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WHAT ARE SOCIAL SECURITY DISABILITY BENEFITS?

Social Security Disability is a benefit received from the Social Security Administration by disabled workers and in some cases their dependents, similar to those received by retired workers.

WHO QUALIFIES?

To receive benefits under the Social Security Disability program, you must have a physical or mental health problem (or a combination of problems) severe enough to keep you from working in any regular paying job for at least one year. The test isn’t whether or not you are able to go back to your old job, and the test isn’t whether or not you have been able to find a job lately. Rather, the test is whether you are capable of doing any job available in the national economy. By using an extensive set of regulations, the Social Security Administration takes into account your medical condition, your age, your abilities, your training and your work experience in deciding your case.

WHAT HAPPENS IF I QUALIFY FOR SOCIAL SECURITY DISABILITY BENEFITS?

If you are found eligible for Social Security Disability benefits, you will get paid retroactive benefits beginning 5 full months after you become disabled, but only for a maximum of 12 months before you applied for benefits. (Please see below for additional information on duration and amount.)

HOW MUCH MONEY WILL I RECEIVE IF I QUALIFY FOR SOCIAL SECURITY DISABILITY BENEFITS?

A disabled claimant will receive the same monthly benefit that he would receive had he retired at full retirement age (65 years old or more depending on age). The sum of money received will depend on one’s previous work record.

HOW LONG WILL I BE ABLE TO RECEIVE SOCIAL SECURITY DISABILITY BENEFITS?

You will receive Social Security Disability benefits as long as you remain disabled and unable to work. Your benefits will not run out because you did not contribute enough into the Social Security system.

WHEN SHOULD I APPLY FOR SOCIAL SECURITY DISABILITY BENEFITS?

You should apply for Social Security Disability benefits as soon as possible after you become disabled and unable to work. You do not need to wait 12 months to apply, your disability need only be expected to last for at least one year or will result in death.

HOW DO I APPLY FOR SOCIAL SECURITY DISABILITY BENEFITS?

You can fill out an application for Social Security Disability benefits at the local Social Security office nearest to your home or by telephone. The address and telephone number of your local Social Security office can be obtained by calling 1-800-772-1213. When applying you should be prepared to give Social Security a list with the names, addresses and phone numbers of all the doctors, hospitals or clinics who have treated you for your condition. You should also bring a list of where you have worked in the past 15 years.

You will also need to provide Social Security with an original or certified copy of your birth certificate, your last earnings documents (W-2, last pay stub, statement of your employer, etc.) and copies (keep the originals) of any medical records you may be able to obtain.

Please note, however, that you should not delay filing for benefits if all documents are not immediately available.

WHAT DO I DO IF I AM DENIED BENEFITS?

Appeal! Many disabled people become disheartened and frustrated after they receive a disability benefits denial notice and do not appeal. This is often a mistake. Nationally, about 75% of all applicants are denied intially and about 90% are denied at the first appeal stage–Reconsideration. But many of these people ultimately receive their benefits, nationally about 70%.

What may be most frustrating about applying for Social Security Disability benefits is the process itself. Those who apply are often made to feel like they are asking for something that they do not deserve, and nothing could be further from the truth. Social Security Disability is not a welfare program; these benefits are paid for by you and were intended to act as a financial buffer in case you or a family member became seriously ill or injured. Therefore if you are unable to work, but you have been denied benefits, you should appeal.

DO I NEED AN ATTORNEY?

You have the right to have an Attorney represent you in your Social Security Disability case. Statistics have shown that claimants represented by Attorneys have been much more successful than people without representation. You should seriously consider the advantages of having an Attorny represent you by examining what an Attorney would do in your Social Security Disability case.

WHAT WOULD MY ATTORNEY DO TO REPRESENT ME IN MY SOCIAL SECURITY DISABILITY CASE?

Every case is different. Your Attorney’s role depends on the particular facts of your case. However, a few of the things an Attorney may do are:

• Gather medical and other evidence

• Analyze your case under Social Security Regulations

• Contact your doctor and explain Social Security Regulations to obtain a report consistent with those regulations

• Obtain documents from your Social Security Disability file

• Ask that a prior application for benefits be reopened

• Advise you how to best prepare yourself to testify at your hearing

• Protect your right to a fair hearing by objecting to improper evidence and procedures

• If you win, make sure that the Social Security Administration correctly calculates your benefits

• If you lose, request review of the hearing decision by the Social Security Administration’s Appeals Council

• If necessary, represent you in a Federal Court review of your case

HOW MUCH DOES IT COST TO HIRE AN ATTORNEY?

