When To Start Receiving Retirement Benefits

You know that my practice involves Social Security Disability. This entry involves the "retirement" aspect of the Social Security Administration, something you may have considered or others have asked you about.

The Social Security Administration recently posted an excellent podcast that can be listened to on your computer. It can also be downloaded to listen to later on an ipod or other MP3 player.

Follow this link to the SSA page and you can download or listen to the podcast. There is also an option to request notification if the information changes as well.

I hope that you find this information helpful. Please CLICK the "email" enveleope below to send this to anyone that you know that may also find this helpful.

Thank you, and I appreciate your continued interest.

Social Security Perspectives: Frequently Asked Questions About Social Security Disability Benefits

Social Security Perspectives: Frequently Asked Questions About Social Security Disability Benefits

Will President-Elect Obama Replace The Commissioner Of The SSA?

There are many decisions and hard choices for President-elect Obama when he takes office January 20, 2009. These would include the direction to take on the wars in Afghanistan and Iraq, what to do about the economy, whether to bail out the three major car manufacturers perhaps. In the headlines recently have been his appointments to his cabinet.

A very important decision that could be made is about the Commissioner of the Social Security Administration, Michael J. Astrue. His is a six-year term that is not due to expire until January 19, 2013. He was confirmed by the Senate on 02/01/2007. George W. Bush appointed this Commissioner in part, it is believed, because his predecessor, Jo Anne B. Barnhart, did not buy in to the private savings account plan that Bush failed so miserably at trying to sell to the country and Congress. President-Elect Obama could leave Astrue in charge and do nothing. Let's hope that is not the case.

Since taking over, Astrue has done little to effectively improve the wait for social security disability hearings. The length of time to get to a hearing has in fact increased during his term. Further, one of his first moves was to cancel a new initiative which would have eliminated the Reconsideration level of appeal. This "reconsideration" step is largely seen as unnecessary and a further delay in the process, and had been studied for several years.