Comments on: Will Attending College Hurt My Chances for Social Security Disability? http://www.ssdanswers.com/2008/04/26/will-attending-college-hurt-my-chances-for-social-security-disability/ Social Security Disability Blog - moderated by Jonathan Ginsberg Mon, 06 Feb 2012 23:42:04 +0000 hourly 1 By: happymoody http://www.ssdanswers.com/2008/04/26/will-attending-college-hurt-my-chances-for-social-security-disability/#comment-9259 happymoody Tue, 26 Jul 2011 07:16:25 +0000 http://www.ssdanswers.com/2008/04/26/will-attending-college-hurt-my-chances-for-social-security-disability/#comment-9259 I was diagnosed w/ C.P soon after birth and recieved years of Speech therapy, Occu.and Phys. Therapies. I am not showing major deficits as an adult but have pain in feet.and hands. And not active like others my age,causing weight gain etc. I have LD in Math, spelling and writting! I have ADD but refused to take rx after bad reactions. Just agreed to try rx again. Also same for rx. for M.H. depression, sleep disorder, Bipolar and ODD. Have stayed on sleeping aid but that is all. With lots of help I passed task test 2nd time and made good grades in HS and now in College but i get lots of accomodations and have a personal aid also. Live on campus so I stay on campus almost all the time and all meals and dishes are done for me. I also have grandma's help 24/7. I dont tell anyone how difficult my life is! I even argue that I can do more than I can because it's embarasing. I am smart. Have very high verbal but no math/spatial/skills. Can't write eligably and if more than 10 min lots of pain! Pain standing from ankles even pain sitting from tailbone injury not documented. Like Previous writer said I cant expect to wk like this but can own my busines and have assistants/receptionist. I dont do well with peers but can be nice to clients who respect me and pay me. I will be paying staff they will not trash me-be rude like a job or school is. I am reapplying for ssdi- as an adult What are my chances? I wk hard selecting good,easy prof.and sched. And got good gpa becuase I took classes that were non credit/ classes that I enjoy,classes Im good at. I don't know if I will pass math and more difficult classes especially in timely manor. I also need to be acepted to grad school. I plan on being a sp. therapist myself. IF I get accpted to grad school do I loose ssdi- ss. knows my plans so they will be watching I'm shure. If I loose ss I also loose pers. care attendant. I relly cant handle school and life w/o an aid even though I look nice, and talk well. It's becuase of aids that I do so well. I was diagnosed w/ C.P soon after birth and recieved years of Speech therapy, Occu.and Phys. Therapies. I am not showing major deficits as an adult but have pain in feet.and hands. And not active like others my age,causing weight gain etc.
I have LD in Math, spelling and writting! I have ADD but refused to take rx after bad reactions. Just agreed to try rx again. Also same for rx. for M.H. depression, sleep disorder,
Bipolar and ODD. Have stayed on sleeping aid but that is all.

With lots of help I passed task test 2nd time and made good grades in HS and now in College
but i get lots of accomodations and have a personal aid also. Live on campus so I stay on campus almost all the time and all meals and dishes are done for me. I also have grandma’s help 24/7. I dont tell anyone how difficult my life is! I even argue that I can do more than I can because it’s embarasing. I am smart. Have very high verbal but no math/spatial/skills.
Can’t write eligably and if more than 10 min lots of pain! Pain standing from ankles even pain sitting from tailbone injury not documented. Like Previous writer said I cant expect to wk like this but can own my busines and have assistants/receptionist. I dont do well with peers but can be nice to clients who respect me and pay me. I will be paying staff they will not trash me-be rude like a job or school is.
I am reapplying for ssdi- as an adult What are my chances?
I wk hard selecting good,easy prof.and sched. And got good gpa becuase I took classes that were non credit/ classes that I enjoy,classes Im good at. I don’t know if I will pass math and more difficult classes especially in timely manor. I also need to be acepted to grad school. I plan on being a sp. therapist myself. IF I get accpted to grad school do I loose ssdi- ss. knows my plans so they will be watching I’m shure. If I loose ss I also loose pers. care attendant. I relly cant handle school and life w/o an aid even though I look nice, and talk well. It’s becuase of aids that I do so well.

]]> By: RandomGuy http://www.ssdanswers.com/2008/04/26/will-attending-college-hurt-my-chances-for-social-security-disability/#comment-8829 RandomGuy Mon, 11 Oct 2010 12:10:44 +0000 http://www.ssdanswers.com/2008/04/26/will-attending-college-hurt-my-chances-for-social-security-disability/#comment-8829 hello, I'm on SSD for social anxiety disorder. Just recently I became interested in obtaining a degree in web design from an online college. I'm definitely going to need to apply for federal student aid in order to take the courses. Is this allowed or will they take away my ssd? I'm trying to get some form of education in case I ever manage to overcome my disorder. thanks for all the help. -tony hello, I’m on SSD for social anxiety disorder. Just recently I became interested in obtaining a degree in web design from an online college. I’m definitely going to need to apply for federal student aid in order to take the courses. Is this allowed or will they take away my ssd? I’m trying to get some form of education in case I ever manage to overcome my disorder. thanks for all the help. -tony

