"Every Rose has it's Thorns"....The Road to Disability Cliff Notes
- jessica97150
- Feb 20
- 6 min read
Updated: Feb 26
DISCLAIMER: As a mom and salesperson by profession, I'm a savvy businesswoman. This is not financial advice; it's my personal journey and tips to simplify the process. Many of us have relied on others to manage the household, so I'm aiming to help you find information faster and learn more efficiently than in two years.
Before receiving a diagnosis and in the early stages, my suggestion is to NOT INFORM ANYONE YET, lots of people have opinions and this is between you and your spouse/partner loved one. You also do not want people taking advantage of you or them—consider hiring a lawyer if managing household finances and completing paperwork is beyond your abilities. You are about to embark on a very tiring journey with many tasks ahead, so take a deep breath and proceed at your own pace. All you need is a printer, copier, and some patience.
SOCIAL SECURITY DISABILITY and Supplemental Security Income (lower income assistance in conjunction if qualify(THIS CAN TAKE A YEAR to PROCESS)
Create a Social Security Account online: https://www.ssa.gov/myaccount/
Once account is verified and created download and read the disability amount you can expect once approved- this is where you will follow and check on progress
Read and Understand the process (it can take up to a year) https://www.ssa.gov/benefits/disability/
Download the Disability papers and understand all you will need and maybe just start to write in and document everything (do not file online) there is a lot of ground work to do with Dr's, phones, etc have this ready before submitting the FMLA
When in doubt: REVIEW Compassionate Allowances- your loved ones DX must read one of these to avoid long waits https://www.ssa.gov/compassionateallowances/
Make appt or go to your local SS office with your paperwork both go together with your POA in hand, and all documents that you read on Disability online application, in case they do interview live that day.
They may see you that day and interview, or schedule a phone interview, either ways is good, in my opinion.
A live or phone interview, allows the SS Agent to discuss with your loved one and actually see the struggle and the agent completes all the paperwork ensuring you miss nothing (this is usually the hold up on decisions). Just make sure you have all paperwork questions they will ask data dr,s dates, etc, and remind them the DX is one of the compassionate allowances and tell them which one. (see below)
Your Spouse/Partner has a DX what do we do?
Are they working? If Yes, more than likely you are not the only one seeing signs and your spouses work could be effected.
A possible next step may be requesting FMLA (but do homework prior, this is unpaid leave and the person on it CANNOT claim unemployment)
(Family Medical Leave Act) is a United States federal law that allows eligible employees to take unpaid, job-protected leave for specified family and medical reasons. The key provisions of FMLA include:
Eligibility: Employees must work for a covered employer and have worked for at least 1,250 hours over the past 12 months.
Leave Duration: Eligible employees can take up to 12 weeks of unpaid leave in a 12-month period.
Reasons for Leave: Leave can be taken for the birth or adoption of a child, to care for a spouse, child, or parent with a serious health condition, or for the employee's own serious health condition.
Job Protection: Employees are entitled to return to their same or an equivalent position after taking FMLA leave.
Health Benefits: Employers must maintain the employee's health benefits during the leave period.
FMLA is designed to help employees balance their work and family responsibilities while ensuring job security during times of medical or family emergencies.
Who carries health benefits? You will need to access the information in these, make sure you get all the passwords written down while they remember them.
Is your spouse covered under any STD or LTD? (Short and Long Term Disability) at work or through private insurance or your insurance. If so and your DX says that your spouse/partner is unable to work, have your spouse email Human Resource at their company and request paperwork to file Disability. (Or wherever the policy is held) this process is very extensive you will need almost all of the same documents for here as SSD. But keep in mind, your Social Security Disability amount will be deducted from the amount of LTD. I'll explain this later below.
You need to sit down and determine at home prior to discussing, this is a protected handicap that will fall under disability etc. at work, but you want to ensure your steps financially prior to making a jump, or leaving your loved one vulnerable to being fired. Even MCI (Mild Cognitive Impairment is a protected Disability in US)
Has your spouse stopped working? Yes
If they are not able to work, you can help them apply for Social Security Disability.
https://www.ssa.gov/disability review here.
Prior to application or asap:
Make an account on Social Security (for yourself and spouse really) you will need to go www.ssa.gov to make an ID if you have never done so and do some verifications, make sure you have email and password for both individuals to do the verifications and such.
and Create Login Here: https://secure.login.gov/
Next gather final paystubs, tax forms, SS#, there is a ton of information. You will need to make copies of everything, you can do this at library or at a FedEx office, Office Depot, or UPS store easily. Once you download the applications to review, read through and see what else you need to complete. From what I have gathered being a member of a support group, people get this most traction with an onsite or phone call appointment, especially if your spouse is unable to complete documents themselves, a SS rep will call you and ask them questions to fill the applications with them. Before you start the application get all of the below completed.
Make sure diagnosis is confirmed with Blood Test, Pet Scan, MRI, Spinal Tap and clearly written by a Neurologist, Neuropsychologist, etc., and a Neuro Psyche exam that clearly shows they are unable to perform actions.
When in doubt: REVIEW Compassionate Allowances- your loved ones DX must clearly state one of these to avoid long waits FROM ANY SS Disability. A compassionate allowance should take around 6 months or less if you have all the above completed correctly.
Review Compassionate allowances here: https://www.ssa.gov/compassionateallowances/
Has your spouse stopped working? NO
Create SS gov login still it takes time
Do you feel like they can still do their job effectively, because if not and if they get fired or demoted they will make less income, their disability and social security will be affected by this. Social Security benefits are calculated using a formula that averages your highest 35 years of earnings, adjusted for inflation. The result is called the primary insurance amount (PIA), lower income for a few years can impact the SSD payments later.
Ask yourself and them, are they a harm to others, is their commute going to effect others, what would one mis step or mistake do to the company, because again if you are seeing signs I am sure others are too, and they don't know about EOA and they may assume drugs or alcohol which could cause them to be fired. Don't let your loved one be the one who harms someone or makes a fatal mistake over PRIDE.
Once approved checks are deposited into the spouse's Bank Account 1st week of month or 3rd, and 24 months after application date, Medicare kicks in. There is back pay, if delayed approval, but ONLY back pay after 5 months after application, so if you apply in January, and are approved in August your partner/spouse would receive 1 months back pay (I am not positive but that is how I read it and it was explained to me). May would be Month 5, Month 6 is June paid in July, and so fourth.
Social Security Disability Insurance (SSDI) back pay is the difference between the date you applied for benefits and the date you started receiving them. The amount of back pay you receive depends on how long it took to process your claim.
How much back pay can I receive?
You can receive up to 12 months of retroactive pay.
You must have waited five months before applying for benefits.
The maximum back pay is 12 months, minus the five-month waiting period
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