In the past couple of years, it has become popular for politicians to tell people that Social Security benefits, specifically the Social Security Disability Insurance (SSDI) program, are entitlements programs for people that are too lazy to work. They also like to say that there is rampant fraud committed by…
Whenever a new party takes over the White House, it is not uncommon for there to be a hiring freeze with respect to federal employees. Traditionally, this is a relatively short-term measure designed to give the new administration time to decide what its priorities will be and how those priorities…
In a recent case from the United States Court of Appeals for the Seventh Circuit, claimant applied for Social Security Disability Insurance (SSDI) benefits, and his application was denied by the U.S. Social Security Administration (SSA). Claimant first applied for disability benefits in 2008. In 2008, he was 35-years-old. His…
In a recent SSDI case from the United States Court of Appeals for the Fourth Circuit, the claimant was denied an award of benefits after a hearing before an administrative law judge (ALJ). An ALJ is an employee of the United States Social Security Administration (SSA) that is responsible for hearing…
There is clearly a huge debate going on in this country about the Second Amendment and it the rights it actually guarantees. There are those who believe the Second Amendment was drafted to give citizens virtually unlimited rights with respect to the ownership and carrying of firearms. There as many…
A recent editorial from The Des Moines Register discussed what has been called the nightmare shared by millions of disabled Americans. What they all have in common is they are waiting to learn whether they will finally be approved for Social Security Disability Insurance (SSDI) or Supplemental Security Income (SSI) benefits.…
In Brown v. Colvin, a case from the United States Court of Appeals for the Seventh Circuit, the claimant had applied for Social Security Disability Insurance (SSDI) benefits due to severe back problems and obesity. When she first applied for disability benefits, her application was denied. She then filed for…
We have been hearing a lot about problems in the Social Security Administration (SSA) over the past year. Some of the issues involve allegations the multiple administrative law judges (ALJs) were engaging in inappropriate behavior with respect to staff and disability claimants. These cases were brought to light by various…
According to a recent news article from Fed Week, the United States Social Security Administration (SSA) has some very strict standards for those who are applying for disability benefits. This includes those who are applying for Social Security Disability Insurance (SSDI) benefits and those who are applying for what is…
Each year, millions of Americans struggle to pay their student loan bills. This is true for younger people who are just out of college, and it is true for people who have been out of school for 20 years. It is also true for parents of students who took out…