uh every
10:35
year they tend to have a an outreach to
10:38
widows who are receiving retirement
10:39
benefits or uh on their own and uh they
10:43
are not aware that they could get a
10:45
higher widow's benefit. Um so there
10:47
could be a letter
10:49
>> the the whip rib letters.
10:51
>> Yeah. Widow's insurance bid. Yeah.
10:54
>> Yeah.
10:55
>> Yeah. But but the problem we're seeing
10:56
with that is um [laughter] Yeah. in in
10:59
in offices because they're so
11:02
understaffed. I'm I'm thinking, you
11:04
know, there's tons of listings in
11:05
particular offices and I'm I'm I think
11:08
there's some offices in the country that
11:10
kind of ignore that listing and they
11:11
don't send it out. And even if they do
11:14
send out those letters that said, "Hey,
11:15
you're receiving surviving spouse
11:16
benefits." And guess what? You're
11:18
actually entitled to more benefits on
11:20
your own record. That's not an automatic
11:22
switch. You actually have to come down
11:23
here and file an application. But people
11:25
who receive those letters and they're
11:27
not written in
11:28
>> English that can people can understand
11:30
or they you don't they moved or whatever
11:32
and they don't get that letter. So I'm
11:34
there's so many people out there that
11:37
are not getting those benefits. But in
11:38
your particular case um
11:42
yeah the the problem is is you're
11:45
getting the surviving spouse benefits.
11:47
your husband passed and you want to make
11:50
sure that your husband's PIA is correct
11:53
because that's how they're determining
11:55
how much you're receiving ba on his
11:57
record is based on how much he paid in
11:59
there. So, it's very difficult. Yeah.
12:02
you have his if um you don't have his
12:04
employment records. So, you can't you
12:06
know if even if you could access his his
12:09
his
12:10
records that Social Security has and it
12:13
says, "Oh, in 1982 he made $60,000." And
12:17
you say, "Well, I don't know if he made
12:19
$60,000. Um maybe he made $80,000." You
12:23
don't have his record, so it's very very
12:24
hard to correct. Yeah, that's it's very
12:27
difficult in those situations. That's
12:29
why we tell everybody on a regular
12:32
basis, check your go to my social
12:35
security gov, my social security
12:37
ssa.gov, set up a my social security
12:39
account and on a regular basis check it
12:41
to make sure the earn you're earn
12:43
everything you earned made it to social
12:45
security. You know, you file your taxes
12:47
with your buddies at the IRS. The IRS
12:48
sends it to social security and if it
12:50
doesn't get there, then it's bad for you
12:53
and bad for surviving spouses. Yeah,
12:56
they do make it tough when you have a a
12:58
deceased person um for the next of kin
13:01
to get the records as well. I mean the
13:02
next ofkin could request it from central
13:05
office, but it it's tough.
13:08
>> Yeah. Yeah.
13:09
>> Oh.
13:10
>> So, hello.
13:11
>> Yeah. Um yes. Um but hopefully your
13:15
husband um um before he passed filed for
13:19
benefits and at that time hopefully um
13:22
he did check his earnings record and if
13:24
that's the case then hopefully yeah it
13:26
should be yeah but it's
13:29
>> yeah e even if you found out that one
13:32
particular year looked short you would
13:34
have to get some type of proof from the
13:36
IRS and the filing of the taxes it's
13:38
it's it's difficult. So,
13:40
>> right.
13:40
>> Do I have to file, Speaking of taxes,
13:42
and we're in our favorite type of the
13:44
season, right? Tax season. Do I have to
13:45
file taxes if I didn't work last year?
13:48
Only receive social security under
13:50
21,000.
13:51
Neither my nor I ever work for the IRS,
13:55
so we always punt on IRS type questions.
13:58
But yeah, I would talk to someone. And
14:01
uh Nona
14:03
um it probably will send up a a chat
14:06
here and give you a place that you can
14:08
go and get free help. I'm she she is she
14:11
is always on it. She'll she'll pop up
14:13
here in a little bit. Um my can't have
14:16
done this for a few decades. She looks
14:18
like she's 30. [laughter]
14:21
>> You see the gray?
14:24
>> I have I have done over 2,000 videos and
14:27
I never got that comment.
14:29
>> [laughter]
14:31
>> All right. I'm I'm I'm done with you
14:32
guys.
14:34
[laughter]
14:34
>> You left 20, right?
14:36
>> Okay. All right. All right. Good save
14:38
there. Good save. Should I wait until 67
14:41
or retire at 63? What do you think?
14:45
>> What would you do? What what what kind
14:47
of questions would you throw out there
14:48
if someone's figuring well, should I do
14:50
63 or 67? When should I retire?
14:53
Yeah, it really becomes a personal
14:55
situation, a personal decision at some
14:58
point depending on what your financial
15:00
situation is. Um, if you don't need the
15:02
money, you know, obviously waiting, the
15:04
longer you wait, uh, the more your
15:06
benefits will become full at 67, um,
15:10
then you get your full rate and then if
15:11
you even could wait longer than that,
15:13
you get, you know, about 7% each year
15:15
for your delayed retirement credits. So
15:18
uh yeah, I mean if if um but you know
15:21
there's so many different questions
15:23
nowadays in terms of you know whether
15:25
social security will remain solvent or
15:27
not, right? Our favorite uh topic.
15:30
[laughter]
15:31
>> Yes. Yes. Yes.
15:33
>> Yeah. That's a Oh, speaking of the the
15:35
taxes there, there there's Pink I'm
15:37
wasn't knowing it was Pink Owl Pink. I'm
15:39
sorry about that. Pink Owl Pink. She
15:40
she's always spot on. Um yeah, forgot
15:42
your name there for a second. Yeah, the
15:44
uh that's the that's the age-old
15:46
question. when should you uh you know
15:48
start the benefits, pull that trigger,
15:49
62, 63, 67, and every month you wait.
15:52
Some people out there think that okay um
15:55
it doesn't increase until my birthday or
15:56
the first of the year, whatever the case
15:58
may be. No, your benefits increase every
16:01
month you delay up until your for full
16:03
retirement. Actually, it increases all
16:05
the way up to 70. Every month you wait.
16:08
So, it's not necessarily between 63 and
16:11
67. It could be 63 and a half or 64 and
16:14
a half or whatever. Okay? So, that's
16:15
that's one thing a lot of people
16:16
misunderstand. Um, yeah, and it really
16:19
depend. If you need the money, you need
16:20
the money, go ahead and get it. And if
16:22
you need the money, right? And then
16:23
there's are you working? Are you making
16:25
over $24,480?
16:27
If you're making over that, then Social
16:28
Security is going to hold back $1 for
16:30
every $2 you go over. And people say,
16:32
"Well, yeah, if I if I wait till 67 or
16:35
70, I'll get a whole bunch more money."
16:37
And then I'm like, "Oh, that's great.
16:38
Yeah, yeah, that's okay. Yeah, that's
16:40
you don't need the money. You're going
16:42
to wait. uh you know that's beautiful.