]]> By: Mari http://www.ssdanswers.com/2008/04/26/will-attending-college-hurt-my-chances-for-social-security-disability/#comment-8790 Mari Sun, 05 Sep 2010 13:07:42 +0000 http://www.ssdanswers.com/2008/04/26/will-attending-college-hurt-my-chances-for-social-security-disability/#comment-8790 @<a href="#comment-8035">Tina</a>: Tina, I am on dialysis and have been receiving ssdi for 5 years. I got a Bachelors degree through distance learning (made the dean's list) while disabled - I just received my mfa in creative writing degree in June - it was a brief residency program that allowed me to do my writing at home and send it via email to my professors. You need to make sure you communicate with the disability resource center at the college / university you wish to attend - let them know you have a disability and ways in which your disability limits you - then discuss what allowances (including extra time for tests and assignments) you need and whether or not those allowances are offered by the school in compliance with ada (americans with disabilities act) regulations - they will provide you with a letter stating what allowances they've made for you which you can give to your professors - keep a copy for yourself and place in a file with any and all communications you have with school staff and faculty about your limitations and what you need to complete your assignments. I will be starting a second masters degree - an online program later this month. Many of these programs allow you to log on any time of day or night and you can do your homework any time of day or night (at your convenience). Of course there will be deadlines - but many schools will allow an extension of those deadlines for students with disabilities (mine did). I did my writing in small increments throughout the day and stopped to rest or nap as needed - there is no job (even part time) that will allow you to do your work in this manner - thats the difference between working and attending school. There were days (many of them) when I did nothing but rest and do a little reading. IT IS POSSIBLE. People with disabilities have just as much right to continue learning as everyone else. @Tina: Tina, I am on dialysis and have been receiving ssdi for 5 years. I got a Bachelors degree through distance learning (made the dean’s list) while disabled – I just received my mfa in creative writing degree in June – it was a brief residency program that allowed me to do my writing at home and send it via email to my professors. You need to make sure you communicate with the disability resource center at the college / university you wish to attend – let them know you have a disability and ways in which your disability limits you – then discuss what allowances (including extra time for tests and assignments) you need and whether or not those allowances are offered by the school in compliance with ada (americans with disabilities act) regulations – they will provide you with a letter stating what allowances they’ve made for you which you can give to your professors – keep a copy for yourself and place in a file with any and all communications you have with school staff and faculty about your limitations and what you need to complete your assignments. I will be starting a second masters degree – an online program later this month. Many of these programs allow you to log on any time of day or night and you can do your homework any time of day or night (at your convenience). Of course there will be deadlines – but many schools will allow an extension of those deadlines for students with disabilities (mine did). I did my writing in small increments throughout the day and stopped to rest or nap as needed – there is no job (even part time) that will allow you to do your work in this manner – thats the difference between working and attending school. There were days (many of them) when I did nothing but rest and do a little reading. IT IS POSSIBLE. People with disabilities have just as much right to continue learning as everyone else.

]]> By: Jacob Dockter http://www.ssdanswers.com/2008/04/26/will-attending-college-hurt-my-chances-for-social-security-disability/#comment-8758 Jacob Dockter Tue, 10 Aug 2010 15:23:05 +0000 http://www.ssdanswers.com/2008/04/26/will-attending-college-hurt-my-chances-for-social-security-disability/#comment-8758 I have received SSI while attending college. Full time. It is some what of a hard thing to do, and i understand why judges would deny people. However it matters how much medical evidence you have. I had a stack of medical evidence. I actually got denied two times. Then my attorney appealed it while awaiting to see a judge, and i got approved. I wish very surprised. I have been told that it is very hard to get approval from this appeal process while awaiting to see a judge. if they are not 100 percent positive the judge would do the same thing. So its pretty weird. Just FYI. I had MPNST, in 2005. Had a 28 surgery that totally reconstructed my lower back, and i have nerve damage. spinal fusion. Spinal fusion broke in 2007, had anther surgery to fix it. (s1 to l4). Then it broke again. They took a wait an see approach. My back got progressively worse and worse. Had anther surgery in Dec. They found out i had a massive infection so they could not do nothing. Had to be put on IV anti-biotics. Then i hear 2 months later i got approved. I had to have anther major surgery in July. Two of them actually. I know the government wants to stop abuse. However it makes getting even SSI so difficult when I needed it. Good luck to everyone who is in the process. Of trying to get it. I am hoping to be off of SSI. in 3 years, when i can get a good paying desk job. (in finance , or accounting, or economics) GOOD LUCK AGAIN I have received SSI while attending college. Full time. It is some what of a hard thing to do, and i understand why judges would deny people. However it matters how much medical evidence you have. I had a stack of medical evidence. I actually got denied two times. Then my attorney appealed it while awaiting to see a judge, and i got approved. I wish very surprised.

I have been told that it is very hard to get approval from this appeal process while awaiting to see a judge. if they are not 100 percent positive the judge would do the same thing. So its pretty weird.

