WILL SOCIAL SECURITY KEEP CHECKING ON YOU?

Do you mean that Social Security will keep checking on me after I am approved, to be sure I am still disabled?

Yes, they most likely will.  It's called a Continuing Disability Review, or CDR.

How often you will be reviewed in the years ahead depends largely on two things:

1.  Do you have a medical condition which is likely to improve in the future?  If so, expect reviews.

2.  What is your age?  Individuals under age 60 will get reviewed more often than older individuals.

Some beneficiaries will be reviewed every 2 years.  Others may get checked every 3 or 4 years until they reach a certain age.  You will be notified when your disability case is being reviewed.

What does Social Security look for in a CDR?

They are checking to see whether you still meet the federal requirements to receive a disability benefit.  If you have made significant medical improvement and no longer meet the eligibility requirements, you will be notified that your benefit is going to stop. This decision is subject to appeal.  However, if you elect to continue receiving benefit checks during the appeal and you eventually lose the appeal, Social Security will want their money back.

How can you prepare for a Continuing Disability Review?

The best advice is to continue seeing your doctor regularly.  Keep taking your medications and following medical advice.  How often you visit your doctor is between you and your doctor.  The point is, don't start skipping doctor's appointments, stop treatment or drop off all your medications unless you are advised by your doctor.  Discontinuing medical treatment is often taken by Social Security to mean that you are much improved.  Whether this is true or not, you lose your evidence to prove continuing disability without doctor's treatment records.

What is the surest way to trigger a quick review?  Start working and reporting wages to Social Security.  Keep in mind that every dollar you earn must have FICA tax withheld by your employer.  Each quarter, or each month, your employer must report your wages and submit the FICA withholding to Social Security.  This automatically reports your earnings.  So, there's no such thing as working a legal job without it being reported.  While you may be allowed to work a minimal amount while you receive SSDI benefits, be careful to keep your earnings below the threshold you are allowed to make.  If not, a CDR will soon be coming your way.  And, even if you continue to medically disabled, earning too much in work-related income will still stop your check.