16:45
And then few seconds later he says,
16:46
"Yeah, cuz you know um I want to spend
16:49
some time with the with the young kids."
16:50
And I'm like, "Young kids? Yeah, I got a
16:53
I got a three and a 5-year-old." And
16:54
then like that changes everything.
16:56
>> That changes everything. Yeah.
16:58
>> That changes everything because those
17:00
kids can get benefits up until they're
17:02
18. and you might be waiting, you know,
17:05
five or six years to get an extra $200 a
17:07
month and they could get a thousand
17:09
$2,000 a month right now for the next,
17:11
you know, 10 years.
17:12
>> So, yeah, it really depends on your
17:14
particular situation. And you go on to
17:16
the website mygovexpert.com,
17:18
you click on social security and it'll
17:20
give you a calculator there that you can
17:22
calculate it and then a bunch of other
17:24
questions you can ask yourself. So, what
17:27
happened that our retirement went from
17:29
60 to 67? What do presidents should do
17:32
to correct the greedy lawmaker to be
17:34
hands off for our retirement? Yeah, it
17:36
was never really 60. It was always kind
17:38
of 62 is early. Started 1935, 65 was
17:42
based on the German system that we kind
17:43
of incorporated. But yeah, it went from
17:46
65 to 67 in the 1980s. Um,
17:50
>> yeah.
17:52
>> And every month, every year you wait,
17:54
then you're actually losing um, you
17:57
know, or every year they add it. So,
17:59
they're talking about making it maybe 69
18:01
or 70. So, that means a reduction for
18:03
everybody. Yeah.
18:08
>> Let's see.
18:09
>> Um, I got a new Medicare card today
18:11
effective tomorrow without requesting it
18:14
on and without an explanation. So,
18:18
>> yeah. So, Social Security is doing their
18:19
job. So, you get automatic enrollment
18:22
once you're receiving benefits. So, you
18:24
must be receiving benefits and then they
18:26
automatically enroll you in Medicare and
18:28
just they don't tell you. They just send
18:29
you the card. It's the element of
18:32
surprise. [laughter]
18:34
>> Yeah. And unfortunately, people are
18:36
throwing that away because they get when
18:37
they turn 65, they they're get signed up
18:40
automatically if they're already on
18:41
benefits, but then they every health
18:43
insurance company in the country knows
18:46
that you're turning 65 and they inundate
18:48
you with phone calls and junk mail and
18:50
some people are throwing it away. But
18:52
pink owl pink, I I don't think,
18:56
correct me if I'm wrong, um, you've
18:59
already been on Medicare and so I wonder
19:03
why they would just out of the blue. Let
19:05
us know cuz that's Maya. It was an
19:08
interesting case. We helped someone that
19:10
was eligible for disabled widows
19:12
benefits and she didn't know until she
19:14
watched us and then she said, "Wow, I'm
19:16
eligible for that." And she went down
19:18
and they said, "Yeah, you are." and she
19:20
says, "Well, I want you to fix it even
19:21
better than from here on out." And they
19:23
gave her um retroactivity until last
19:27
year and a bunch of money made her life
19:30
so much easier. But they sent her an
19:32
actual paper check.
19:35
>> Oh, really?
19:36
>> Yeah. For the back pay. And I'm like,
19:37
and and she says, "Oh, yeah. I talked to
19:39
the person at the front window. They
19:40
say, "Yeah, they're going to mail the
19:41
check." And I'm like, "Yeah, they're not
19:42
going to mail a check." They mailed a
19:43
check.
19:45
>> What is going on with that?
19:46
>> Yeah. Yeah.
19:47
>> Yeah. That's interesting. I I wonder if
19:49
that kind of came out of the system as
19:51
some sort of a third party payer or a
19:53
first party payer that they had to do
19:54
with a special payment.
19:56
>> Um yeah, I I don't know. Usually they
19:58
don't do that. You're right. Right.
20:00
Yeah. Yeah.
20:03
>> Elect electronic. I mean, it's an easier
20:06
way to receive payments.
20:08
>> Yeah. Yeah. Yeah. I thought that was
20:10
strange, too. So, we're keeping an eye
20:11
on that. Any any type of strange stuff
20:13
like that. One of the things we're
20:14
really keeping an eye on is Medicaid
20:16
with one big beautiful bill. You know,
20:18
close to a trillion dollars was cut it
20:19
out out of that and people are going to
20:21
be, you know, starting to be cut off.
20:23
So, we're we're coming up with a system
20:24
to help you all, you and your family,
20:26
yeah, deal with that. Um, if I retired
20:31
early and on an OPM annuity and also
20:34
this supplement, will getting approved
20:36
for SSDI cause you to lose the SRS and
20:39
do you have to pay the supplements back
20:41
to OPM?
20:43
>> [laughter]
20:44
>> Um, that's a lot of acronyms there. So,
20:47
people that work for the the the federal
20:48
government, part of the uh Office of
20:50
Personal Management, um, if they retire
20:53
early or for or volunteer, as as we used
20:57
to say in the Marine Corps, voluntto I
20:59
know your your husband is an old army
21:01
guy, so I don't know, he probably knows
21:02
that one, too. Um, voluntto
21:07
agency. Se thousands of people were. And
21:11
um so if you get out early between was
21:14
it 60 and 62 they give you kind of like
21:17
your social security thing
21:19
>> once you reach your minimum retirement
21:21
age of is it depends on the person. I
21:24
think mine is 57. So then they they'll
21:26
pay you your supplement until you turn
21:29
62.
21:30
>> So then you know social security will
21:31
kick in at that point.
21:34
>> Um but yeah.
21:35
>> Yeah. But I don't think I I would call
21:38
OPM on that one in terms of if you're
21:41
approved for SSDI. I know on a
21:44
supplement
21:46
[snorts] because that's a completely
21:47
different system. The that's it's it's
21:50
kind of based on social security, but
21:52
it's not social security. If you're I
21:54
know if I know 100% for sure if you're
21:56
working
21:58
>> and you're earning over the annual
21:59
earnings limit, then yes, you will have
22:01
to pay that back. um because that acts
22:04
like social security. But I would call
22:06
OPM on that one. Um because they and it
22:09
also depends whether you're post office,
22:11
you know, the postal service does
22:13
everything completely different than any
22:15
other Yeah. federal.
22:17
>> I might have a point. I might have an
22:19
idea on that. Because of um the
22:21
supplement being a retirement benefit,
22:24
it may not create any type of offset on
22:26
the social security end of it if you're
22:29
on SSDI. But then from the OPM end of
22:32
it, that might be a different story.
22:34
[clears throat] So yeah, I I'd ask them
22:36
to check with OPM.
22:37
>> Yeah. Yeah. And and get back on that uh
22:39
if if you don't mind um on that one.
22:42
That's interesting. That's a that's a
22:43
unique case.