Just FYI. I had MPNST, in 2005. Had a 28 surgery that totally reconstructed my lower back, and i have nerve damage. spinal fusion. Spinal fusion broke in 2007, had anther surgery to fix it. (s1 to l4).
Then it broke again.
They took a wait an see approach. My back got progressively worse and worse.
Had anther surgery in Dec. They found out i had a massive infection so they could not do nothing. Had to be put on IV anti-biotics.
Then i hear 2 months later i got approved.
I had to have anther major surgery in July. Two of them actually.

I know the government wants to stop abuse. However it makes getting even SSI so difficult when I needed it.

Good luck to everyone who is in the process.
Of trying to get it.

I am hoping to be off of SSI. in 3 years, when i can get a good paying desk job. (in finance , or accounting, or economics)
GOOD LUCK AGAIN

]]> By: Juanita http://www.ssdanswers.com/2008/04/26/will-attending-college-hurt-my-chances-for-social-security-disability/#comment-8606 Juanita Mon, 03 May 2010 03:22:58 +0000 http://www.ssdanswers.com/2008/04/26/will-attending-college-hurt-my-chances-for-social-security-disability/#comment-8606 Sorry for the long post, but want to put this out there. I am on SSI for ADHD/Learning disabilities, anxiety and other secondary conditions. In my mid 20's I did go to college about 2 years after becoming approved, but shortly after dropped because I gradually started attending classes less and less due to my condition. At the same time I was also attending a woman's group therapy through Mental Health for dual diagnosis formed for Native women with mental disorders who were also in recovery from addiction/alcoholism. Let me tell you that I also have a criminal background involved around drugs...I dealt drugs in a way to support my own habit then and was convicted and did prison time twice between 1990 and 1993. I have been clean and sober since February 1993. We ADHD folks do not handle stress well and for me anyways, not only was school pressure enough, but normal everyday issues that most people can get through is for me (and for most with ADHD a completely different ballgame. Trying to do school and then trying to function at home was just causing me even greater anxiety and what I call my 'ADD moments' was just out of control....rage attacks, mania attacks, and more times than I can count, I did really stupid things like forgetting I had money folded up in a cigarette pack and tossing it out in the garbage...lost $100 once doing that and found myself the next day diving into the dumpster outside a Baskin & Robbins looking through 4' of trash to find it (I found it though!), ONLY after losing my mind the entire day racking my brain about what I could have done with that money! Making a trip to the store for grocery shopping should be a simple thing, but every time it turns into a fiasco because too much is happening. What should have taken maybe a half hour winds up turning into 2 hours! That sort of stuff is just and example of what us with severe cases of ADHD live with day in and day out. Many times after these trips to town the rest of the day and into the next day I am completely mentally and physically exhausted. I don't want to do anything and literally have to drag myself around, but most times I hardly get out of bed. Anything that causes changes in my daily routine, like getting ready to move or something trivial like having my better half announce company coming over at the last minute will cause me to panic and then I spend the next week or so trying to level back out again into some kind of normalcy. It really burns me when I hear people who know nothing about this disorder speak about it like it's no big deal. I invite you to live just 1 month in my world and then you can tell me that. There are so many other issues, mentally and emotionally, that surround adults with ADHD that started way back when in childhood. It impedes the way we function now as adults in the work field and with our relationships with other people. I did finally go back to school again in 2004 to study Greenhouse/nursery Management and although I did struggle a whole lot I did manage to graduate. I really thought I could try to once and for all get into the work field and I really wanted that for myself. It is no easy thing to live on SSI when the money runs out by the 10th of the month. Once I graduated however, the reality finally hit me. It's just one more time I've gotten some idea into my head without really thinking it through. No way in hell was any employer going to offer me the same courtesy my professors extended to me. My professors were well aware of my disability because I was enrolled through the Students with Disabilities office. On a personal level I also had a working relationship with them because I had laid it all out that there would be times that I was going to probably not make class for the fact that I often needed "wellness" days and I didn't take advantage of it or take it for granted. As for my studies I had the benefit of the services offered to students with disabilities: time and a half on tests/exams, testing in a separate room without distractions, note takers and tape recorders, etc., etc. I even made it on the honor roll a few times and that was a huge boost to my self-confidence....it was also part of my dilution that maybe I could really go to work. Right. There is no employer in the world that is going to be OK with me taking my wellness days as often as I would need them. That and I already know how frustrated they get with me having to ask what it was they had told me to do. If they give me a list of things to do that day, I will forget 3 out of the 5 orders given me. Most of the time in these situations, I am too embarrassed to repeatedly need reminding. I often am forgetting what I am being told as it is being told to me...it makes me look like a complete idiot. I am 40 years old and I haven't had many jobs. I've had enough to know though that I've been fired for not being able to keep up with co-workers. Then I get frustrated because I'm being constantly told I'm doing something wrong or am too slow. When that happens, I perform even worse. On top of all things I didn't even take in to consideration that I couldn't even drive a car until about 2 months before graduation! I am living 30 from the edge of town (about 50 miles from the school) and at the time I had my ex picking me up and taking me to school everyday. So learning how to drive was just another big idea I had, telling myself I was going to learn so I could take myself back and forth from work. 6 years later and I still have not been able to learn how to drive!! This part of the disorder is where my impulsiveness shows itself....I made an impulsive decision to go to school based on learning that they had a good disability program that would help me get through it without real thought for just how I was going to have the mental capability to actually go to work once I graduated, no less not having the ability to drive a car. I'm completely dependent on other people for rides when I need to get to town, but thanks to the internet I can order 1x a month mostly all of my household items from alice.com with their free shipping and that cuts out a big problem of needing to arrange rides 1x a month. I also know some of the frustration that Steven is going through. My fiance also has ADHD, learning disabilities, depression and so on. We tried to get him on SSI and started the whole ball game with an online application. A few months following that he was sent into town for testing. I didn't go with him, but he came how so upset because the people that were supposed to be testing hardly did a darn thing. All together it lasted all of 1 hour if that! Now when I went in for my testing all these years ago, it lasted about 5 hours! My testing was very extensive, but all they did with him was ask him to repeat some numbers backwards and have him put some pictures in sequence. There was not much discussion about his condition. He said the lady was much more concerned with the Swine Flu and was rushed to get him out of the office. Much of the decision to deny him was based on those results and the sustainable employment deal that Steven spoke on..apparently he had made $980 on one pay check and had only worked for the company less than 6 mos. None of the jobs he had was ever more than one year and he was either fired for bad performance or he quit from frustration . He doesn't have any kind of "paper trail" which is the bad thing. He didn't know he could go through DSHS for mental health issues and we live over 30 miles from any kind of resources and have no transportation. Sorry for the long post, but want to put this out there.
I am on SSI for ADHD/Learning disabilities, anxiety and other secondary conditions. In my mid 20′s I did go to college about 2 years after becoming approved, but shortly after dropped because I gradually started attending classes less and less due to my condition. At the same time I was also attending a woman’s group therapy through Mental Health for dual diagnosis formed for Native women with mental disorders who were also in recovery from addiction/alcoholism. Let me tell you that I also have a criminal background involved around drugs…I dealt drugs in a way to support my own habit then and was convicted and did prison time twice between 1990 and 1993. I have been clean and sober since February 1993.
We ADHD folks do not handle stress well and for me anyways, not only was school pressure enough, but normal everyday issues that most people can get through is for me (and for most with ADHD a completely different ballgame. Trying to do school and then trying to function at home was just causing me even greater anxiety and what I call my ‘ADD moments’ was just out of control….rage attacks, mania attacks, and more times than I can count, I did really stupid things like forgetting I had money folded up in a cigarette pack and tossing it out in the garbage…lost $100 once doing that and found myself the next day diving into the dumpster outside a Baskin & Robbins looking through 4′ of trash to find it (I found it though!), ONLY after losing my mind the entire day racking my brain about what I could have done with that money! Making a trip to the store for grocery shopping should be a simple thing, but every time it turns into a fiasco because too much is happening. What should have taken maybe a half hour winds up turning into 2 hours! That sort of stuff is just and example of what us with severe cases of ADHD live with day in and day out. Many times after these trips to town the rest of the day and into the next day I am completely mentally and physically exhausted. I don’t want to do anything and literally have to drag myself around, but most times I hardly get out of bed. Anything that causes changes in my daily routine, like getting ready to move or something trivial like having my better half announce company coming over at the last minute will cause me to panic and then I spend the next week or so trying to level back out again into some kind of normalcy. It really burns me when I hear people who know nothing about this disorder speak about it like it’s no big deal. I invite you to live just 1 month in my world and then you can tell me that. There are so many other issues, mentally and emotionally, that surround adults with ADHD that started way back when in childhood. It impedes the way we function now as adults in the work field and with our relationships with other people.

