Happy Birthday Social Security

By the 1930s, the United States was the only modern industrial country to without any national system of social security:  though a handful of states had poorly.  For most American workers, retirement during old age was not a realistic option.

But then President Franklin D. Roosevelt proposed the Social Security Act in January 1935. A way for America’s workers to fund a system to change that with their own income through a payroll tax. To quote one author, Kenneth S Davis, “the Social Security Act "the most important single piece of social legislation in all American history."  And that was signed into law by President Roosevelt August 14, 1935.  

According to AARP the Act:
• Social Security accounts for at least 50 percent of income for more than half of households headed by someone 65 or older.
• It provides nearly 80 percent of income for 1 in 5 such households.
• It keeps more than 26.5 million people from falling below the poverty line.

The law was not just about helping out the elderly so retirements could become possible for many Americans. It also provided protections for Americans who could not make it in the workforce due to disability whether they had paid into the system enough also known as Social Security Disability Insurance benefits or Title II benefits or not but were in financial need because of it Title XVI.  It also provided benefits for those who suffered adult or childhood disabilities.

Further it helped fund medical care for those who had received SS DIB or retirement also known as Title XVIII to legal types or Medicare to everyone, and also for those in need both medically and financially or Title XIX or Medicaid.  And programs for disabled children and beyond. 

Most people do not know that you can get both Social Security Disability or Retirement and other benefits such as Ohio Workers’ Compensation at the same time.  There are offsets for Workers’ Compensation with Social Security Disability and Retirement causes an offset with Ohio Workers’ Compensation benefits and need to be handled carefully .  Also Medicare and Medicaid eligibility is an amazing help to most disabled persons, but can cause major issues with settlement.  But all of that can be handled by careful legal maneuvers by knowledgeable attorneys.  

 Both Kurt Young and Russ Gerney from our firm have handled Social Security Disability claims for well over two decades each, handling claims at all levels including ALJ hearings, Appeals Council appearances and Federal Courts.  Kurt has handled several hundred of such hearings and also taught the subject to paralegals at a local community college.  Russ has handled many hundred more and is a guest speaker at legal seminars and appears at hearings in Ohio, Pennsylvania, West Virginia and New York to name a few states.  

If you aren’t sure what your rights are, call us at 419-244-7885, Russ and Kurt can explain your rights to you, offer no cost, no obligation consultations in most cases and only get fees authorized if you win.   

So join us today, August 14th, Social Security’s 88th Birthday, to thank those who founded this system and keep it running today.