22:45
>> So, but it's Yeah. It's not social
22:46
security related. It's definitely not
22:48
social security related. It's OPM
22:50
related. So,
22:52
>> um in October, I will go from disability
22:54
to social security. Is there anything I
22:57
need to be aware of going from one to
22:58
another? Julie, you are way ahead of the
23:02
game already that you know in October
23:05
you're reaching your full retirement age
23:06
and you know
23:08
>> you're being switched from disability
23:09
benefits to regular retirement benefits.
23:11
So you're already 99% there just knowing
23:14
that fact. We get people here all the
23:16
time say I'm 77 years old. I'm on
23:17
disability and I I just turned down a
23:19
job because I don't want to lose my
23:20
disability. I'm like you're not on
23:22
disability. You're on regular
23:23
retirement. Do whatever you want. So
23:25
Julie do whatever you want. [laughter]
23:28
you're no more CDRs, continuing
23:30
disability reviews. You don't have to
23:32
stress that. No be no more being kicked
23:33
off, you know, worrying about being
23:34
kicked off disability because you are
23:36
being kicked off, you know,
23:37
unceremoniously being kicked off
23:39
disability, [laughter] but you're being
23:40
put on you're put on on retirement. So
23:43
there and you're you're full retirement
23:44
age, so there's no issue. Did you see
23:46
the um
23:47
>> Yeah. Did you see the announcement that
23:49
just came out that this continuing
23:51
disability reviews, they're going to
23:52
start doing that inhouse?
23:55
>> Yeah. So, so they're forming some sort
23:57
of a a federal unit that that just does
24:01
primarily CDRs
24:03
um and internal decisions on medical
24:06
determinations, I believe. So, all the
24:08
DDS initial reconsideration levels plus
24:11
the medical CDRs are all inhouse. That
24:14
is a federal. So, they they had the they
24:18
had a a pilot on there when I was still
24:20
with the agency. Um well it wasn't well
24:24
it was a pilot way back and then they
24:26
officially transitioned to the Federal
24:28
Bureau of um medical decisions but it
24:32
was just a limited amount of cases that
24:34
they were handling at the time. So it
24:36
sounds like uh what the agency is moving
24:38
towards is expanding that and doing it
24:41
nationwide. So So yeah. So in that
24:45
capacity they may be able to do more
24:46
medical CDRs
24:49
which isn't
24:49
>> Yeah. But I I I know the how this goes
24:54
for people that are new on disability or
24:55
you know if they know anybody that's on
24:57
disability, this is important
24:58
information is that once you're on
25:01
social security disability benefits um
25:03
they check every now and then once they
25:05
when they determine
25:08
decide you're you're eligible for
25:09
disability benefits and they start your
25:11
check at the same time they decide okay
25:12
based on your disability your particular
25:14
conditions we need to review it every
25:17
year every 3 years every 5 years, seven
25:20
years, whatever the case may be, just to
25:21
see if you're, you know, some type of
25:23
miraculous uh new pill or a surgery or
25:26
whatever, you're able to go back to
25:27
work. So, every now and then they give
25:29
you this CDR, continuing disability
25:31
review, and and they check to see if
25:33
you're still disabled.
25:36
All of that type of stuff has always
25:38
been done by the states. That's part of
25:40
the whole program. When disability
25:42
started many, many decades ago, the
25:44
federal government said, "Okay, you
25:45
know, we'll put the package together.
25:47
y'all make the medical decision based
25:48
on, you know, in the states. Looks like
25:51
they're pulling that back now. But the
25:54
problem is I see is that Social Security
25:56
just doesn't have the staff for it.
25:57
They're they're going to be loading
25:59
Social Security employees up with more
26:00
stuff
26:02
and they don't have the employees. Even
26:05
before Doge and Elon Musk came in there
26:07
with the chainsaw, Social Security was
26:09
at a 50-year low in terms of staffing.
26:12
And now that they they you know my
26:15
retired you know the social security can
26:17
barely do 50% of the stuff they were
26:18
able to do before my was there.
26:20
[laughter] Uh
26:21
>> you have a good you have a good point on
26:23
the staffing issue. Um so they would
26:25
have to hire more psychiatrists or more
26:29
of the medical physical um you know
26:33
physicians that's able to make these
26:35
these decisions because back then when
26:38
we're handling the DDS contracts um you
26:41
know of course it it is they pay them by
26:45
case so however many cases that they can
26:48
you know pay you know um and and so now
26:51
I wonder how well I wonder if they'll
26:54
just keep on with the same type of
26:56
contracting. It It's just I mean, now
26:59
you just raised all these questions for
27:00
me. I just wonder how they they're going
27:02
to do this nationwide and and be
27:05
effective without hiring a bunch of
27:07
physicians.
27:09
>> Yeah. And claim specialists to actually
27:11
work on the CDRs and do Yeah. This So,
27:13
this is um so we're coming up with a
27:16
program to help you monitor your CDRs
27:19
and help you with all the entire the
27:21
entire process. So, please subscribe,
27:23
like, share. We've got a phenomenal
27:26
bunch of stuff about the hopefully
27:28
within the next couple of weeks come out
27:30
and uh yeah, really help people out
27:32
there track all this. This is, as we say
27:35
in the Marine Corps, completely
27:36
unacceptable. Um, I [clears throat]
27:38
filed retirement benefits and my my my
27:43
has not my [laughter]
27:45
I guess your your current has not. I'm
27:49
okay. Uh, I'm 64 and he is 62. Can he
27:53
file retirement benefits based on me or
27:56
must he file? He still works. Thanks.
27:58
All right. You want to go for that one?
27:59
M.
28:01
>> Okay. You file for benefits and I
28:03
believe your spousal has not, right? Uh,
28:06
husband has not. You're 64. He's 62. Can
28:09
he file benefits based on me? And must
28:12
he file? Well, must he file? Everybody
28:16
has a decision on that part. you're 64.
28:19
If if you if you're married, and I
28:21
assume that you are, um, and you're
28:24
filing for benefits, that means he's
28:26
entitled as a spouse. But if you haven't
28:28
filed and he doesn't have that
28:30
entitlement, he can file on his own. Um,
28:34
you know, until you file, then he can
28:35
come on to your record. uh he works, but
28:38
then that that would be a a a little bit
28:40
of a a kicker there because the earnings
28:43
would be uh reduced a dollar for every
28:46
two that his earnings are over uh the
28:48
limit. So, you have a lot of
28:50
considerations there. There's a lot
28:52
wrapped up into this this little
28:54
question here. So,
28:55
>> yeah.
28:56
>> Yeah.
28:57
>> Yeah. If he's making over, you know, the
28:59
question is, okay, he's working, but how
29:00
much is he work? How much is he making?
29:02
If he's under the $24,480,
29:04
then yeah, he can go ahead and file. And
29:06
then you can you have to file in order
29:08
to get spouse benefits because you're
29:10
currently married, you both have to
29:12
file. And then whichever one is less
29:15
than half of the other, the full benefit
29:17
amount that is. Then yes, um you can
29:20
investigate whether the calculations are
29:22
correct and get some more money from the
29:24
other person or vice versa.