I did finally go back to school again in 2004 to study Greenhouse/nursery Management and although I did struggle a whole lot I did manage to graduate. I really thought I could try to once and for all get into the work field and I really wanted that for myself. It is no easy thing to live on SSI when the money runs out by the 10th of the month. Once I graduated however, the reality finally hit me. It’s just one more time I’ve gotten some idea into my head without really thinking it through. No way in hell was any employer going to offer me the same courtesy my professors extended to me. My professors were well aware of my disability because I was enrolled through the Students with Disabilities office. On a personal level I also had a working relationship with them because I had laid it all out that there would be times that I was going to probably not make class for the fact that I often needed “wellness” days and I didn’t take advantage of it or take it for granted. As for my studies I had the benefit of the services offered to students with disabilities: time and a half on tests/exams, testing in a separate room without distractions, note takers and tape recorders, etc., etc. I even made it on the honor roll a few times and that was a huge boost to my self-confidence….it was also part of my dilution that maybe I could really go to work. Right. There is no employer in the world that is going to be OK with me taking my wellness days as often as I would need them. That and I already know how frustrated they get with me having to ask what it was they had told me to do. If they give me a list of things to do that day, I will forget 3 out of the 5 orders given me. Most of the time in these situations, I am too embarrassed to repeatedly need reminding. I often am forgetting what I am being told as it is being told to me…it makes me look like a complete idiot. I am 40 years old and I haven’t had many jobs. I’ve had enough to know though that I’ve been fired for not being able to keep up with co-workers. Then I get frustrated because I’m being constantly told I’m doing something wrong or am too slow. When that happens, I perform even worse. On top of all things I didn’t even take in to consideration that I couldn’t even drive a car until about 2 months before graduation! I am living 30 from the edge of town (about 50 miles from the school) and at the time I had my ex picking me up and taking me to school everyday. So learning how to drive was just another big idea I had, telling myself I was going to learn so I could take myself back and forth from work. 6 years later and I still have not been able to learn how to drive!! This part of the disorder is where my impulsiveness shows itself….I made an impulsive decision to go to school based on learning that they had a good disability program that would help me get through it without real thought for just how I was going to have the mental capability to actually go to work once I graduated, no less not having the ability to drive a car. I’m completely dependent on other people for rides when I need to get to town, but thanks to the internet I can order 1x a month mostly all of my household items from alice.com with their free shipping and that cuts out a big problem of needing to arrange rides 1x a month.

