People take legal matters into their own hands every day, and sometimes they lose money and property in the process. You can make a legally binding contract without using an attorney, but you are risking missing some big legal loopholes and laws you may not be familiar with that can not only make your contract invalid but can actually cost you in the end. When you are selling or purchasing real estate, tackling the creation of a will or even just loaning money to a friend, a consultation with an attorney can be a positive step. I'll show you when and why you need an attorney.
Although you may have undergone quite a bit of grief to get your Social Security benefits, the sad truth is that you may not receive them for the rest of your life. There are many things can cause you to lose your benefits and that includes normal life events. Here are two that can have a negative impact on your Social Security check.
Relocating to a New Place
Changes in your living situation can have an adverse impact on your Social Security disability benefit, depending on where you move to and how the change affects your finances. If you're relocated to a nursing home or hospital for 90 days or more and Medicaid pays for 50 percent or more of your stay, your benefits will be reduced to $30 per month. This does not apply if you're only there for less than 90 days and your benefits will return to normal once you leave the facility.
You will also lose your benefits if you are incarcerated for a crime, and possibly permanently depending on how long you will be in jail. The Social Security Administration has a rule against paying benefits to inmates. Thus, for any month you are in jail, you will not receive your disability check but payments will resume once you are released. However, if you are incarcerated for more than 12 months, you must reapply for benefits. However, any family members who qualify for Social Security benefits based on your information will still receive their payments.
Getting Married
For most people, getting married will have little to no impact on their Social Security disability payments because their eligibility and check amount is based on their own work histories. The work histories, income, and assets of their spouses are not factored into how much they are awarded by the SSA.
However, people who were awarded SSDI based on someone else's eligibility and work history (e.g. typically kids and disabled adult children) will have their benefits terminated once they get married. This also applies even if you are marrying someone else who is also disabled.
The only exception to this rule is if the person is receiving money based on the record of a deceased spouse. In this case, benefits won't be affected if you remarry after age 60 (or age 50 if you're disabled).
Before making major life changes, it's a good idea to consult with an attorney to see how your benefits will be affected and what can be done to protect them. For assistance with your case, contact a Social Security attorney.
Share