Oklahoma City Social Security Disability Law Blog

When disabled individuals in Oklahoma meet the basic requirements to receive Supplemental Security Income of disability, blindness, being 65 or older and having limited income and resources, it can be a concern as to when the situation might change to render them ineligible for SSI. Such a case can come about when the person gets married. The SSI benefits can be impacted by marriage and the spouse's income and resources. It is important to understand the rules related to marriage and SSI to address potential problems.

If the SSI recipient marries a person who is ineligible for SSI and the couple resides in the same household, part of that spouse's income can be counted as belonging to the SSI recipient. With that, the amount the eligible person gets in SSI-related benefits will be reduced. It can even lead to the person being ineligible to get benefits. When resources are counted, the value of the spouse's property and money will be calculated. There can be various exclusions when eligibility is determined. If the spouse is eligible for SSI, the combined income will be calculated and counted as a couple. For resources, it will be combined and calculated with various exclusions.

Although going to work may not always be an Oklahoma resident's first choice of activity, most people enjoy the feeling of having a job and earning their own income. As children, individuals depend on their parents and other adults for support, and when a person is able to step out on their own and provide for their own needs they may feel a sense of accomplishment. Work is not always easy, but for many it is a necessary element of living the lives that they enjoy.

Because of this, losing the ability to work can be devastating, not just for the affected person but for their entire family. When a person supports their loved ones with their income, an entire household may be thrown into financial peril when a disabling condition curtails the capacity to work. Illnesses, injuries and other ailments may force hardworking individuals out of their jobs and cause them to look into benefits options to care for their needs.

Any readers who follow this Oklahoma Social Security Disability benefits blog know that seeking support due to a disabling physical or mental condition is no easy task. The process of apply for Social Security Disability Insurance or Supplemental Security Income is lengthy and can require copious amounts of medical evidence. Even when a person builds a strong case for disability benefits they may at first have their application denied by the Social Security Administration.

The first step in appealing a denied Social Security Disability benefits application is to request "reconsideration." Requests to have applications reconsidered must be filed with 60 days of the applicants' receiving notice that their initial applications were denied. Reconsideration puts the evidence an applicant submitted in their application in front of a different reviewer than the one who performed the first assessment, to see if they come up with a different result.

Complex regional pain syndrome, a name often used for Reflex Sympathetic Dystrophy, is a condition that, in some workers, qualifies as a disability. This condition causes chronic pain, rendering some people unable to retain full-time employment. 

Some employees with Reflex Sympathetic Dystrophy must turn to part-time work; it is difficult for these workers to meet their cost-of-living requirements under chronic pain conditions that inhibit their activities.