I also know some of the frustration that Steven is going through. My fiance also has ADHD, learning disabilities, depression and so on. We tried to get him on SSI and started the whole ball game with an online application. A few months following that he was sent into town for testing. I didn’t go with him, but he came how so upset because the people that were supposed to be testing hardly did a darn thing. All together it lasted all of 1 hour if that! Now when I went in for my testing all these years ago, it lasted about 5 hours! My testing was very extensive, but all they did with him was ask him to repeat some numbers backwards and have him put some pictures in sequence. There was not much discussion about his condition. He said the lady was much more concerned with the Swine Flu and was rushed to get him out of the office. Much of the decision to deny him was based on those results and the sustainable employment deal that Steven spoke on..apparently he had made $980 on one pay check and had only worked for the company less than 6 mos. None of the jobs he had was ever more than one year and he was either fired for bad performance or he quit from frustration . He doesn’t have any kind of “paper trail” which is the bad thing. He didn’t know he could go through DSHS for mental health issues and we live over 30 miles from any kind of resources and have no transportation.

]]> By: Avery http://www.ssdanswers.com/2008/04/26/will-attending-college-hurt-my-chances-for-social-security-disability/#comment-8587 Avery Fri, 16 Apr 2010 03:04:34 +0000 http://www.ssdanswers.com/2008/04/26/will-attending-college-hurt-my-chances-for-social-security-disability/#comment-8587 I just attended my hearing for disability after a two year wait and I won my case. My disability is Borderline Personality Disorder, Panic Disorder, and depression. I have been attending college for the past five years and I have only 17 credits left until graduation. I have also had a few jobs. Since starting school, I have had several medical withdrawals, many dropped classes, and some bad grades. This is from missing too many days of class. This has helped to prove my condition. Going to school is not at all like working a job, at least in my situation. In response to Cherie Miller, who said " Schools generally will drop you for excessive absences, if you can attend enough school days not to be dropped from your classes then you can work", teachers do not care how many days of school you miss, you simply get the grade you deserve. I assume this topic is about college for adults, not junior high! I am not going to simply give up on life and do nothing. Nobody should feel like they have to do that in order to get the help they need. This thread has been rather discouraging and full of misinformation. Disabled people should look elsewhere on the web and not take people's opinions as fact. There is always hope for a better life if you are grateful for what you already have. I just attended my hearing for disability after a two year wait and I won my case. My disability is Borderline Personality Disorder, Panic Disorder, and depression. I have been attending college for the past five years and I have only 17 credits left until graduation. I have also had a few jobs. Since starting school, I have had several medical withdrawals, many dropped classes, and some bad grades. This is from missing too many days of class. This has helped to prove my condition. Going to school is not at all like working a job, at least in my situation. In response to Cherie Miller, who said ” Schools generally will drop you for excessive absences, if you can attend enough school days not to be dropped from your classes then you can work”, teachers do not care how many days of school you miss, you simply get the grade you deserve. I assume this topic is about college for adults, not junior high! I am not going to simply give up on life and do nothing. Nobody should feel like they have to do that in order to get the help they need. This thread has been rather discouraging and full of misinformation. Disabled people should look elsewhere on the web and not take people’s opinions as fact. There is always hope for a better life if you are grateful for what you already have.

