HELLO EVERYONE!

BIG NEWS!

Two hours ago I was told by the SSA (via phone call) that my application for SSDI was approved. I had been given a telephone appointment with SSA to "update my application."

I thought this was because I recently had a change of telephone number to contact me at. (Dropped my landline to save money and now just use cell phone.) Well, boy did I get a surprise. The guy said: #1) You have been approved for SSDI, and #2) You are being considered for SSI, depending on your assets and income. WOW.

So here is how it goes (per answers he gave me to my questions.) The office of the Disabilities Examiner, which is a STATE agency that has a contract with the SSA (a FEDERAL agency) made a decision based on my medical records and the feedback they got from the 3 Consultative Exams. Their decision was that I AM disabled and they reported that decision to the SSA. So then - the SSA was able to decide that I was eligible for SSDI and they were calling because (unbeknownst to me) my attorney's office had already put in an application for SSI, and they were wanting to know my income to determine if I would be eligible for SSI (a NEED based program.) It turned out that, because I am still getting checks from the state for Unemployment Insurance Compensation, I am not poor enough to qualify for SSI.

I thought that, once it was determined that I am disabled, I would not be able to collect Unemployment Insurance Benefits. Apparently not the case. The guy seemed to think I can go on collecting until they run out in mid-August. It so happens that my SSDI checks will start in mid-September. So I won't have hardly any time at all without an income.

The date of onset of my disability was reported by me (per advice of the law firm) as February XX, 2012 - right after the last job assignment that I lost, due to not keeping up with the pace of work. When approved for SSDI, they start paying you back to your date of onset WITH FIVE full months added to it. My 5 full months would be March, April, May, June, and July. I would start collecting for the month of August. They pay you the month after the month you accrue the benefit. So the check in September will be payment for the month of August.

So that's the deal.