29:27
>> Get the top off. Right.
29:29
>> Yeah, exactly. Get that extra check. If
29:31
my husband waits until he is 70, which
29:34
is three years from now, and social
29:36
security will be reducing in a few
29:38
years, should he take it now or is he
29:40
okay to wait 3 years? Yeah. So, this is
29:43
>> what Mike talked about earlier. Um I
29:46
always when I was doing this, when I
29:49
was, you know, one of the things that
29:51
the social security uh you know, the the
29:53
social security employees can't really
29:55
give you that financial advice like
29:56
that. Can't tell you when to do it. you
29:58
come in with basically the decision and
30:00
they do whatever you decide to do. But
30:03
now that we don't work at Social
30:04
Security, we can kind of give you some,
30:06
you know, some other pointers.
30:08
>> You know, it's, you know,
30:09
>> more liberty. [laughter]
30:10
>> Exactly. Exactly. So, I used to, you
30:14
know,
30:16
until a few months ago, I told people,
30:19
you know, do it on the factors. Do you
30:21
need the money and you got any benefits
30:23
and anybody eligible for benefits under
30:24
your record? all the tax considerations,
30:27
is the extra money going to pay you
30:28
higher taxes? Um, all that kind of
30:30
stuff. But we've had 40 years to figure
30:34
out the trust fund to make sure because
30:36
the trust fund is disappearing. Social
30:38
Security is still going to be here for
30:39
hundreds of hundreds of years unless we
30:41
give it over to Wall Street. It's going
30:42
to be here for hundreds of hundreds of
30:43
years. It's not a Ponzi scheme. It's not
30:45
going bankrupt. It's still going to be
30:46
here. The problem is according to every
30:49
single report because the trust fund is
30:52
being depleted just like any savings
30:55
in 2033 January 2023 about 82 checks
30:58
from now everybody's check is going to
31:01
be reduced by 23%. And that's what she's
31:03
asking. Should I go ahead and get it now
31:05
and get while the getting's good before
31:07
you know it goes it gets cut anyway? And
31:10
that's the that's the question nobody
31:12
knows. Um, our politicians haven't done
31:14
anything for 40 years to fix this and
31:18
the time is running out. They've been
31:19
kicking the can down the road for a long
31:21
time. And you know, they're going to
31:23
say, "Well, we tried nothing and we're
31:25
all out of ideas, so it's either we cut
31:28
you 23%. We cut everybody's check by 23%
31:32
or we give it over to our buddies on
31:34
Wall Street." And, you know, [snorts]
31:37
Yeah. And that was always the plan.
31:41
>> Yeah. We have to put good people in
31:43
politics in order for them to you know
31:44
start tackling the hard questions.
31:46
Social security has been a hard question
31:48
for for many many years and that that
31:50
deadline is approaching. So we're hoping
31:52
to keep it solvent and remain solvent
31:55
>> for for many many years and many
31:57
generations to come. But
31:59
>> Exactly. Exactly.
32:01
>> Yeah. And and and my and I you know
32:03
we're we know how many people social
32:05
security helps. We saw it on a daily
32:07
basis. It's the the most successful
32:10
safety net in American history, probably
32:12
world history. It has helped brought
32:13
more people out of poverty, seniors, the
32:15
disabled people, children have lost
32:17
their parents. Um, and we saw on a daily
32:21
basis for decades how important it is
32:24
and we have to protect it. So,
32:26
>> I did my social security online 22
32:29
months ago. When will I get my check? Oh
32:32
my gosh. Hopefully, you type that.
32:35
>> Hopefully, she typed that wrong. I'm I'm
32:36
going to assume that's a mistype.
32:39
>> Yeah, if it's two months, then it's
32:41
fine. But 22 months, there's something
32:43
wrong. There's something wrong there.
32:45
The application never made it through
32:47
their main frame, but it's stuck
32:49
somewhere because uh Social Security
32:52
also has their internal processing time
32:54
and case loads that they have to
32:56
process. And if it's a case that's over
32:59
a year old like this, um it would
33:01
definitely come up in the system to be
33:02
flagged. Um, yeah. So,
33:04
>> so we'll assume it's two months. It
33:06
really depends on when your u month of
33:09
entitlement is when you chose to start
33:11
your benefits. So, if you chose to start
33:12
your benefits, you know, uh this month
33:14
or next month or something like that,
33:16
you should have um depending, you know,
33:18
if if your benefits are not going to
33:19
start until, you know, April or May or
33:22
something like that, you filed early,
33:24
then um sometimes you won't receive a
33:27
decision letter until it becomes the the
33:30
the claim specialist is kind of holding
33:32
it until it becomes the comm month, the
33:34
current operating month, and then it'll
33:35
generate automatically and you'll get a
33:38
decision letter. But if it was supposed
33:40
to start like last month or this month
33:42
or something like that, you should have
33:43
at the very very very very very least
33:45
received a decision letter that says,
33:47
"Okay, it's all gone. Here's how much
33:48
you're going to get and here's how much
33:49
it's going to start." Um, but yeah, if
33:52
it's not if it's not going to start till
33:53
next month or the month after, then wait
33:56
for that decision later. So, yeah. And
33:59
if it's 22 months, then then we've got
34:01
serious issues. John was approved last
34:05
September for disability. Still not
34:07
received back payment. When called, they
34:10
said it's not been pulled yet. Is there
34:13
a way to speed this up? Mai's the uh my
34:16
worked on the inside of that. You did
34:18
congressionals, too, right?
34:20
>> I did. I did. So, you were approved for
34:23
uh disability last September and still
34:25
haven't received a check. That uh that's
34:28
not good. This is We're in March. um
34:31
yeah 4 months and when when called they
34:35
say it's not been pulled yet. I'm not
34:37
sure what that means by being pulled.
34:39
Your your case should be in the system
34:40
and what they're waiting for really is a
34:42
disability determination service center
34:45
decision and once it comes back uh the
34:48
case is really pretty much ready to go
34:50
and um the the claims representative in
34:53
the field office would just we call it
34:56
triggering. by triggering it just sends
34:57
the case to Treasury for payment and um
35:00
say everything's good. So, it it could
35:03
have been several things uh hampering
35:05
the case. It could be if you have any
35:07
workers comp issues or it could be that
35:10
you they're waiting on something. Um you
35:13
really need to find out what they're
35:15
waiting for.
35:17
>> Um
35:18
>> hey John, let us know that um also was
35:21
this a did you is this was an initial
35:25
claim? If it's an initial claim, yeah,
35:26
it should be done. If if it was an
35:27
initial claim
35:29
>> and you don't have an attorney or
35:31
something like that, then it should be
35:32
done in in the story. Even if you had an
35:35
attorney by now, it should have been
35:36
done.
35:36
>> But if it was approved at the
35:39
administrative law judge stage, uh then
35:42
sometimes that Yeah.
35:44
>> Yeah. It takes a little bit.
35:46
>> Yeah. Payment center handle that one.