]]> By: Steven http://www.ssdanswers.com/2008/04/26/will-attending-college-hurt-my-chances-for-social-security-disability/#comment-8559 Steven Tue, 23 Mar 2010 21:37:15 +0000 http://www.ssdanswers.com/2008/04/26/will-attending-college-hurt-my-chances-for-social-security-disability/#comment-8559 Hello everyone, I am in the fight myself to recieve social security benifits for adhd/depression... I was qualified when I filed, but at that time, my parents were in the process of filing bankruptcy and had some of the assetts put in our names... As my case worker was going through the computer to finalize the paperwork, had told me that I had too many assets to qualify for my benefits... Turned out my parents ended not filing for bankruptcy, and I went back 2-3 years later to refile for my benefits and was denied due to substantial gainful work.. I look back at my work history and I've had over at least 30 jobs in the past 7 years that have not lasted for more than a year... Yes I tried working while I was denied benefits but who to think that it wouldve disqualified me from any benefits in the future... According to SSI, substantial gainful work is making over $980 in any of the months throughout the year, but my delema is that its not just from one job, but from several that I struggled holding on to while reapplying for my benefits... So I then signed up for College, have basically been living off of student loans to get me through when I would bounce from job to job.. After a while of trying to make it without the aid of social security benefits, my work history had gotton worse and am now in the attempt of filing for the 3rd time, while raising questions that substantial gainful work can be determined by just making over 980 in one month out of 12, would disqualify my case as I was filling out the paperwork... Now Im no expert but is it ethical to believe that substantial gainful work is determined by the amount of money u made in that one month out of the 12 that reports earnings of barely $700 part time... I am now 26 years old with an associates degree in crim/psyc/and soc but have not been able to get employed in the field due to my teenage background checks that only show numerous traffic violations while I was struggling with understanding my condition and how it affects me in the work force... I have now changed majors to a computer repair and maintence, have done an internship with the military, as my sister is a Student IT Specialist and had gotton me a foot in the door with a start of a career... Well when the internship ended and they pull my background, they tell me that I lied on my application by not stating that I was arrested for shoplifting when I was 16 and had to sign a 30 day ban and could only come back on post when accompanied by an adult... I failed to mension that only because I was 16 and all that happened was that I signed a 30 day suspension notice and had my id taken away... This was just last year in 2009 trying to make a life without the help of Social security but has led me to file for a 3rd time... I have called many attourneys to review my prior case that had me initially qualified and compare it to today where certain aspects of my condition have improved as far as keepin a job for more than 6 months but have not lasted for more than a year... I am currectly raising questions as my wife gets SSI but only the supplemental disability which I didnt know there were 2 different types of benefits til my wife came along... Shes unable to work at all due to her condition but can only qualify for SSI not SSD due to not enough work credits... I get to thinking about that and isnt that what Im facing right now is because i chose to try and work with my condition but have had little to no luck keeping a job for more than 1 year... 8 years and 30 jobs later, here I am goin on my 3rd attempt while still trying to make ends meet with the economy the way it is and now have pretty much given up on even fighting for the benefits when I see that they frown upun even trying to make a life with the situation at hand... The only reason Im trying to apply for my benefits as long as I have waited since 2004 til now, with my work history fluxuating from year to year and finding out that even grossing a monthly check of 980 reguardless of how many jobs Ive had since I was 16, I wouldnt want anyone to go through life having to find a different job every year... I mean I was doin half way good when I look at this last year where I stayed in one job for 9 months but only grossed 6,500 for that year and I look at the annual limits for the ssd qualifications and look at my yearly taxes since I was 16 and only 2 years out of the 10 that Ive been working have grossed maybe $200 more than the qualifyin annual limit... I can only hope that the attourneys that will be handling my 3rd attempt for help can convince the judge that substantially gainful work should be at a consistancy and not just that 1 month out of the entire year from working overtime during the summer because you have a family to support despite that my condition interferes with my job performance but at least I can still come home feeling like maybe just maybe, it might get better........ Hello everyone,
I am in the fight myself to recieve social security benifits for adhd/depression… I was qualified when I filed, but at that time, my parents were in the process of filing bankruptcy and had some of the assetts put in our names… As my case worker was going through the computer to finalize the paperwork, had told me that I had too many assets to qualify for my benefits… Turned out my parents ended not filing for bankruptcy, and I went back 2-3 years later to refile for my benefits and was denied due to substantial gainful work.. I look back at my work history and I’ve had over at least 30 jobs in the past 7 years that have not lasted for more than a year… Yes I tried working while I was denied benefits but who to think that it wouldve disqualified me from any benefits in the future… According to SSI, substantial gainful work is making over $980 in any of the months throughout the year, but my delema is that its not just from one job, but from several that I struggled holding on to while reapplying for my benefits… So I then signed up for College, have basically been living off of student loans to get me through when I would bounce from job to job.. After a while of trying to make it without the aid of social security benefits, my work history had gotton worse and am now in the attempt of filing for the 3rd time, while raising questions that substantial gainful work can be determined by just making over 980 in one month out of 12, would disqualify my case as I was filling out the paperwork… Now Im no expert but is it ethical to believe that substantial gainful work is determined by the amount of money u made in that one month out of the 12 that reports earnings of barely $700 part time… I am now 26 years old with an associates degree in crim/psyc/and soc but have not been able to get employed in the field due to my teenage background checks that only show numerous traffic violations while I was struggling with understanding my condition and how it affects me in the work force… I have now changed majors to a computer repair and maintence, have done an internship with the military, as my sister is a Student IT Specialist and had gotton me a foot in the door with a start of a career… Well when the internship ended and they pull my background, they tell me that I lied on my application by not stating that I was arrested for shoplifting when I was 16 and had to sign a 30 day ban and could only come back on post when accompanied by an adult… I failed to mension that only because I was 16 and all that happened was that I signed a 30 day suspension notice and had my id taken away… This was just last year in 2009 trying to make a life without the help of Social security but has led me to file for a 3rd time… I have called many attourneys to review my prior case that had me initially qualified and compare it to today where certain aspects of my condition have improved as far as keepin a job for more than 6 months but have not lasted for more than a year… I am currectly raising questions as my wife gets SSI but only the supplemental disability which I didnt know there were 2 different types of benefits til my wife came along… Shes unable to work at all due to her condition but can only qualify for SSI not SSD due to not enough work credits… I get to thinking about that and isnt that what Im facing right now is because i chose to try and work with my condition but have had little to no luck keeping a job for more than 1 year… 8 years and 30 jobs later, here I am goin on my 3rd attempt while still trying to make ends meet with the economy the way it is and now have pretty much given up on even fighting for the benefits when I see that they frown upun even trying to make a life with the situation at hand… The only reason Im trying to apply for my benefits as long as I have waited since 2004 til now, with my work history fluxuating from year to year and finding out that even grossing a monthly check of 980 reguardless of how many jobs Ive had since I was 16, I wouldnt want anyone to go through life having to find a different job every year… I mean I was doin half way good when I look at this last year where I stayed in one job for 9 months but only grossed 6,500 for that year and I look at the annual limits for the ssd qualifications and look at my yearly taxes since I was 16 and only 2 years out of the 10 that Ive been working have grossed maybe $200 more than the qualifyin annual limit… I can only hope that the attourneys that will be handling my 3rd attempt for help can convince the judge that substantially gainful work should be at a consistancy and not just that 1 month out of the entire year from working overtime during the summer because you have a family to support despite that my condition interferes with my job performance but at least I can still come home feeling like maybe just maybe, it might get better……..

