If you are self-employed, this blog is for you.  Here are the answers to 6 of the most frequently asked questions about Social Security and self-employment.

18th birthdays are usually a time of celebration and hope for the future.  However, for young people receiving Supplemental Security Income benefits, this otherwise happy time can be tinged with anxiety as they must go through the Social Security Administration’s age-18 redetermination process.

As a Southern Illinois Social Security Disability attorney, I speak to many prospective clients who are receiving Supplemental Security Income benefits and are about to turn 18.  Here are a few key points many people don’t know.

If you filed a Social Security Disability claim but it was denied because the judge thinks you can still find work, use these job-hunting tips to help you get back into the working world.

Alzheimer’s disease is a degenerative condition that directly affects nearly 5.4 million Americans.  Many people think that it only affects the elderly – but in actuality, onset can occur as early as a person’s 30s and 40s, during their prime working years.  Here’s how the Social Security Administration helps Social Security Disability claimants who have been diagnosed with Alzheimer’s disease.

For many parents in Southern Illinois, the back to school season is welcomed as children go off to learn for the day and the house becomes peaceful once again.  But for parents of children with disabilities, instead of peace, there is often worry as they wonder how their child is doing at school.  Here is a short three-point guide to help you support your disabled child as he or she navigates the new school year.

Many parents have read the children’s book “Love You Forever” by Robert Munsch and found themselves with tears in their eyes at the end when the son, now a grown man, cares for his mother in the same tender, selfless way that she cared for him when he was a baby. Providing daily care for an aging parent affects every facet of the caregiver’s life.  Caught up in the day to day juggling of multiple households, doctors’ appointments, and declining abilities, caregivers and care recipients could easily forget to consider the impact on the caregiver’s earnings record and future Social Security benefits. This blog cites statistics compiled by The Family Caregiver Alliance and reminds caregivers and care recipients to think about Social Security benefits.

Everyone I know was shocked by the recent story by Molly Parker in The Southern Illinoisan newspaper explaining that many coal miners and their families will lose promised health insurance benefits because Alpha Natural Resources has declared bankruptcy.   For those miners who are not yet 65 and are unable to work full time due to health issues, there is a ray of hope:  A worker can qualify for Medicare before age 65 if he files a claim for Social Security Disability Insurance benefits and is approved.

If you live and work in Southern Illinois, you probably rely on several “Mom and Pop Shops” for services and products on a regular basis.  Family-owned businesses make the American economy durable and robust.  They are reservoirs of assets and incubators of innovation and productivity.  Here is an excellent article about the economic impact of family businesses.

Beginning with tax year 2007, joint husband-and-wife businesses with material participation by both spouses could elect Qualified Joint Venture treatment, an option that helps ensure each spouse gets proper Social Security credit for his or her self-employment earnings.

If you are contemplating divorce or you are in the process of divorce and you have been married for less than 10 years, stop and read this article.