35:48
>> So,
35:48
>> yeah.
35:50
So, yeah, let us know, John. Um what
35:52
kind of be but if it was an initial
35:54
claim or even a reconsideration it
35:55
should have you should have already got
35:56
your money. So
35:57
>> right
35:58
>> can you tell me if Dwib which is
36:00
disabled widows benefits is the right
36:02
option for an ex-wife to apply if she is
36:05
58 years old on disability due to
36:08
ex-husband's domestic violence against
36:09
Wow
36:10
>> from her now ex-husband. They were
36:13
married for over 10 years. My ex-husband
36:15
just passed away a few weeks ago at the
36:17
age of 71. The disabled ex-wife is not
36:19
remarried. Okay, a lot there. Um, so
36:23
disabled widows benefits is between 50
36:26
and 59
36:28
and you have to be disabled. Thus,
36:30
disabled widows benefits and you're
36:32
getting it based on a deceased spouse's
36:35
record. And there's one more thing is
36:37
that
36:39
has to your disability has to start
36:41
within was it seven years of the
36:43
passing. Um,
36:45
>> and the other thing also is that her
36:48
current marriage cannot be be
36:51
>> Yeah.
36:51
>> age. So, if she's currently remarried,
36:54
she's 58.
36:56
>> She may not be eligible for the
36:58
ex-husband's record.
37:00
>> Yeah. If you're on disabled widows
37:02
benefits, you can remarry. It's uh they
37:03
they disregard any marriages after 50
37:05
unless you're still married to that
37:07
person. And so yeah, the marriage issue
37:09
is is it sounds like it's a little
37:10
complicated, but with anything like
37:14
this, there's some information that
37:16
obviously we can't get all the
37:18
information here, but if she's between
37:20
50 and 59, she's 58, so you know, she
37:24
could file for disability benefits on
37:26
her own record. At at the very least, I
37:27
would do that. Um, even if you're like,
37:31
well, she didn't work, that's fine.
37:32
There's also called SSI, supplemental
37:34
security income. It's a welfare based
37:35
program. And maybe when when you file
37:37
for social security disability,
37:40
you always file for both SSI and SSDI,
37:44
the the regular Social Security
37:46
disability insurance and supplemental
37:47
security income, the welfare based
37:49
program. And they always address both
37:51
programs as social security employees
37:52
say. And then they at that time then
37:55
they will determine whether you're also
37:57
eligible, you know, for the disabled
37:58
widows benefits. In that particular
38:00
case, since social security is the
38:01
staffing is so low, I would probably
38:03
say, "Hey, you know, tell her to call
38:05
and say, "Hey, I want to apply for SSI,
38:07
SSDI, and DWB." And they'll address all
38:10
of it. And they'll check out the
38:12
situation with the marriage. Um, but
38:15
yeah, the marriages I think that might
38:16
be an issue there, but we don't know the
38:19
whole whole whole story,
38:21
>> right?
38:22
>> Hey doc, it's Joe. I got missing rib and
38:24
a cage with a spinal stenosis uh and um
38:28
and my back and they're down. I'm in the
38:30
third stage and I've been appealed
38:32
twice. Any advice?
38:34
So, you're in the third stage, which is
38:36
the administrative law judge. So, you
38:38
did the initial claim, you were denied.
38:39
You did reconsideration, you were
38:41
denied. Now, you're administrative law
38:42
judge and you're waiting for your day in
38:45
court with a judge.
38:47
>> Any recommendations, Mai, on how to
38:48
prepare for a ALJ?
38:51
Well, you have a lawyer, so um you know,
38:54
h gez, how to prepare for an ALJ. Um
38:58
make sure you show up at hearing uh when
38:59
they assign you a hearing date. And
39:01
that's that's always a good thing. Your
39:02
lawyer will advise you of all this stuff
39:04
and hopefully they would have um you
39:06
know, uh the vocational experts there
39:08
and the medical experts there to back
39:10
your case. Um your lawyer should be
39:13
doing their job uh with that. Uh then
39:16
you just have to see how the appeal
39:18
goes. Um and and a lot of times, you
39:21
know, it it takes a lot more for the ALJ
39:24
to disallow a case because they have to
39:26
write up the decision a lot more
39:28
thoroughly. Um so a lot of people feel
39:30
like, you know, uh you you get a higher
39:32
chance of getting approved on the ELG
39:34
level. May or may not be true. We we try
39:37
to do some testing and studies on that.
39:39
I don't think statistically that's
39:40
proven to be true, though. [laughter]
39:42
>> Yeah. Except for that one judge in was
39:44
it West Virginia or something that was
39:45
just approving everybody.
39:47
>> Yeah. Yeah.
39:48
>> Yeah. I think he's still in jail, isn't
39:49
he? Yeah.
39:50
>> Well, you have that and then you have
39:52
the opposite, which is the hanging
39:53
judge, which denies everything. So, I
39:55
don't know. [laughter]
39:56
>> Yeah. Yeah. And and that's what the, you
39:59
know, again, you can do whatever you
40:01
want, but in terms of disability, people
40:03
ask me all the time, do I need, you
40:05
know, a lawyer for, you know, my initial
40:06
disability? You can if you want, but I'm
40:09
the initial and the reconsideration easy
40:12
to do. My and her team helps people file
40:15
for retirement disability benefits. Um,
40:17
but the lawyer just basically asks the
40:20
same questions that Social Security
40:22
would and and if you want to pay the
40:23
lawyer $9,200, if you win for that, then
40:26
more power to you. But when you get the
40:28
administrative law judge stage, Yeah.
40:30
That's you and particularly it was
40:33
really big before because um normally if
40:37
you got to the ALJ you got to an ALJ in
40:40
your town in your area of the country
40:43
and the local lawyers knew that judge
40:45
and knew whether it was you know the the
40:47
hanging judge or their prove everybody
40:49
judge and they knew how to talk to that
40:51
judge and what the judge was looking for
40:53
and you know all that kind of stuff. So,
40:55
but now with those cases going national,
40:59
you file in, you know, Topeka, Kansas,
41:01
and your cases might be in Miami,
41:03
Florida with the administrative law
41:05
judge. So, that local lawyer
41:08
um
41:10
benefit is not as as good as it has
41:13
been.
41:17
>> Um I may start social security at 65. Uh
41:20
PIA is $500. Ooh. Husband a couple years
41:24
younger than me. When my husband reaches
41:26
either full retirement age, PIA over
41:28
20,000. Okay, I see what Okay, so we're
41:30
I was immediately going to go into
41:32
Medicaid and SSI and all that, but So,
41:34
looks like you're covered there. So,
41:36
good. Um, husband's PIA is $2,000 or age
41:39
70. I get half of his of his instead of
41:42
mine. No. um while your husband is live
41:46
and kicking, you have to file for
41:48
benefits on your own record
41:51
and then you file for spouse benefits.
