If you have started receiving Social Security Disability Benefits, you may be wondering if your benefit amount will stay the same for the rest of your life. The answer is No; your benefit amount will not always be the same.
In general, your social security benefit amount should increase each year to protect you from the effects of inflation. If the consumer price index increases, the cost-of-living will be adjusted. For example, monthly Social Security and Supplemental Security Income (SSI) benefits are expected to increase 1.5 percent in 2014 to help offset the effects of inflation.
In some cases, your monthly disability benefit amount may seem to decrease due to a rise in healthcare costs . If healthcare costs increase faster than cost-of-living adjustments, your monthly take-home amount may decrease, as Medicare premiums can offset COLA increases.
Sometimes, your benefits may increase if you are working and continue to pay Social Security taxes. If your yearly earnings are higher than the annual income originally used to compute your benefits, Social Security should substitute the new year of earnings. The higher your income, the higher your re-calculated benefits may be. If your earnings are high enough to deduct excess income from your benefits, all can be recomputed when you reach full retirement age. This should increase your Social Security benefit amount due to excess money reduced or withheld in the past.
If you need help understanding the Social Security Disability application process , or need help in filing a claim or appeal, contact the knowledgeable legal team at George Sink, P.A. Injury Lawyers. We can help you day or night, and can meet with you in your home to discuss your rights and options for filing for disability benefits. Our offices are located in Charleston, Greenville, Columbia, Orangeburg, Walterboro, and Moncks Corner, but we can meet you anywhere in South Carolina to help you in your time of need. Call us today for a free consultation.