The Four Ways Social Security Disability Benefits End

Now that you’ve gotten through the hassle of applying for Social Security disability and getting your application approved, you may be concerned about how long your disability payments will continue. Will the Social Security Administration (SSA) decide to stop payments at some point? Will you be left struggling and unable to take care of yourself financially?

Know the Truth About Why Some Social Security Payments Stop

Sometimes, Social Security disability payments do end, but the SSA should not stop your payments arbitrarily. Instead, the SSA needs to have a reason to stop the payments once your application has been approved.

Some common reasons for Social Security disability payments to stop for an individual recipient include the following:

• Going back to work and earning too much money. The SSA is not going to stop your Social Security disability benefits the day you go back to work. A trial work period is allowed so that you and the SSA can be confident in your ability to work before your benefits end. However, if you are able to go back to work and earn more than the minimum amount specified by the SSA, your disability payments may end after your trial work period expires.
• Reaching retirement age. In this scenario, you will still receive payments from the SSA. However, they will likely come as Social Security retirement income instead of Social Security disability.
• Having a medical condition that has improved, thus making you no longer disabled according to the SSA. Everyone who receives Social Security disability is subject to periodic continuing disability reviews (CDR). How often a case is reviewed depends on the severity of the health condition and whether it is expected to improve. A case may be reviewed as often as every six months or as rarely as every seven years. The purpose of a CDR is to determine if your condition still qualifies you for Social Security disability. If the SSA determines that you no longer qualify for Social Security disability, your benefits may stop.
• Death of the recipient. When a person who receives Social Security passes away, the person administering the estate is obligated to contact the nearest Social Security office, inform the SSA of the death, and stop the payments. Collecting the payments after a death is illegal and has serious consequences.

If your Social Security disability case has been reviewed and your benefits have been wrongfully reduced or revoked, then it is important to take action quickly. Call Morgan & Weisbrod today to schedule an initial consultation and to learn more about your rights.

by Paul B. Burkhalter
Managing Partner of Morgan & Weisbrod, Board Certified in Social Security Disability Law.

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