41:53
So the only time you can pick and choose
41:57
is if we're talking about surviving
41:59
spouse benefits, widow widowerower
42:01
benefits. So then you can choose
42:03
survivor benefits and let your
42:04
retirement benefits hold, you know, wait
42:06
and continue to collect or collect
42:08
retirement benefits and let your
42:10
survivor benefits. So yeah, and so
42:13
because you're currently married, you
42:14
have to file for benefits on your record
42:17
and then you have to and then he has to
42:19
be receiving benefits and then you file
42:21
for benefits on his record or vice versa
42:22
in your case you file. So it's basic
42:25
it's three claims. Um and remember you
42:29
could be reduced twice. So a lot of
42:33
people don't understand that you file
42:35
for spouse benefits early because you're
42:38
filing early your check is reduced. you
42:41
file for benefits, spouse benefits on
42:43
another person's record, spouse, you
42:45
file it early, that one is reduced and
42:48
then they put those two together. So,
42:51
any other recommendation on that?
42:55
>> Um, well, the husband's younger, so
42:58
maybe she'll be full retirement age when
43:00
when he's filing because
43:01
>> Yeah. Yeah.
43:02
>> He's already 65. I mean, she's almost
43:04
there. So, and then there will be no
43:06
reductions for age when she files at 67.
43:11
Right. Yeah. Yeah. Yep. Um I did get two
43:14
different amounts when I talked to them.
43:15
So I don't know how they are calculating
43:17
the right amount. Oh, okay. So this is
43:18
the one where um the husband worked at
43:20
General Motors for 35 years and Okay.
43:24
Yes. The with surviving spouse benefits,
43:28
those are really hard to to calculate.
43:30
Um it really depends, you know, if you
43:34
wait until your four if you're your full
43:35
retirement age. And the full retirement
43:37
age for surviving spouse benefits is two
43:39
or four months earlier than regular full
43:42
retirement age. So that's one thing that
43:44
makes it all that strange.
43:46
And then it depends on whether your
43:49
husband filed for benefits
43:53
early or was receiving disability
43:56
benefits or waited till full retirement
43:58
age or waited till 70 or whatever the
44:00
case may be. That's what makes it kind
44:01
of strange. So you you if you're your
44:03
full retirement age, you'll receive
44:04
essentially 100% of his benefit amount.
44:06
And it sounds like they're trying to
44:08
figure out what his benefit amount. And
44:10
when you call and try to get those
44:13
numbers, then the person you're talking
44:14
to is a claim specialist or excuse me, a
44:17
customer service representative. And
44:20
yeah, I
44:22
I don't want to talk any bad about CSRs.
44:24
They're the the they're the least paid,
44:26
hardest working people in Social
44:27
Security. um but they're not experts in
44:30
particularly the calculations of
44:31
survivor benefits. So, the best bet is
44:34
to
44:36
file a claim and say, "I want to go
44:38
ahead and start my surviving spouse
44:40
benefits." And then you'll get the
44:42
official decision and then um you can
44:46
you say, "Okay, well, yeah, here here's
44:49
what I my strategy."
44:51
You in order to get 100% the correct
44:54
benefit amount that you're going to get,
44:56
you should go through the entire claims
44:58
process. And then you say, "Okay, that's
45:00
if I start my benefits this month. What
45:03
if I wait till this time next year?
45:05
What's the official amount I will get if
45:07
I wait it next year?" And then you can
45:09
make the decision. And if you say, "Oh,
45:11
okay. If if it's going to increase that
45:12
much, I'll just wait till next year. See
45:14
you next year." They're not going to
45:15
say, "Oh my gosh, I lost the sale."
45:18
[laughter]
45:18
They're going to say, "Bye. I've got 400
45:21
other cases to work on. So, you know, no
45:24
harm, no foul for me. It's actually
45:25
good. You know, I can maybe, you know,
45:27
go breathe for two seconds. So, they're
45:29
they're not going to, you know, force
45:31
you to file. They better not. If they
45:33
do, then make sure you you call the
45:35
boss. Um,
45:36
>> can I can I say something on that point?
45:38
I I just love that little thing that you
45:41
had with the CSRs, uh, the teleservice
45:43
reps, the ones that answers his phone
45:45
because my husband started off as a TSR
45:47
rep. I don't know if you knew. [gasps]
45:50
>> Yes. Yes. [laughter]
45:53
>> Yeah. Yeah. Um Ron and Mai and I worked
45:56
kind of as a as a team on the west coast
45:58
there and uh yeah ma uh Ron was just
46:02
phenomenal. The the the in terms of
46:06
customer service there was nobody in the
46:07
country better than the [laughter] guy
46:09
was always thinking outside the box. He
46:12
was always about taking care of people.
46:14
So he was awesome.
46:17
>> Um one day hopefully we'll have Ron on.
46:20
Um, but I know he's
46:22
>> Yeah, I would love to have her on on.
46:24
>> Okay, that would be fun.
46:26
>> All right, we're going to we're going to
46:27
have to force him. My husband filed for
46:29
disability three months ago. How long is
46:31
it taking now to get reviewed? Oh gosh.
46:35
>> Oh dear.
46:37
>> Yeah. [sighs]
46:38
>> Oh, that's that's a tough question.
46:40
>> What are they uh what are they telling
46:42
people nowadays? And I when I was taking
46:44
disability claims at that time 3 to 6
46:46
months and and don't let people please
46:50
people out there stop this stupid
46:52
internet myth about everybody's denied
46:54
the first time. No, that is 100%
46:56
correct. I know people like to repeat
46:58
that to show how smart they are and
47:00
stuff, but you're just you're causing
47:02
too much trouble. You got people out
47:03
there that need to file for disability
47:05
benefits. They're dealing with their
47:06
their medical issues. They're dealing
47:08
with financial issues. They've got too
47:10
much stress in their life. They don't
47:11
need that negativity about oh
47:12
everybody's denied the first time. No,
47:14
>> right
47:14
>> I know my has approved many many times
47:17
people the same day the same week. Um so
47:22
yeah that's we need to stop that. So but
47:26
it also depends on your disability. Um,
47:30
like my and I both had cases where, you
47:33
know, you probably saw it on the news,
47:35
someone had a terrible car accident and,
47:38
you know, the wife or the husband comes
47:39
in and files and they're approved the
47:41
same day. It slam dunk.
47:44
But sometimes it takes 3 to 6 months and
47:47
even longer depending on the disability
47:50
and unfortunately depending on how our
47:53
politicians have decided to resource
47:56
those offices. Yeah. So, what what do
47:59
you recommend for someone on that just
48:01
files for disability and is sitting
48:03
there in the in the hurry up and wait
48:05
mode? What what can they do?
