'Til s.s. kicks in?

[Greg]

Ok I filed for disability for the first time last week. I have been the sole support for my children their entire lives. I still have four of five sons at home and in school. My question right now is how does one keep the roof over the head and the lights on till s.s. kicks in? Where do I go for help? What do I do? For those of you that have gone through or know someone who has gone through this please let me know how you survive in the intrim.

[KarenR]

Hi Greg,

I've moved your question to the General Questions & Answers Forum. Your predicament is more about real life with MS and less about the actual filing for SSDI.

I'm sure many people here, myself included, have been in your shoes, and can offer advice.

In my case, I am lucky enough to have a spouse that works, a generous parent, and awesome budgeting skills. We had also saved some money for the day that filing for SSDI might come.

Be prepared. You may be approved in as little as 4 months. OR, as was my case, it could take almost 2 years.

Be well,

[MSW1963]

Liquidate assets, property, jewelery, beginning with anything of value that is non-essential. It's a 6 month waiting period, I'm guessing there will not be back pay since this is your initial filing.

After non-essentials, selling off home furnishings, etc., it's painful, but it's a choice that must be delt with under the circumstances.

Credit Cards, food banks, help from family.

You should talk with any creditors to explain the 6month waiting period for SSDI. Most will work with you. If you rent, talk to the manager. Few people want you and your family on the street and most are willing to work with you during this temporary set-back. I wouldn't fully disclose or discuss a medical condition with creditors.

Hope this helps and good luck.

[0485c10]

I want to add/clarify what MSW1963 wrote. Sounds like she lived through it--must not be a good memory.

if $ is a big issue for you, i hope you are using a laywer to apply..you only have to pay them a % if you win. i'm not sure what the % is, i was able to apply online and i had savings to wait if i needed-no dependents either.

the 6 months is the time SS is legally required to wait before a check for ssdi is issued...but the clock for that 6 month wait has nothing to do with when you apply...that is irrelevant.

the 6 month wait starts from the date SS assigns as your disability date. so you need to look for that date when youyou are awarded. and they will back pay from 6 months after the date of disability regardless of when you apply.

me i was diagnosed in a dramatic episode of previously unknown MS in an ER on 8/13/2004.

i was not able to work, had been out of work for almost 2 years after the company i worked for down sized.
SS found that the day i was diagnosed in the ER was my date of disability. 6 months from after that (and i applied soon after that day in the ER) I recieved my first SSDI CHECK.. i did not recieve my first check from the date i stopped working but when i was diagnosed, because that is what SS assigned as my date of disability.

SS assigns all kins of dates to you when you apply,
date of diagnosis
date stopped working
date of disability
date of application
date of award....
date of eligible for first payment = date of disability + 6 months

but its the date of disabilty that is the important one...for instance a wife chose to stop working because of MS and her husband supports her. she applies for SS before her work credits expire.

SS finds her date of disability is the same as her date stopped working.(THAT'S NOT ALWAYS THE CASE!) her date of application is a year later. she qualifies for SSDI immediately, because the 6 months after her date of disabilty had elapsed before she applied. so she gets her first check immediately with 6 months back pay, to pay for the months between when she applied and when she became eligible for her first check..


waiting times:

date of disability + 6 months=
date o eligible for first payment..

date eligible for first payment + 2 years=
date of medicare eligibility.
(2year and 6 months from date of disability)

so in theory if a person applies 2 years and 6 months after the date ss asigns as the day they become disabled;

a person could get their first check immediately 2 years of back pay and be eligible for medicare immediately too.

but SS credits expire too, so i'm uncertain what the latest someone could apply? thats not your situation but it could happen to someone who had a spouse that worked.

thats why it might be a good to work with a laywer to get the date of disabilty established as early as possible...not to mention there is less chance of getting denied firt time.

i watched a video that listed the state with the highest rate of denials, i Az is one of them??? so working wit the a laywrer might just be a prudent decision.


http://www.cbsnews.com/video/watch/?id=3718448n

The state with the higher denial rates in that video are:
NY,GA,AZ,CO,MO,AR,TN,KY,OH,SC,NC,WV,MI,KS

Might be better to use a laywer the first application in those states. Good Luck!

[gomer]

After I lost my job, our home etc, we had little left. We returned to Mich where family was. We got food stamps and welfare and some help from family till my SSDI came through.

In my case, my neuro issues were blamed on my diabetes, (diabetes alone is not normally disabling for SSDI), decades later find out my neuro issues were mostly MS all along, go figure?

Good luck........

Gomer sez a lawyer is a good idea.

[MSW1963]

Some utility companies colorobate with non-profit community service organizations to make funds avilailable for utility bill payments for low income individuals experiencing financial emergency.

Community Action? is one such organization that I believe is active in many urban communities nation wide.

[kelm10]

more information

You need to speak truthfully to your family. It is time to tightent the belt.

You look and learn where there is free things like concerts in parks and museums for entertainment.

You learn to go to free lunches at seminars, churches, and educational presentations (look at hospitals, nursing homes, and ymca's or simuliar places). You learn where every single food bank is and patronize them. Many of these food banks are churches that have dinners. You learn to cook within your means, utilizing beans.

Grocery stores have cuts of meat that are on clearance and stretch that meat out. You have to teach your growing children to eat within your means. You can no longer have three bowls of sugar cereal. Maybe one bowl of sugar cereal and a bowl of oatmeal, or just a bowl of oatmeal.

Buy powdered milk for cooking with. When I am making macaroni and cheese I use powdered milk. I also use it when making oatmeal, for me it makes it taste better then water and it makes me fuller longer.

You apply to job and family services, for any assistance that you might qualify for. If you are to prideful, get past this. You and your family need this right now.

Give back to the community what you can. I and my boys will deliver mobile meals to seniors (you may not be able to because of the gas.) Volunteer to read to youth in schools. Volunteer at the YMCA for a membership, or a reduced on. They also have scholarship for membership if you do not have the money.

If your children are older, have them mow yards, shovel snow, do errands for elderly. If they are in things like scouts they have scholarships also. Make sure that you apply for meals at school. Make sure that they understand your money situation now, not last year.

Have your kids volunteer at camps this summer to help get them out in the community and doing things.

Good luck.

[onlyairfare]

You may be eligible for Arizona's General Assistance program if you are unable to work. AHCCCS is Arizona's Medicaid program, which may cover your and your sons' health care if you are below the income limit.

The social worker at your local hospital or community health center may be able to tell you about the Verde valley programs that may help you with utilities, rent/mortgage, and maybe help with food and kids' school expenses.

If you heat with a wood stove, there is a free wood program in Flagstaff, but it may be only for Flag/Coconino County residents.

What about child support from your sons' father? Whether you were married or not, the state may help you collect child support, as they have a vested interest if they may be paying you GA and providing AHCCCS insurance.