Hello Friends, Many of you may not know this, but I have a pretty strong fear of heights.  However, a friend managed to convince me to try a little mountain climbing recently.  All I can say is I tried never to look down and managed to make it to the top.  As they say, the [...]

Under the Social Security Administration (SSA) Title II program, the spouse and children of a person who is receiving Retirement Insurance Benefits (RIB) or Disability Insurance Benefits (DIB) or who is deceased may receive family benefits. However, there is limit on how much a family can receive on one Social Security earnings record, regardless of [...]

Dear Ben, I’ve been getting DIB SSDI for over 7 years because of a physical injury. I decided a few months ago to try to go back to work. The work has been going alright – I’ve been making around $1500 gross a month for 6 months and plan to continue. I’ve kept the SSA [...]

Dear Ben, I am writing to you because I am an SSI recipient who has been working for some time now. I am paid approximately $800 each month from my job as a part-time receptionist. I am 22 years old and have had this job since I was 19 years old. The last time I [...]

The Social Security Administration (SSA) recently announced the beginning of the Benefit Offset National Demonstration (BOND) project. BOND is a special project that will test a new way to treat earnings for Social Security Disability Insurance (SSDI) beneficiaries. SSA’s goal is to find out how disabled beneficiaries respond to rule changes that allow them to keep more of their benefits while trying to return to work.

Dear Ben,

I’ve received SSDI for several years and returned to work 6 months ago. I have used 5 months of my Trial Work Period. I have been earning a steady monthly gross of $900 per month and plan to continue to work at the same pace. It’s my understanding that I can work for at least nine months but then may lose my benefits. Is that true?

Dear Ben, I get SSDI Childhood Disability Benefits on my disabled father’s record. What would be the effect on my benefits if I began trading stock and options, not as long term investments but closer to what would be considered day trading? I don’t want to violate any rules by trading stock and doing research [...]

Hello Ben! I am working with someone who is currently receiving SSI benefits (he became entitled in March of 2009). We just found out this person will probably become eligible for Disabled Widower’s Benefits, retroactive to September of 2008. His Disabled Widower’s Benefit will be about $847.00 per month. The consumer is very concerned about [...]

Hi Everyone: It’s been difficult to stay in touch lately and I hope you are all doing well. Here’s a recent pic from my travels from the Erg Chebbi Dunes, in the Sahara, Morocco. It was a beautiful sunset but I don’t mind saying I was a little afraid of this camel who’s name was [...]

Hi Everyone: Hope 2010 has been treating you well so far. I have been taking some down time from the traveling so far this year, except I recently drove to D.C. to spend some time with my sister Quimby and ended up being stranded for a while so I thought I would share a photo [...]