48:08
>> Yeah, the the severity issue is is a big
48:10
development in the disability
48:12
determination service center, the DDS,
48:14
where your case is actually ultimately
48:16
um determined medically. Um they have to
48:19
look at the severity of your condition
48:21
um with a fine tooth comb really. But um
48:24
you know and and if you're in that
48:27
compassionate allowance list obviously
48:29
your your case is going to be approved
48:31
relatively quickly without a lot of
48:33
medical uh records and you know they
48:36
don't need to wait for your doctors and
48:38
and the hospitals to send any medical
48:40
records in in order to approve you. But
48:42
if your case is not along those lines
48:45
and um they have to look at different
48:47
aspects of your disability whether um
48:50
firstly they have to wait for all the
48:51
medical records to come in and then they
48:54
have to determine whether your condition
48:55
is sever the severity of your condition
48:58
allows you to work in other jobs that
49:00
you've done in the past. So they had to
49:02
look at the work aspect of it that
49:05
vocational development takes a long
49:07
time. So, so it's not um you know a
49:10
simple three months time frame. Every
49:12
case is a little different um depending
49:14
on what your condition is um the
49:17
severity of your condition and also even
49:21
the agency that makes the decision. If
49:23
you are located in a DDS state such as
49:26
Nevada, I don't want to say anything bad
49:28
about Nevada, but they [laughter] tend
49:29
to take a long time. So, I'm sorry Ed.
49:33
>> Yeah.
49:34
>> So, so as a fact. Yeah. Um, we've dealt
49:38
with a lot of the DDS, uh, personnel in
49:41
Nevada and, um, there's always issues
49:44
with staffing. Um, so [laughter]
49:48
>> Yes. Yeah. That's the That's the issue.
49:50
That's the issue. Yeah. And a few years
49:51
ago, it was crazy when they had um, you
49:55
know, the uh, the states were kind of
49:58
shutting down and they were running out
49:59
of money. Um they they
50:04
also furled DDS employees who so there
50:09
was no essentially disability claims
50:11
being worked on. And then it because it
50:14
was crazy. It's like wait DDS employees
50:16
don't get paid by the state. Why are you
50:17
furlowing them? DDS employees get paid
50:20
by the federal government. And they're
50:21
like oh we want to be fair to everybody
50:23
so we're going to
50:24
>> basically screw over disabled people in
50:26
our in our because we want to be fair to
50:28
the
50:29
>> Yeah. states do some crazy stuff.
50:32
>> Yeah, I bet there was um there was a
50:34
conversation between the DDS
50:35
administrator and our regional
50:37
commissioner on that. Wouldn't that
50:38
didn't that happen?
50:40
>> That that has to be that didn't make
50:42
sense for the state to do that.
50:44
>> Yeah.
50:44
>> Yeah. So, they have and and and the
50:48
problem is people just don't know
50:50
>> and there is no place that people can
50:53
keep an eye on that until very soon. So
50:56
subscribe. Wait. Big things are coming
50:58
and we're not talking about the Oscars.
51:00
There is even bigger than the Oscars
51:02
[laughter]
51:03
for millions.
51:03
>> The Oscars. Wow.
51:05
>> Yes.
51:06
>> All right. [laughter]
51:08
I don't hype it up too much. I'm like,
51:09
"Oh my gosh." Oh, that was it. My
51:12
husband passed away in January. Um his
51:15
December deposited in our account. I
51:18
said our bill um I paid our bills and
51:21
two weeks later it was taken out. I went
51:22
to the Social Security office. They
51:24
agreed that the money shouldn't have
51:25
been taken out. I filed I filled out the
51:28
application to get that money back. I
51:30
still haven't gotten it back. I've
51:32
called two times to get check on it and
51:34
I still don't have that money. What can
51:35
I do about it? Yeah. So, if the person
51:38
passed away uh January 13th and they're
51:41
then their um the February check would
51:44
be pulled out and that is correct
51:46
because you have to be the alive the
51:48
entire month to get that check and that
51:50
January check comes in February. So
51:52
you're not entitled to the February
51:54
check, but the January check, January
51:57
check is for December. So So you're
52:00
saying the December check was deposit
52:02
deposited and that was deposited in
52:04
January. And yes, that is your money.
52:08
>> I never thought this policy was fair
52:11
because you know why do you have to live
52:13
throughout the month? And I know the
52:14
policy that's what exactly what it
52:16
states that you have to live be alive
52:18
for the entire month to be eligible for
52:20
that January check. That's and and and
52:23
the surviving um spouse usually is the
52:27
one that ends up, you know, being
52:29
overpaid because, you know, they use
52:31
that money.
52:32
>> That's never I just just didn't think
52:34
the legislation is correct on that one.
52:36
That that needs to be reversed. But that
52:38
that's more important for the surviving
52:40
spouse to adjust their benefits to the
52:42
widow's amount so they can get the
52:44
higher benefit if they're not already
52:46
receiving the widow's benefit. uh just
52:48
so they can make up for that difference
52:50
in in losing that payment.
52:54
>> Yeah. And those those are um so you went
52:56
and filled out the forms, but
52:58
unfortunately
53:00
how the bureaucracy works in this
53:02
particular case that's not processed in
53:04
the local office that's processed in the
53:06
payment center, the processing center
53:08
and a lot of those what's what's the
53:09
deal the uh the skinny on the processing
53:12
center. So social security is broken up
53:13
into what nine different regions
53:15
throughout the country [snorts] and
53:16
there's different processing centers.
53:18
You see stuff that's done in the front
53:20
and in the district offices throughout
53:21
the country over,200 offices but there's
53:24
also processing centers that do a lot of
53:26
the back work and some of those were
53:28
consolidated reduced. What's uh what
53:31
happened to all that? I know you've got
53:32
still your fingers in that type of pie,
53:34
right? Yeah, I think they're reduced to
53:36
like five regions now. And then the
53:38
payment centers are supposedly um well,
53:41
they're doing away with a lot of the
53:43
middle management in the payment
53:44
centers. So um some of the workflows are
53:48
not as controlled as it used to be. So
53:51
anyway, you're going to see a lot of
53:52
backlog if they're already they're
53:54
already always in the backlog as you
53:56
remember and even when we're in the
53:58
agency, they're always in the backlog.
54:00
So yeah, this situation um unfortunately
54:03
may be just hanging in the back burner
54:06
somewhere.
54:07
>> Yeah. And unfortunately as we were
54:09
yelled at all the time in local offices
54:15
and it's an unfortunate situation, you
54:18
know, it was sent up to be processed so
54:22
you can get your money back. Okay? And
54:24
then you call and rightly so and you
54:29
say, "Hey, what's going on? I want my
54:30
money." And then they they send what's
54:32
called an MDW and kind of a a message to
54:35
the processing center and says, "Hey,
54:37
you know, we just want to check on
54:38
this." And [snorts] the problem is is
54:41
everybody does that too. So the
54:44
processing center has a thousand
54:46
messages that they have to go through,
54:49
but only 250 of those are new. The other
54:51
ones are follow. Hey, what's going on
54:52
with this? I just got a we just got a
54:54
call. What's going on with this one?
54:55
Okay, what's going on with this one?
54:56
What's going on with this one? And yeah,
54:58
we understand, but it's
55:02
if they send multiple messages, it just
55:04
slows down everything. Um, it's not on
55:08
it's obviously not on this young lady's,
55:11
you know, it's she doesn't care about
55:12
that how it works in the background. She
55:14
just wants her check. And
55:18
um you you'll get it. You'll definitely
55:21
get it. It shouldn't take this long. It
55:23
definitely should not take this long.