Most Attorneys who handle Social Security Disability cases will accept them on a contingent fee basis of 25% of past-due benefit or $5,300 whichever is less. That is, there is no fee if you lose, although you will be obligated to pay any out-of-pocket expenses incurred by the Attorny in your representation. Such expenses usually involve charges for photocopying and payments to doctors and hospitals for medical records and reports, and other miscellaneous charges. Total expenses usually are less than $100.

WHEN SHOULD I CONTACT AN ATTORNEY?

As soon as possible, preferably as soon as your inital application is denied. An Attorney will then be able to start assisting you in determining if you are disabled, as that term is defined by the Social Security Act. You will then be able to decide whether or not you want to pursue the first appeal stage–Reconsideration; and your Attorney can begin developing ways to prove to the Social Security Administration that you are disabled.

Attorneys in Social Security Disability cases do much more than sit in at a hearing and ask a few questions. Much pre-hearing preparation, analysis and evidence gathering go into adequate representation for your case. For this reason you should not wait until a week or two before your hearing to contact an Attorney. The earlier an Attorney is able to start working on your case, the better your chances of winning.

Please note that not all Attorneys practice before the Social Security Administration. You will do best to find an Attorney familiar with the complex Social Security Disability regulations and the somewhat unusual Social Security Disability procedures.

About The Author

Sheri R. Abrams, is an Attorney who practices Social Security Disability Law in Virginia, DC and Maryland. Ms. Abrams graduated from the George Washington University Law School and the Boston University School of Management. For more information please see Ms. Abrams’s web site at http://www.sheriabrams.com

sheri@sheriabrams.com

Once you’ve mortgaged the rest of your life for the dress and the ceremony, made all sorts of promises in front of everyone you know and danced with your long-lost fifth cousin twice removed, you deserve a little time off to recuperate. It’s called a honeymoon.

Your honeymoon is that wonderful period of grace between the fantasy of your wedding and the reality of simply being an old married couple. It’s a time for the two of you to get to know each other as well as two people who are going to spend the next couple of days alone with only each other for company can. But not so alone that you can’t ring for room service when you need it.

According to a recent survey by Modern Bride magazine, newlyweds are certainly not loathe to shell out when it comes to spending up on their honeymoon - on average, newlyweds spend $3,700 on their honeymoon. For the average wage earner, that’s almost 10% of their annual income.

Honeymoon spending is high for a number of reasons. Firstly, for most of us it’s a once-in-a-lifetime chance to live it up, favoring luxurious resorts and exotic cruises over a two-star just-off-the-highway motel. And the honeymoon is generally not the time for going to stay with mad old Aunty Gladys who you haven’t seen since you were five. No, honeymooners want their day in the sun, a time to luxuriate in the newness of coupledom and they are usually looking for something special. So if that means ordering that second bottle of champagne, or deciding on the lobster for dinner, most honeymooners don’t give it a second thought.

To compile their list of Top 10 honeymoon destinations, the Modern Bride survey factored in romance, ambience, affordability, seclusion, culture and adventure amongst its list of important qualities. Here are the results for overall excellence:

1.Hawaii
2.Jamaica
3.Mexico
4.Tahiti
5.St Lucia
6.Italy
7.US Virgin Islands
8.Aruba
9.Las Vegas
10.Bermuda

While there are no real surprises on the list, the surprise is that there are not more distant, out-of-the-way places in the Top 10. Which only goes to prove that even honeymooners want value for money and the chance to explore new territory - but not too far from home. Of course, Italy is the one exception, but who couldn’t imagine romantic visions of strolling through vineyards in Tuscany, or sipping grappa in a trattoria in Venice?

If your honeymoon is still in the planning phase, or even if you’ve already got your heart set on an exotic honeymoon destination, it’s worth visiting Romantic Honeymoon Destinations. Although most of the destinations we’ve included are in the “let’s max out the Amex card” type honeymoon, we’ve also included plenty of useful information for the more budget conscious “we smashed open the piggy bank to pay for this” honeymoon traveller in our Honeymoon Tips guide.