]]> By: Major http://www.ssdanswers.com/2008/04/26/will-attending-college-hurt-my-chances-for-social-security-disability/#comment-8523 Major Wed, 24 Feb 2010 08:46:39 +0000 http://www.ssdanswers.com/2008/04/26/will-attending-college-hurt-my-chances-for-social-security-disability/#comment-8523 It is wrong to assume that schools drop students who have excessive absences; they don't. Colleges and universities are happy just to get your money. And Social Security should be happy that people want the training that will help them become self-sufficient again, or acheive some semblance of self-sufficiency. Professors can accommodate students in ways that employers cannot. And students have control over the types of classes they take and may arrange schedules according to the physical and mental demands of their schooling. So it is a flawed assumption that "if one can go to school, he/she can work". My girlfriend has gotten her SSDI, received her handicapped parking tag and is in thrice-weekly long-term therapy to rehab from spinal injuries she suffered in an auto accident several years ago. SSDI certified her disabled about two years ago after she had been on short-term disability via her employer from the time of the accident. She too would like to attend school because her former profession(s) (licensed cosmetologist/hairstylist and makeup artist for a major retailer), which requires a lot of standing, bending and lifting - as well as extensive arm movement - is pretty much out of the question. Not only should the government allow disabled persons to attend school, it should subsidize their education, with the understanding that their health is to be reviewed after completing the program. Disabled students should get three years to complete every year of their program. Thus, if someone enrolls in a 4-year program, they should be subject to review (physical evaluation, transcripts, job searches, the whole nine yards) after 13 or 14 years. I think that would be a fair trade-off. And disabled persons should not be allowed to pursue any education until they have been on disability for 3-4 years (and should only be allowed to go part-time once they do go to school). They should also not be allowed to attempt part-time work until after 3-4 years, but should be allowed to do so risk free, part-time for a year. IMHO, the government should be encouraging people to get back to work, not hindering them. It is wrong to assume that schools drop students who have excessive absences; they don’t. Colleges and universities are happy just to get your money. And Social Security should be happy that people want the training that will help them become self-sufficient again, or acheive some semblance of self-sufficiency. Professors can accommodate students in ways that employers cannot. And students have control over the types of classes they take and may arrange schedules according to the physical and mental demands of their schooling. So it is a flawed assumption that “if one can go to school, he/she can work”.

My girlfriend has gotten her SSDI, received her handicapped parking tag and is in thrice-weekly long-term therapy to rehab from spinal injuries she suffered in an auto accident several years ago. SSDI certified her disabled about two years ago after she had been on short-term disability via her employer from the time of the accident.

She too would like to attend school because her former profession(s) (licensed cosmetologist/hairstylist and makeup artist for a major retailer), which requires a lot of standing, bending and lifting – as well as extensive arm movement – is pretty much out of the question.

Not only should the government allow disabled persons to attend school, it should subsidize their education, with the understanding that their health is to be reviewed after completing the program. Disabled students should get three years to complete every year of their program. Thus, if someone enrolls in a 4-year program, they should be subject to review (physical evaluation, transcripts, job searches, the whole nine yards) after 13 or 14 years.

I think that would be a fair trade-off. And disabled persons should not be allowed to pursue any education until they have been on disability for 3-4 years (and should only be allowed to go part-time once they do go to school).

They should also not be allowed to attempt part-time work until after 3-4 years, but should be allowed to do so risk free, part-time for a year.

IMHO, the government should be encouraging people to get back to work, not hindering them.

