When an individual reaches retirement age or is classified as disabled the government has a program that provides some financial support, the program is Social Security. There are very few problems when it comes time to apply for the retirement benefits, it is a matter of providing your social security number and few pertinent details, in about three months the benefits will start arriving and they will continue to arrive every month. Unfortunately applying for Social Security disability benefits is far more complex and many applicants turn to a social security lawyer for help. For those who have not yet reached retirement age but can prove beyond a doubt that they are either mentally or physically disabled and cannot work may be eligible to collect Social Security Disability Insurance (SSDI). Should the application be approved the disabled individual will also receive a monthly payment, the amount of the payment is dependent on the amount of money the person earned during the working life. There has to be complete documentation that the applicant has earned enough credits to benefit from the program, if they don’t they are sometimes eligible for a fixed monthly amount of SSI, supplemental security income. There really is little reason for the average individual to know much about the social security system other than what benefits are available; rarely would a person be aware of what the criteria is for these benefits. The truth is, even when an application is made with the assistance of a social security lawyer the application is denied almost three quarters of the time. When the claimant is denied benefit and has the lawyer accompany him or her to the appeals hearing the numbers are quite different, about two thirds of the appeals are approved. Having...

Don’t be discouraged if you apply for social security disability benefits and the application is denied, you are among the 70 to 75 percent who are in the same boat. There is no reason to be overly concerned with an initial denial; the process is such that there is a refined appeals process. In many cases an appeal that is heard by a judge will be approved, especially if the disability appeal is made with the assistance of an attorney. In the case of disability appeals that are handled by an attorney about 66 percent are approved even though the initial claim was denied. There is a set time for making an appeal, if an appeal is not made within this time frame the chance for any future appeal will be lost and a completely new application for benefits will have to be made, this is a terrible waste of time and resources and in many cases can result in back payments considerably less than what they could have been if the appeal was done timely. Although there is an approval process for disability benefits, should the application be approved the payment date starts on the date of the application, not the date of the approval. In most jurisdictions the first step in disability appeals is reconsideration. By this time the applicant should be represented by an attorney who is well versed in social security matters. When your application is denied you have 60 days to file for reconsideration. The reconsideration haring can be either formal or simply an informal meeting to discuss your case with a representative from Social Security. Within three to four months of the reconsideration conference you can expect a written decision, if the claim is denied again then the...

Before you talk to Social Security lawyers about your case you should first understand the pros and cons; the costs and benefits of having such lawyers on your side. The costs are easy to calculate as the fee they lawyers can charge is mandated by Federal law and is the lesser of 25 percent of the benefit back pay or $6,000. In the majority of cases little money, if any, will have to be paid up front as most Social Security lawyers work on contingency, you only pay when they are successful in winning your case. There are many benefits to hiring Social Security lawyers; it is worth looking at some in further detail. One must also consider at what stage of the claims process you should call for legal assistance. Why hire Social Security lawyers? The most pressing need that will point your towards a disability lawyer is the fact that your chances of being approved are drastically increased. Certainly there are people who make the application on behalf of themselves and gain approval but the truth is, about 75 percent of the applications that are made are denied. Social Security and disability lawyers understand the complexities of case presentation; they know how to put the case to the Administration in such a way to get the most favorable ruling for the client. The initial application is important, it is here that you provide such pertinent details as when the disability started and argue that your case meets the criteria of impairments listed in the SSA “Blue Book.” When the case reaches the reconciliation and hearing levels the lawyer can provide the pertinent medical information and support this with an opinion from your doctor. The lawyer can provide a detailed brief for the...

The US Social Security pays benefits to those that have reached retirement age and those that suffer from a mental or physical disability. Once you reach retirement age it is simple to apply for and be granted retirement benefits that you have contributed toward most of your working life. Unfortunately it is not that simple when filing for disability benefits, it’s akin to going to battle with the entire Social Security Administration. Having an SSD attorney can give a tremendous advantage in the battle you are about to become involved in. Having a seasoned SSD attorney in your corner can easily be the difference between winning your claim or having it denied at every step of the appeals process. The numbers are quite staggering, some 75 percent of disability claims are denied, with or without an attorney. The difference is during the appeal, those who appeal the decision without a lawyer rarely get the original rejection overturned; those that do hire an SSD attorney are close to 65 percent successful in gaining approval for benefits. If you do decide to hire an attorney make sure the one you get is well seasoned in Social Security law and handles SS claims as a matter of routine, not as a sideline to the law practice. Aside from this advice there are a couple of other considerations when retaining a disability attorney to assist with your initial claim and to deal with all subsequent appeals. Make sure they work on a contingency basis. An attorney who works on contingency only gets paid in the event he or she is successful in getting your benefits.Ensure that when the claim is eventually won that the regular monthly benefits that you receive are not involved in the payment of the...

Purchasing a new home is stressful at the best of times; the buyer is faced with the emotional aspect of becoming a new homeowner along with all the documentation that goes along with the transaction. In many cases Naples title insurance can be overlooked. This oversight could end up costing you many thousands of dollars and causing major headaches in the future. It has a simple role; by ensuring that no one can lay claim to your property, ever, it gives the new owner tremendous peace of mind knowing that his or her property will not end up being the source of new and unwanted debt. The time to purchase is when you purchase the home because even people who have owned their home for many years have experienced unexpected issues, putting their ownership of the home in jeopardy. Title insurance gives peace of mind to the holder of the mortgage, if there is one, by assuring their loan and you by guaranteeing that there will be no problems with the property in the future. It’s usually not something that is thought of during the course of the property transaction but there are numerous problems that can arise. The earlier owner could have taken out a loan and used the property as collateral, in a case like this the loan becomes your problem; you are responsible for repaying it. If the property was being sold because the previous owners are going through a divorce don’t be surprised to find out that one of the couple took out a second mortgage without advising the partner. A long lost heir of the previous owners could all of a sudden appear and lay claim to the property, with Naples title insurance none of these issues will have...

While there are a number of people who are experienced in things such as insurance, accounting and taxes, but there are not many who have an in-depth knowledge of the areas regarding retirement planning. Issues such as extended care, federal and state estate tax laws, guardianship for minor children and Medicaid planning are all factors that can be handled by an Estate Planning Attorney in Naples. When you hire this professional they will be able to assist both old and young adults from all levels of income with their long-term care and estate planning, so they will be able to enjoy long-term financial security. From the creation of a revocable living trust to handling insurance for long-term care, to creating the powers of attorney and guardianship for a person’s minor children, the services of an estate planning lawyer play an essential role in a person’s life. The primary benefits offered by hiring a professional estate planning attorney include: Taking the guess work from the probate process and a full understanding of any applicable estate taxes.Protection for your inheritances and assets.Allowances for special needs children without having to sacrifice any important government benefits.Ability to appoint guardians for minor children rather than having them go into the foster system.Making plans for Medicaid without having to sacrifice your life savings to nursing home care.Control in the way your assets are spent by providing specific instructions in your living trust.Reduction of estate taxes, legal fees and court costs while ensuring estate assets are maximized. It is important to understand that estate planning is considered a process that is ongoing that involves several different, important life decisions. In most cases, it is not suggested that you attempt a “do it yourself” version, since that are so many things that...