55:24
So, if you really really need it, I
55:26
mean, if it's, you know, it's the
55:28
difference between, you know, paying the
55:29
rent or keeping the electricity on or
55:30
something like that,
55:32
how do you do a congressional? M
55:35
[laughter]
55:36
>> go to your local congressional pages,
55:40
the House of Representative and your
55:41
senators website, and they usually have
55:43
a little area for you to complain about
55:46
a federal agency. [laughter]
55:48
So, it's usually a form format. Um and
55:51
then you just fill out the form and let
55:53
them know that you know you are in a
55:55
dire need situation to pay your bills.
55:57
Um your congressperson u your the office
56:01
um representative u will will reach out
56:03
to you and and get you know more
56:05
information from you and then they'll
56:07
contact social security on your behalf.
56:10
Uh and luckily the congressional
56:13
inquiries um have a pretty stringent
56:15
time frame on how the uh the field
56:17
office should process that. So, usually
56:19
they'll try to get you a decision or or
56:22
some sort of an explanation within 30
56:24
days. Um, generally also a an update by
56:28
7 days. Is that the time frame that
56:30
you've worked with in your office? Uh,
56:32
at
56:32
>> I I had my people call the the number
56:37
holder, the person within 24 48 hours. I
56:40
took it over. I don't know if you
56:42
remember Val and Deb in my office. They
56:45
were just the best in the country. And
56:47
if I saw an issue like that, I would
56:49
say, "Hey, Val, if it was SSI, I'd take
56:51
it to her. If it was anything else, I'd
56:53
take it to Deb." And wow, they were they
56:55
were the best in the country.
56:57
>> And they would take care of it.
56:58
>> The nation that's [laughter]
57:01
>> because we looked out with the best.
57:05
>> Yeah. Yeah. But it it Yeah. You
57:07
shouldn't have to worry about We were
57:09
just venting on the bureaucracy in the
57:11
back end. You shouldn't have to worry
57:12
about that. It should be taken care of.
57:14
But yeah, you go to your if if you if
57:16
you really needed that money, um you
57:18
just contact your congressional, as I
57:20
say, the owner
57:23
of your [snorts] local office. The owner
57:25
of your local office is not the manager.
57:27
That's the person that, you know, makes
57:28
sure the lights, you know, are turned on
57:29
and the employees show up. It's the
57:31
owner is is the one that pays for the
57:33
lights and make sure there's employees
57:34
there. The owner of that office are your
57:36
politicians. The two senators in your
57:38
House of Representatives. So, you
57:39
contact them and say, "Hey, I need my
57:41
check." number one. And number two, why
57:43
did I have to contact you? Why couldn't
57:45
it just why didn't you provide enough
57:47
resources to the local office so they
57:48
could just do it? Um, and then they'll
57:51
tell you some depending on Yeah. what
57:53
their leanings are. [sighs and gasps]
57:56
>> Um,
57:57
>> I'm turning
57:58
>> Oh, sorry. I just want to add that the
58:00
field office generally sends their best
58:01
and brightest to handle congressional
58:03
cases because you know need to um they
58:06
need to address to the congressperson
58:08
why this case is taking so long or what
58:10
they're working on. So
58:12
>> yeah. Yeah. I'm turning 62 this year and
58:16
was going to file for my social
58:17
security. However, I just applied for
58:19
SSDI as I learned that should qualify.
58:22
My question is about Medicare or
58:23
Medicaid. Will I have to make a decision
58:25
on that if I'm approved for SSDI and as
58:28
something? All right. So, yeah, it
58:31
sounds like uh um you
58:35
possibly were thinking about retirement
58:38
benefits and then you switched to
58:39
disability benefits. You could have done
58:41
a rib dib where you filed for both of
58:43
them at the same time. Some people do
58:44
that so they start getting retirement
58:46
money while they're waiting for their
58:47
disability. But to answer your question,
58:50
yeah, once your benefits, your SSDI
58:53
starts, you have to be on Social
58:56
Security disability for two years, 24
58:58
months. And and but but what we mean
59:01
start, if you're approved today [snorts]
59:04
and your approval goes back like a year,
59:07
then you've been on it for a year.
59:08
You've got people that, you know, get
59:11
delayed, delayed, denied, denied, and
59:12
they file. They finally get approved and
59:14
they're approved for two years back and
59:17
they said, "Ed, I was just approved
59:19
today and I just got my Medicare card."
59:20
Yeah. And I thought you said 24 months.
59:22
Yeah, you got approved for 24 months,
59:24
you know, retroactivity. So, you have 24
59:27
months to make that decision. Um
59:29
Medicaid,
59:31
that's an entirely different beast.
59:32
That's through the your um the state
59:35
department of social services or
59:36
whatever in your particular state. If
59:38
you're having issues, um, low income,
59:41
low resources, definitely reach out to
59:42
them. Get signed up for Medicaid. That
59:45
won't negate your Medicare. You There's
59:48
millions of people with Medicare and
59:50
Medicaid, so that's not an issue.
59:54
All right, we are over an hour and uh, I
59:58
appreciate you coming on, Mai, as
1:00:00
always.
1:00:02
>> Of course, it was fun. Thank you for
1:00:04
having me.
1:00:05
>> Yeah, hopefully we help some people out
1:00:06
there. But as usual, we didn't get to
1:00:08
all the hundreds and hundreds of
1:00:09
questions. I apologize. Um, remember,
1:00:12
you go on to uh the website
1:00:14
mygovexpert.com.
1:00:15
If you want to talk to my or any other
1:00:17
people on our team, you just click on
1:00:19
the little button there. It says, "I
1:00:20
want to talk to a former Social Security
1:00:21
Insider." And you can schedule a
1:00:23
one-on-one appointment. That's the only
1:00:24
thing we do charge for because this is
1:00:26
one-on-one time with uh these
1:00:28
individuals, these experts. Um,
1:00:31
if you've got any other questions, make
1:00:33
sure you bring them to the live Q&A. And
1:00:34
then also on the website, you can go on
1:00:36
the bottom left there and you can click
1:00:38
a recording. I've got a a bunch of
1:00:40
recordings that people ask questions and
1:00:42
when I have a guest, I can't we can't
1:00:44
watch the videos together, a technical
1:00:46
issue, and I'm I'm still in the 1800s
1:00:48
when it comes to some of that. Um, but
1:00:51
tomorrow if if you left a video
1:00:53
question, I guarantee I will answer it
1:00:54
tomorrow. So, I apologize for that. All
1:00:57
right, my we sure appreciate it and
1:00:59
hopefully we'll have you on again very
1:01:01
very soon.
1:01:02
>> Sounds good. Thank you, Dr. Red. I'll
1:01:04
talk to you later.
1:01:04
>> All right. All right. Take care, y'all.
1:01:06
Take care.