FAQs Archive

Q: Can I Take Social Security Payments in Child Support?

There are two types of benefits to consider in answering this question. SSI (Supplemental Security Income) is designed to provide a safety net for those who cannot provide for themselves. SSDI (Social Security Disability Insurance) is a part of what you get for paying taxes. The latter is earned, the former is a welfare system. SSDI benefits can be garnished to pay for child support, as they do constitute money you earned. SSI benefits cannot. These are designed to help those who do not have a way of supporting themselves. These benefits fall in a similar category to food stamps and other government programs.

Q: Will A Doctor’s Letter Get My Social Security Claim Approved?

A letter from a doctor that backs up your claim for disability most certainly can help your case. That being said, there are a couple of caveats that you need to keep in mind before you start counting too much on a doctor’s recommendations. First, the doctor’s letter will have the greatest impact during the appeals process, specifically when you’re going before a judge. The initial disability examiners that look at your claim are bureaucrats. The system within which they work tends to make it much easier for them to deny a claim, so they will tend to go that way. A judge takes a more objective look at evidence. Your doctor will have, obviously, more medical expertise than the judge and the judge knows that. They will tend to take doctor’s letter very seriously. Make sure you have the right kind of doctor’s letter, however. This means that the letter should be objective and not emotional and that it should give the judge detailed information that they can use to assess your eligibility. The doctor should make an effort to give a useful assessment of how your disability will affect your ability to work and what kind of real limitations it means. To hear more about how doctors can help your social security case, watch this short video. [embed]https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=R14z6T7E3Yk[/embed]