It’s Never Too Late Meet Chris Stevenson, a Paralegal Who Followed His Dreams
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Chris Stevenson earned a degree in computer engineering from Rice University, but as he explains it, he never felt fully fulfilled or invested in a career within that field. Then Chris remembered his grandmother. When she was 72, Chris’ grandmother graduated from law school at Rutgers University. She was
the oldest graduate in the history of the program, fulfilling a lifelong dream. It was a story Chris often thought about, and as he contemplated a career he wasn’t thrilled about, Chris decided to follow in his grandmother’s footsteps — albeit, a few decades sooner than she did.
However, after the judge makes their decision, you will have to wait five months from the day the judge deems you disabled for the benefits to arrive. Let’s say you claim to have become disabled and, therefore, qualified for benefits on Jan. 1, 2019, but the judge doesn’t deem you as disabled or fit enough for benefits until Jan. 1, 2020. That means you would have to wait until June 1, 2020, to receive your benefits. This waiting period can be wiped out if a claimant is found disabled on a date that is at least five months or more before the judge deems them disabled. In the above example, if a judge deems you disabled as of Jan. 1, 2019, and that decision comes on Jan. 1, 2020, then you do not have to wait for benefits. The waiting period has lapsed from the time you are legally considered disabled. But there’s another hitch. After a judge deems you fit to receive these benefits, you must also wait two years — or 24 months — from the date you were considered disabled before receiving health care through Medicare. Just as with the five-month waiting period, there is no sound reason for this timeline. As we continue to push for Stop the Wait to end these unnecessary timelines, my best advice for claimants stuck in this limbo period is to look for city, county, and statewide assistance programs. These offerings can fill the gap until you receive your benefits. And, as always, our team will be right behind you, supporting you in your fight for your benefits. Please don’t hesitate to contact my team today if you have further questions.
HAVE A LAUGH
- Marc Whitehead
888-497-9061 |DisabilityDenials.com 2
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