IS SOCIAL SECURITY ENOUGH WHEN THE WORST HAPPENS TO YOU?

Question:  Does Social Security pay enough when disability strikes and you can't work any more?

Answer:  No.

The average Social Security disability payment is $1,197 per month.  I don't need to tell you how hard it is to get by on that.  And, it may take months or years to get that benefit started.  Sad, but the simple truth!

So, what can you do now to protect yourself?  Here are some important things you should think about for your family:

1.  Buy or sign up for both short term and long term disability insurance at work.  Why?

• This insurance will pay you while you wait on Social Security.
• This insurance will pay you if Social Security denies your benefits.
• This insurance may pay you a higher benefit than Social Security.
• Short Term Disability (STD) may only pay a benefit for 3 to 6 months.  Be sure you have the Long Term Disability (STD), too.  Short term simply isn't enough protection.

2.  If your company doesn't offer disability insurance, get some on your own if you can.

But be careful what you buy.  There's a lot of junk products out there.  I don't recommend a disability plan that only covers accidents -- because most disability doesn't involve accidental causes.  Most disability cases are caused by disease, not accidents.  If you have an accidental insurance plan it excludes disability caused by cancer, heart attacks, migraine headaches, back trouble, surgery, etc.  It's cheap but often useless.

3.  Put away some savings if you can.  Resist the ever present temptation to spend the money for anything besides a true emergency. 

My firm specializes in help disabled workers get Social Security disability benefits.  You need to understand Social Security's limitations:  It's hard to get and it takes a really long time.  Be sure you have private disability insurance to fall back on.  If your employer offers it, sign up for it now!

Even if approved quickly, which is rare, Social Security does not pay the first 5 full months of disability.  So you are left on your own for 5 months.  In a really quick Social Security case that goes well, it will take 6 months to receive the first check.  Cover that with short-term and long-term disability at work.  It's a life saver!
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The Forsythe Firm
Representing Social Security Disability Clients
7027 Old Madison Pike, Suite 108
Huntsville, AL 35806
PHONE (256) 799-0297