by Annette Hines | Nov 9, 2021 | Announcements, Social Security, Special Needs
Plaintiffs in a class-action lawsuit against the Social Security Administration (SSA) might describe it as an open-and-shut case. When the SSA closed its field offices at the onset of the COVID-19 pandemic, it remained open for the purposes of denying benefits. But,...
by Annette Hines | Nov 2, 2021 | Announcements, Current Affairs, Social Security, Special Needs
The year was 1983: The U.S. invaded Granada. A gallon of gas cost 96 cents. Michael Jackson’s “Thriller” video premiered. That year was also the last time that recipients of Social Security disability benefits saw a cost-of-living increase steeper than the...
by Annette Hines | Oct 14, 2021 | Announcements, COVID-19, Current Affairs, Special Needs
Communication is one of the most important tools for containing the spread of COVID-19. As the highly transmissible Delta variant continues to spread, reliable information about the disease and how to protect oneself and one’s community from infection are critically...
by Annette Hines | Oct 6, 2021 | Current Affairs, General Interest, Social Security, Special Needs
At a September 21 hearing on “Policy Options for Improving SSI,” a Senate subcommittee heard sometimes searing testimony that the Supplemental Security Insurance, SSI program is in desperate need of updating. SSI Program Traps Disabled People Into Poverty “While the...
by Annette Hines | Sep 29, 2021 | Estate Planning, Special Needs, Special Needs Planning, Special Needs Trust
Among the costs of caring for a dependent with special needs are the fees for professional advice. Some families are tempted to save on these costs by doing special needs planning on their own. This can be attractive because so much information is available online,...
by Annette Hines | Sep 7, 2021 | Announcements, COVID-19, Estate Planning, Social Security, Special Needs
COVID relief payments will no longer affect an individual’s eligibility for Supplemental Security Income (SSI) or the benefit amount, the Social Security Administration (SSA) has announced. The assistance includes a long list of COVID relief payments, ranging from...
