Showing posts with label Quiz. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Quiz. Show all posts

Aug 12, 2016

Can You Figure Out This Photo?

     Your question is: What's going on here and how does this relate to a Social Security disability claim?
Hints: This has nothing to do with swelling or manual dexterity.
     And the answer is that this unfortunate 20 year old man had just been released from a psychiatric hospital. His regular shoelaces had been taken from him as a suicide prevention measure. He's had many psychiatric hospitalizations because his schizoaffective disorder causes command auditory hallucinations. Yet, Social Security twice denied his disability claim and he had to go to a hearing. Can anyone explain why Social Security denies disability claims like this?

May 24, 2014

Mar 16, 2014

Take The Test

     Take an online Social Security quiz. Only 5% of those who took the quiz answered all the questions correctly but I bet that most readers of this blog can ace the test!
     By the way, yes, I know that technically some of the answers don't really fit into the True-False dichotomy used in the quiz but let's not get too technical here.

Dec 21, 2011

Quiz Answer

Question: Who is the current Inspector General of the Social Security Administration?

Possible Answers:
  • David Black
  • Carolyn Colvin
  • Stephen Goss
  • Patrick O'Carroll
Correct Answer: Patrick O'Carroll

Dec 20, 2011

Quiz


Dec 14, 2011

Quiz Answer

Question: By how much are SSI benefits reduced if a recipient is living in the household of another and receiving free room and board throughout a month?

Possible Answers:
  • One-Third
  • One-Half
  • $250
  • The actual value of the room and board
Correct Answer: One-Third

Dec 13, 2011

Quiz


Dec 7, 2011

Quiz Answer

Question: Who was Social Security Commissioner on August 14, 1985, when Social Security celebrated its 50th birthday?

Possible Answers:
  • John Svahn
  • Martha McSteen
  • Dorcas Hardy
  • Louis Enoff
Correct answer: Martha McSteen was Acting Commissioner

Dec 6, 2011

Quiz


Nov 30, 2011

Quiz Answer

Question: Mrs. R is a widow of a man who died currently but not fully insured. What sort of benefits does the currently insured status make possible at various points in her life her assuming she meets other requirements (a child under 16 in her care or being 60 or older, for instance)?

Possible Answers:
  • Mothers benefits but not widows benefits
  • Widows benefits but not mothers benefits
  • Both mothers benefits and widows benefits
  • Neither mothers nor widows benefits
Correct Answer: Mothers benefits but not widows benefits

Nov 29, 2011

Quiz


Nov 23, 2011

Quiz Answer

Question: Which of the following actions by the Social Security Administration is NOT an initial determination subject to appeal?

Possible Answers:
  • Determination that a representative payee is required for a person not already declared legally incompetent
  • Citizenship determination
  • Determination of marital relationship
  • Denial of request to reopen prior determination

Correct answer:  Denial of request to reopen prior determination

Nov 22, 2011

Quiz


Nov 16, 2011

Quiz Answer

Question: A claimant is approved for back Title II Social Security disability benefits but dies before they can be paid. The claimant is survived by a wife who has been separated from him for ten years and who is not drawing benefits on his Social Security number and by two healthy children who are 21 and 25 years of age. He leaves behind a will that leaves his entire estate to his disabled brother. Who gets the back benefits?

Possible Answers:
  • The estate, thereby giving it to the brother
  • The estranged wife
  • The two children in equal shares
  • No one
Correct Answer: The estranged wife

Nov 9, 2011

Quiz Answer

Question: When does Michael Astrue's term as Commissioner of Social Security end?

Possible answers:
  • December 31, 2012
  • January 19, 2013
  • December 31, 2013
  • No specific end date. The Commissioner of Social Security serves at the pleasure of the President
Correct answer: January 19, 2013

Nov 8, 2011

Quiz


Nov 2, 2011

Quiz Answer

Question: How long does a claimant who has been overpaid by Social Security have to request waiver of the overpayment?

Potential answers:
  • 20 days
  • 60 days
  • 180 days
  • There is no time limit
Correct answer: There is no time limit. I can give no link to authority on this because no time limit is set by statute, regulation or otherwise. I cannot link to something that does not exist. There is a 60 day time limit to request reconsideration of the fact of the overpayment -- that is to challenge the existence or amount of the overpayment but that is separate from a waiver request.

Nov 1, 2011

Quiz


Oct 26, 2011

Answer To Quiz

Question: Mrs. D's husband died in 1999. The two had been married for 27 years. He was fully insured at the time he died. On September 6, 2011 Mrs. D files a claim for widow's benefits on the basis of age rather than disability. She is 62 at the time. She had stopped work on December 31, 2009. When does Mrs. D's entitlement to widow's benefits on account of age begin?

Possible Answers:
  • January 2010
  • September 2010
  • March 2011
  • October 2011
Correct answer: March 2011.
     Some of you have raised the question of whether Mrs. D should elect a later month of entitlement. That is a reasonable question. Mrs. D's widow's benefits are subject to an actuarial reduction. The earlier she goes on benefits, the less she gets a month. It may be wiser for Mrs. D to elect to start benefits now rather than retroactively. She will get no back benefits but she will get more per month for every month into the future. This option should be discussed with Mrs. D -- one of the many things that can't be done online. I should have phrased the question to read "What is the earliest possible month of entitlement?" But honestly, if you knew enough to quibble with the question, you knew what I was getting at!

Update: I knew this was going to happen eventually. You're right. I got it wrong. The month of entitlement would be September 2011. I was confused since it is done differently with aged widows than disabled widows. I thought I remembered an aged widow client of mine getting back benefits but I must be misremembering.

Oct 25, 2011

Quiz