Financial setback after cancer treatment

soromer said:

Applying for disability with a cancer dx
Dear Jill,

I am sorry to hear that you are in such difficult financial straits. It's not your fault that you couldn't prepare for such a difficult turn of events; few of us are ever that wealthy and protected. And I heartily agree that it is a sad testimony about the failings of this society that we don't provide a bigger and broader safety net.

I am not a lawyer or an expert of any kind about SSDI. However, I did apply myself for it shortly after my diagnosis--in part, because my employer basically fired me when my staging results came back!--and I was approved for it in three weeks.

I urge you to reconsider applying. It might not work; you might be making too much money now to fall under the "substantial gainful income" ceiling that signals inability to work--that's around $1000/month. But per your diagnosis, you might qualify.

I did, because my Stage IIIC2 Endometrial Cancer is listed under the SSA's list of qualifying medical conditions. My oncologist was willing to attest that because of treatment and recovery, I would be disabled for at least 12 months. There was a lot of paperwork involved, but in the end it did come through.

Now, there are other big catches: once you do qualify, you really can't earn much, even less than the $1000/month possible during the determination period. (Sorry I am not adept with the technical terminology; I may get some of this wrong.) As I understand it, you can earn up to about $700/month without triggering some back-to-work requirements, which are still relatively gradual--something like any 9 months of earning more than $700 will then put you into a three-year return-to-work path.

On the other hand, maybe this is a source of income you can tap that will allow you more flexibility and more resources than you have now. And, two years along, you ought to qualify for Medicaid, as I understand it, if you need another source of coverage.

As a working taxpayer, you have paid into the system; it's insurance; you do deserve to access it.

At this point, you may need expert help to make your way through the system. It's possible, perhaps, that you may be able to go back to your original date of diagnosis for the start of the disability, but that's a complex question I really can't begin to answer. In that case, you could have some reasonable amount of money coming back your way. Regardless, you could find you have more money available to you than you think now.

I don't think you're having a pity party, honestly. It is shocking and dismaying to have all of this turned upside down, too, besides dealing with cancer. I'm glad you've been able to start back up, but please go easy on yourself. Catastrophic illness is just that.

Good luck to you, whatever you pursue.

Kate

daisy366 said:

SS Disability
Jill,

I agree with Kate. Over the years I've had pretty good success in helping people (including myself) apply for and be approved for Social Security Disability - I'm a social worker.

SS only considers EARNED income - not unearned (dividends). I also was approved very quickly - 2.5 weeks. I think this was due to a recurrence of UPSC. But you can check regs online. Go to SSA.gov + Adult Disability + search for "Blue Book" which will have the criteria that they consider disabilities. If a person has more than one condition - (i.e. neoplasm (cancer) plus endocrine (i.e. diabetes) - you can apply claiming a "combination of impairments".

I applied online. I'm very happy to help. Email me if you want more help with this.

Mary Ann

lindaprocopio said:

Maryann is right about the dividends; they don't count them.
Like you I have my own business, and it has become very profitable, with 12 PT employees that includes my 2 sons, DIL, step-daughter, & my husband (so a lot of my family look to this business for a portion of their annual income). So I didn't apply for disability the first 2 years I was in treatment, because I could still work and I wanted to.

But when I went on Doxil and got the hand/foot syndrome (around Nov. 2010) and couldn't type all day like I needed to, I made an appointment at the SS office to look into it. I was there 3 hours and when they made their determination, they dated my disability benefits back to the 1st of the year!! (I got a "retro-payment" check of over $10,000 right away!) I was able to get that even though all of 2010 I was drawing a modest salary and I was a 1/3 partner in my company and was drawing 1/3 of the profits in dividends. I disclosed all of this. And yet all SS looked at was the modest salary I was drawing, & they were comparing that to the substantially larger salary I was paying myself the prior year. You see, I brought my 2 sons into the businerss as partners (on the advice of a financial planner) on January 1, 2010, and SS could see that I had effectively given away 2/3 of my business and 2/3 of my profits to my sons. I explained that I did that because my family had stepped in to do so much of my personal work load and deserved to be compensated.

So I came away with a MUCH better determination than I could have ever hoped for, or would ever have dared to ask for. I was completely shocked! It did take 3 hours because they look at business owners with extra scruntiny, and you need to be ready with several years of financials. But don't be surprised if they go back pretty far in awarding you benefits if your cancer caused you to drop or lose clients or not work. Disability isn't much $$, but for me it's $1500/month I can count on. (As an aside, I gave the final shares of my business to my sons January 1, 2011 and no longer receive a paycheck or a dividend from the company. But my husband remains on the payroll at a modest salary that covers the cost of our health insurance.)

I suggest you make an appointment and go in and lay out your whole story for them. ((((Jill)))) When I went in for that appointment, I was pretty beatenb down froma solid year of constant chemo treatments, and 3 hours was TOO long for me to be doing anything. I was experiencing genuine physical discomfort as the hours wore on, and I actually cried a little towards the end and told her I NEVER EVER imagined myself as anything less than a productive working contributor to society. I think after that, the woman hearing my case went out of her way to build a strong file for me that documented her recommendation based on solid math. So don't go in all brave; tell them your story from the heart.

Kaleena said:

Giving hearts
With a giving heart like yours, Jill, it is hard to accept help from the outside. But like so many others have indicated here, why not get an appointment and tell your case. That assistance can help you get through the rough times until you are back on your feet.

You really don't need this stress so I hope everything turns out for you.

By the way, I went to North Mrytle Beach. Very impromtu. Was going to come home on Wednesday, but roamed around and found another place to stay. It was relaxing!

Please know I am thinking of you and hope the best for you!

Kath

maggie_wilson said:

sisters,

i agree with northwooodsgirl and others, that there is no shame attached to applying for foodstamps and ssdi. i'm a social worker, as well as is mary ann, and while i'm in private practice now, i used to work for the bureau of public assistance in l.a., and in alameda county (east bay across from san francisico), so know all the different people who had fallen on hard times and made use of food stamps. that's why they're there. actually, in my day, most of those who applied for food stamps were temporarily poor students; i'm sure with this economy and earlier, it's more the permanently poor.

it sounds like you are going to apply for ssdi benefits, to which i, too, think you are entitled. i'm very glad you thought to post your financial concerns here. also glad to hear that maybe your financial difficulties will soon be more resolved. i've been fortunate that my partner has a decent job with good benefits, that includes good health benefits for me. i also waited to apply for social security until i could earn whatever i could without my social security benefits being reduced. so that $1500 a month comes in handy, especially since my partner had been on workers comp because of an on-the-job injury. so we, too, have had to use savings to get by. i expect to be back to work in late september, but also expect a number of my clients, who have been waiting for treatment to be over, will be terminating. so i can't count on the monies i'm used to making from my practice. still, it will be good to get back to work.

in any case, i'm glad you're taking the advice of those on this board and applying for ssdi either in person, on line, by phone, how ever you decide to do so. remember, you are ENTITLED to these.

sisterhood,
maggie