]]> By: Meg Griffith http://www.ssdanswers.com/2008/04/26/will-attending-college-hurt-my-chances-for-social-security-disability/#comment-8414 Meg Griffith Mon, 07 Dec 2009 16:06:25 +0000 http://www.ssdanswers.com/2008/04/26/will-attending-college-hurt-my-chances-for-social-security-disability/#comment-8414 I started drawing SSD a year ago for Bipolar, Anxiety and depression. I have been told that I can work so many hours a week. But with everything he read I would not be allowed to go back to school. I have a criminal background due to my bipolar disorder and it is very hard for me to find a job. Can JONATHAN GINSBURG answer this for me???? m griffith I started drawing SSD a year ago for Bipolar, Anxiety and depression. I have been told that I can work so many hours a week. But with everything he read I would not be allowed to go back to school.

I have a criminal background due to my bipolar disorder and it is very hard for me to find a job.

Can JONATHAN GINSBURG answer this for me????

m griffith

]]> By: Anon http://www.ssdanswers.com/2008/04/26/will-attending-college-hurt-my-chances-for-social-security-disability/#comment-8401 Anon Mon, 23 Nov 2009 20:00:24 +0000 http://www.ssdanswers.com/2008/04/26/will-attending-college-hurt-my-chances-for-social-security-disability/#comment-8401 What I am reading here is very discouraging. I am 21 years old with degenerative disc disease and arthritis. I have only very mild pain most days, but every now and then (sometimes out of the blue, sometimes after exerting myself, and sometimes doing something as simple as bending down), I will suddenly have incredible and occasionally debilitating pain. I am taking classes right now but no more than 15 hours of sitting down (a week). Almost the rest of the time I am in bed, since even walking across campus causes pain later in the day, and so I've been forced to put the kibosh on most activities, or else I participate and suffer the consequences later. I have taken longer classes before that are almost crippling, that's how painful it is for me to sit down (no matter if I use padding or not). Sitting longer than 15 minutes causes pain, and standing also ends up aggravating either my DDD or arthritis. To look at me, I (most of the time) seem fine, but I have been dropped from a payroll before for being "out sick" too often (my manager just assumed that continuing to call out sick was my way of quitting). I do miss classes occasionally due to pain, but most of my classes don't take attendance (so no "proof" there), and I'm not going to go to the doctor every time I need to stay home because my back hurts because it's a waste of time - I already know what the problem is, I've already been prescribed medication that either does nothing or makes me sick, and I've tried everything else (acupuncture, chiropractic, physical therapy, "TENS" unit, massage, and a very brief stab at yoga, as the positions we were supposed to maintain even at the beginning level were too painful). It's very frustrating because there are no jobs at my skill/education level that won't require me to either sit, stand, or pick things up (as part of my job description). And now I'm reading that basically being in college is going to hurt my chances for SSI, when I am in college just so I can gain enough skill/education to work a job that doesn't rely on what I can do physically. I feel I am too disabled to be reliably employed at a job that will not focus on me sitting, standing, or lifting/carrying things, with only half a college degree under my belt, but that I am not disabled enough to receive any help. Unfortunately it seems that things will stay this way until some miracle procedure comes along to even correct the DDD (the main source of pain for me), or, more realistically, until I'm in too much pain, too often, to function at all. What I am reading here is very discouraging. I am 21 years old with degenerative disc disease and arthritis. I have only very mild pain most days, but every now and then (sometimes out of the blue, sometimes after exerting myself, and sometimes doing something as simple as bending down), I will suddenly have incredible and occasionally debilitating pain. I am taking classes right now but no more than 15 hours of sitting down (a week). Almost the rest of the time I am in bed, since even walking across campus causes pain later in the day, and so I’ve been forced to put the kibosh on most activities, or else I participate and suffer the consequences later. I have taken longer classes before that are almost crippling, that’s how painful it is for me to sit down (no matter if I use padding or not). Sitting longer than 15 minutes causes pain, and standing also ends up aggravating either my DDD or arthritis. To look at me, I (most of the time) seem fine, but I have been dropped from a payroll before for being “out sick” too often (my manager just assumed that continuing to call out sick was my way of quitting). I do miss classes occasionally due to pain, but most of my classes don’t take attendance (so no “proof” there), and I’m not going to go to the doctor every time I need to stay home because my back hurts because it’s a waste of time – I already know what the problem is, I’ve already been prescribed medication that either does nothing or makes me sick, and I’ve tried everything else (acupuncture, chiropractic, physical therapy, “TENS” unit, massage, and a very brief stab at yoga, as the positions we were supposed to maintain even at the beginning level were too painful).

It’s very frustrating because there are no jobs at my skill/education level that won’t require me to either sit, stand, or pick things up (as part of my job description). And now I’m reading that basically being in college is going to hurt my chances for SSI, when I am in college just so I can gain enough skill/education to work a job that doesn’t rely on what I can do physically. I feel I am too disabled to be reliably employed at a job that will not focus on me sitting, standing, or lifting/carrying things, with only half a college degree under my belt, but that I am not disabled enough to receive any help. Unfortunately it seems that things will stay this way until some miracle procedure comes along to even correct the DDD (the main source of pain for me), or, more realistically, until I’m in too much pain, too often, to function at all.

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