Featured Image

Social Security announces 2020 cost-of-living adjustments for beneficiaries

October 22, 2019 The Social Security Administration (SSA) recently announced a 1.6 percent Cost-of-Living Adjustment (COLA) for all Social Security and Supplemental Security Income (SSI) beneficiaries. This means that nearly 69 million Americans who who receive Social … Read More

Featured Image

Compassionate Allowance list grows, with four conditions added in 2019

September 30, 2019 In 2008, the Social Security Administration (SSA) created and launched the Compassionate Allowance (CAL) program. This program allows SSA to flag Social Security Disability Insurance (SSDI) and Supplemental Security Income (SSI) claims in which a claimant’s … Read More

Featured Image

What you need to know about 2019 COLAs & your Social Security benefits

October 22, 2018 Last week, Social Security published a press release announcing the cost-of-living adjustments (COLAs) to Social Security benefits and Supplemental Security Income (SSI) for 2019. The announcement states that Social Security and Supplemental Security Income … Read More

Featured Image

SSA Publishes Changes to Medical Evidence Evaluation

March 8, 2017 As the Social Security Administration (SSA) continues to work on ways to reduce spending and decrease the SSDI claims backlog, we are closely monitoring any decisions made and actions taken towards these goals. In January, the … Read More

Featured Image

SSA Continuing Resolution Places Focus on Hearing Backlog

February 9, 2017 Hundreds of thousands of Americans apply for SSDI each year, often because they are facing sudden and unforeseen illnesses or injuries that change their SSDI eligibility status that may last years—or even for the rest … Read More

Featured Image

Social Security Announces Cost-of-Living Adjustment

October 20, 2016 On Tuesday, October 18, The Social Security Administration (SSA) announced that recipients of Social Security benefits will receive a 0.3 percent cost-of-living adjustment (COLA).  The modest raise is among the annual increases in benefits since the method for … Read More

Featured Image

Social Security Proposes Extensive Changes to Consideration of Evidence in Disability Claims

October 4, 2016 On September 9, 2016, the Social Security Administration (SSA) published a Notice of Proposed Rulemaking (NPRM) in the Federal Register (FR) whereby they announced their intent to make substantial revisions to how medical evidence will be … Read More

Featured Image

The 2016 Presidential Election and SSDI

July 26, 2016 photo from eonline.com Social Security has been a popular topic this year as the presidential race continues to heat up, and a particularly significant issue to pay close attention to is whether … Read More

Featured Image

A Quick Look at the Social Security Landscape

July 6, 2016 The Advocator Group regularly attends the National Organization of Social Security Claimant Representatives’ (NOSSCR) biannual conferences, which are frequently attended by high-ranking officials from the Social Security Administration (SSA).  Speaking at the June conference in Miami … Read More

Featured Image

SSA to Extend Workers’ Compensation Offset

February 4, 2016 The Social Security Administration (SSA) has issued a Notice of Proposed Rulemaking (NPRM) in the Federal Register, whereby they propose to extend the Workers’ Compensation Offset from age 65 to the Full Retirement Age. In most … Read More