Just don’t forget, it’s YOUR honeymoon and one of the few chances most of us get to indulge a little. So whether that’s the little village down the road you always wanted to visit or some exotic location, the most important honeymoon tip I can give you is HAVE FUN!

Bon voyage!

Alexis Miller has been involved in the wedding and jewelry industry for more years than she cares to remember! She has turned her passion for all things bridal into a website, http://www.Engagement-Rings-Guide.com Visit her website for interesting articles on weddings, jewelry,honeymoons and much more.

Our capital city is renowned for its lively ambiance and unending lively night life. Our capital city is crammed with after hour drinks and dance venues & watering holes of varying capacities. From the pulsating dance floors of massive hotspots to the chilled out, snug disk jockey nights, London has stuff to offer both the die-hard party goers and those looking for a nice quiet quality drink and conversation.

Several of the well known must visit locations are suited for resolute party people, folk that get worked up over their sounds and the nights they love popping over to. Fabric is London’s genuine super club and perseveres in booking some great and eclectic headliners. Since there are loudspeakers in their floor area you’re sure not to ever miss something in this venue. Friday Fabric constantly is made up of great acts that people rock to until the sunrise of the coming morning, at which point people may revisit for more revelling on the coming night fall when the club introduces their glamorous evenings of heavy and rare house tracks.

Egg club is a further famous club. This hotspot extends over 3 storeys and is possibly one of the capital’s greatest hotspots. This night is additionally acclaimed for having several of the finest camp spectacles in the city and constantly pulls in many of the most ritzy individuals.

Pacha is a flagrantly showy alternative to our capital’s spirited clubbing world, maelstrom of glitterballs, chandeliers & fancifully attired gay & straight clubbers. Egg wanted to remodel the Ibizan experience in the capital. The door doesn’t cost before 10pm and despite the fact that the club’s drinks are on the expensive side, if you are searching for a world class night out on the town with no expense spared then this place is doubtless the spot to go to.

The Underworld club is to be found in Camden. It’s got a large dance floor & spots to chill out in. It’s pretty basic, however, if money is an issue it could well be excellent. On a band night the scene is electrifying. Probably you can be shaken senseless. You will find a mingled mass of people of assorted ages and you will discover a brilliant amalgamation of artists in the night so you’ll find entertainment to suite everyone. Find out info on clubs in London with Time Out London.

The most successful organizations have good communication skills. Survey after survey bears this out. Poor communication skills are often cited in employee surveys as a reason for poor morale and performance.

Having been in the business of building organizational communication skills for more than 25 years, I’ve seen firsthand the positive impact these skills can have upon a company. Speaking with respect and active listening are so important that I don’t understand why more organizations don’t teach these important skills. They can truly differentiate you from your competitors and give you a decided advantage in the marketplace.

In a recent article in Chief Learning Officer, our friend and client, Randy Hall from Pfizer Animal Health, had some interesting things to say about our Excellence in Speaking Institute and its impact upon his company. Here’s an excerpt from that article:

“During Ty’s course, you’re probably on your feet 15 to 18 times in front of your peers or a group of folks that you’re in the course with, presenting to them. Even if you are uncomfortable the first couple of times, by the time you’ve done that over and over the fear starts to fade and the confidence starts to come in,” said Randy Hall, global director of learning and development, Pfizer Inc. Animal Health Group. “The other thing is the coaching (participants) get. They get one-on-one, very specific coaching during the class that allows them to address whichever areas of their communication skills need the most work.” These improvement areas depend on how participants present to other people and could include lack of clarity, inability to quickly get to the point, incorrect use of body language or other habits that detract from the messenger and the message being delivered.”

Hall added that Pfizer had a real business need: getting people to communicate effectively in various situations-from one-on-one conversations to group meetings. After going through a pilot of Boyd’s class with his peers, Hall said the course was so impressive that Pfizer Animal Health Group now requires every new sales representative and manager to go through it. “These folks communicate for a living, and what Ty and his team enable them to do is lose or at least diminish their fear of the process,” Hall explained. “They feel more comfortable and confident in front of small or large groups of people, and we believe that it helps them engage more in every area of their business. He’s been a great business partner with us, and the demand for the course is what drove it. People aren’t going because I say so. They’re going because they’re hearing word-of-mouth out there on the street that this is something that really helps them get better at their jobs. They want to be there.”

