Report: Social Security Disability fund healthier than expected

The good news is that the Social Security Disability trust fund is a little healthier than expected. The bad news is that the fund is healthier, in part, because of the increasing backlog in the SSDI approval process.

Because the Social Security Administration is not processing claims as fast as it used to, the trust fund is expected to last until 2028, according to the Social Security Board of Trustees’ annual report. Last year’s report said the fund would last only until 2023.

While it is certainly good news that the fund’s health has improved, it is clearly bad news for people in Charlotte who are prevented by injury or illness from working. In many cases, the health of those people is imperiled by delays in receiving the benefits they need and deserve.

It should be noted as well that another reason for the fund’s improvement is the ongoing improvement in the national economy. Economic growth has resulted in a drop in disability claims, says The Hill in an article on the annual Social Security report.

Let’s return to the bad news for a moment: the wait times for hearings on SSDI claims has soared from 360 days back in 2011 to approximately 583 days in 2017.

When those hearings finally take place, it is critical for people to have at their side an attorney who understands how to prepare and present evidence for the administrative law judges who decide whether or not you will receive SSDI benefits.

In Charlotte, contact Ayers, Whitlow & Dressler for more information.