You Deserve To Have Help With Social Security
Brian O Sutter
Personal Injury
The Social Security Act turned 80 years old in 2015. Like most octogenarians, Social Security is creaky, wrinkled, and has a complicated life story with a lot of unexpected twists and turns. It’s also had 8 decades to get almost as complicated as the US tax code, and like the tax code it’s something which people often think they can handle on their own but which is honestly best handled by a professional.A Complex System
You need to have a lot of information just about yourself in order to apply for any kind of Social Security benefit. There’s your own name, date of birth, and Social Security number, of course, but then you also need the same information for your current spouse, any and all of your former spouses, and all of your currently minor children. If you’re applying for Social Security Disability benefits, you also need every bit of paperwork related to the illness or injury that’s taken you out of the workforce.
Then there’s all the different kinds of benefits you can sign up for. There’s the basic and obvious division between retirement and disability benefits, but then you can also apply for early retirement, full retirement, or delayed retirement benefits, survivor benefits which apply to spouses and can change based on your own independent benefits, and Social Security Supplemental Insurance which uses its own set of criteria.
The Professional Touch
According to at least one study, the average retiree who files for Social Security benefits on his or her own loses a potential $100,000 in lifetime Social Security income, and families lose a full $250,000. It’s not just a matter of working later into your golden years and starting your benefits equally late, it’s also about maximizing your credits beforehand and keeping them coming even after you start on Social Security. It’s about applying for the right benefits in the right order and under the right conditions, and the details can get complicated quickly.
That’s why it’s so important to have someone you can consult who is an expert in the Social Security system. Secondhand information from TV shows, ads, and (to be perfectly frank) blog posts like this one are a good way to get started, but none of these sources can understand your personal situation. None of them can measure up to the personal touch of a real-life human being who can compile all your information and provide you with a simple list of options. None of them can assist you throughout your application process and represent you if you need to appeal a rejection. Not everyone can be an expert at the legal system, and not everyone should have to be.
When you’re tackling something as important as a source of income that will last you for potentially decades to come, it’s important to consult someone who understands the system inside and out. At All Injuries Law Firm, we have social security lawyers who can help you out by explaining the basics, listing your options, and then help you file and, if necessary, appeal. If you live in the region of southwest Florida, contact us today for a free case review and we’ll do our best to get you the most for your hard-earned Social Security benefits.