Are your people communicating effectively inside and outside the organization? Shouldn’t they be?

Ty Boyd, CEO of Ty Boyd Executive Learning Systems, is in the Broadcast Hall of Fame and the Speakers Hall of Fame. He has taught presentation skills to Fortune 1000 executives in more than 34 countries. His Excellence In Speaking Institute celebrates its 25th anniversary in 2005.

There are different economic cycles and there are certain investments that do well in a specific economic cycle. The most commonly known business cycle are: recovery, expansion, slowdown and recession. There might be more or different categories that economists use but this will cover the general economic cycle. We will discuss what stocks are good to invest on in a specific economic cycle. While you have to calculate the fair value of a common stock to profit from your investment, it is good to have a head start by analyzing different economic cycles.

Economic Recovery occurs when the gross domestic product (GDP) of an economy has reached a bottom and it is starting to move up. Normally, producers will build up inventory in the expectation of a recovery. Since most economies are driven by consumer demand, this is where the bulk of economic growth comes from. Therefore, companies that do well in a recovery mode is consumer product companies such as Procter & Gamble, Colgate Palmolive, Pepsi and retailers such as Home Depot, Best Buy and the like.

Economic expansion occurs when GDP has started to grow robustly. At this time, companies seeing a recovery will invest more and more capital into long-term assets such as machinery, computers and other capital goods. An ideal stock to invest in this situation is semiconductor companies such as Applied Materials, KLA Tencor or heavy industrial producers such as Du Pont, Caterpillar and 3 M.

Economic Slowdown. Once consumers run out of steam, economic growth will slow. This is characterized with excess inventory in certain retailers and other consumer goods companies. In economic slowdown, the central bank generally lowers interest rate which bodes well for financial companies. Therefore, a good stock to invest at this point is banks such as Citicorp, Bank of America or investment banking such as Goldman Sach, Lehman Brothers and so on.

Recession. This is the dreaded part of an economic cycle. Recession is defined as two or more quarters of a decrease in GDP output. With weaker demand and higher unemployment, consumer will curtail discretionary spending such as buying a house or a car. Instead, they focus on their money on a more important thing such as foods and drugs. Therefore, in a recession, pharma and generic drug makers do well. So does food companies such as Kraft, Sara Lee and the like.

We have just covered the most basic investing know-how for different types of economic cycles. It should be used as a starting point rather than a definitive guide. Determining the fair value of a common stock is still the most important thing to do to profit from any investment. After all, buying a highly overvalued drug stock during recession time may not give you a good investment return.

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If it’s not easy for prospects to buy, they won’t. Use this
checklist to find obstacles on your web site that cost sales.

Navigation 1. Are you leading prospects to your order form? 2.
Is your order form easy to find? Do you have an Order button or
link to your order form on most pages?

Contact Information * Can prospects contact you if they have
questions? * Do you provide a link to your contact information
on every page? Do you provide a phone number, email address, and
mailing address?

Product Information Do you provide the information your
customers need to buy your products or services? This may
include: * Product listing and pricelist. * Testimonials, case
studies, and customer list. * Money-back guarantee. * Answers to
frequently-asked questions. * Service information and
warranties. * What your products or services can do. * Who your
products or services are useful to. * How customers use your
products or services. * Tips for buying your products or
services (to help prospects make an informed decision).

Payment and Ordering Methods * Do you provide several ordering
and payment options? * Do you accept MasterCard, Visa, American
Express, Discover, and Paypal? The majority of Internet users
will order online with credit cards. Few people will mail a
check, so if you’re not accepting credit cards online via a
secure server, you will lose sales. * Can your prospects order
online through a secure order form or shopping cart? * Is your
order form or shopping cart simple to use? * Is every part of
your form working? * Do you provide alternative options for
those who don’t feel comfortable ordering online such as
ordering by phone, fax, and postal mail? * Can customers pay by
check or money order?

Is it easy to buy from you? Eliminating obstacles will boost
your sales immediately.