Dear Larry and Staff: I have been receiving Unemployment Insurance since April 2020. In October 2020 I applied for Social Security Disability Insurance and was awarded same as of January 2021. I am not able to get through to Unemployment or Social Security. My question is am I able to continue collecting Unemployment Insurance while collecting SSDI in the state of New Jersey? Thank you for your time and assistsnce.
Sincerely,
Maria

Hi Larry
I am asking for my brother who has worked for 44 years and became disabled in 2003. How can he maximize his benefits from social security? Thank you

Hi,

My son was under 18 when I retired. We were holding the social security money we received for him for a car or in the event he was ever able to go to a trade school or college (he is special needs) and we used our money for his expenses. When he turned 18 Social Security asked for any unspent funds back because our son could now receive the money directly (which he is unable to manage). We thought they were issuing a check right back to him for the $17.000 we returned and we were going to have him sign it back over to us.

My husband of 16 years divorced me after having breast cancer said he was not attracted to me anymore.. he was ordered to pay $1100. A month alimony and half of his retirement.. he had already retired and was receiving disability at the time.. I hired a lawyer then to get this done because he refused 11 years ago.. I have not received anything as of yet except excuses.. I’m now homeless and he made over a hundred thousand a year easily.. what can I do .. I’m older than him and have been on disability for several years now.. he turned 62 this past Oct 6.

27th years of marriage. seperate for past 4 years. i live in home we share. my spouse recently became disabled and received approval for SSI Disability. recieved a back check of 42,000.00 . i askex if he could give me 2000.00 for a personal bill. he said no. am i actually entitled to any of that back settlement.

Hi,

No, at least not as far as Social Security law is concerned. You'd probably have ask a lawyer whether or not you could claim any of your husband's settlement by other means.

I was diagnosed with stage 4 cancer in 2015 and by 2016 it metastasized and I had to apply for long term disability (a company benefit), After eight months of Chemo the tumor began to shrink and It was removed and in Feb 2019 I went back to work part time. By 2020 working became too muck for and I had to retire. I retired effective June 30th 2020, and due to my 23 years of service my company gave me severance pay dated July 1, 2020. I later received a letter form the insurance company informing me that they need to confirm my earnings June 1, 2020 to July 1, 2020.

I am receiving a survivor’s social security benefit from my late husband. I also receive DIC from the VA. I see in the social security handbook that if I make over a certain amount my SS benefit will be reduced. As DIC is non taxable will it be counted and reduce my SS widow’s benefit?

Hi,

No. The only type of income that counts for Social Security earnings test purposes is earned income, specifically wages or self-employment earnings. No type of VA benefit would affect your Social Security widow's benefits.

Best, Jerry

My wife's blindness SSDI may be underpaid by at least $400 a month for the probably the last 9 years. I do understand there are many variables that go into the computations and that I could be wrong which could be determined if I could get someone to actually talk to us and take a look. I think the underpayment may be because the computation method they are using is "Guaranteed Minimum" based computation from when she became reinstated my benefits in 2013, which doesn't account for further income through AERO, only for COLA.

Dear Larry,

Homeless
4 in her degrees
Age 70. SS called yesterday said all my SS is cancelled!!
Hi have no money.

Hi,