These days, life is expensive. This is even more true for people who are or who will be on a fixed income. Frequently, clients want to know how much they will receive if and when their disability benefits are approved. The answer depends on many factors, the first of which is what type of benefit or benefits they will receive. The maximum Supplemental Security Income that a person can receive is $994 per month for 2026. Each year, this figure, called the “Federal Benefits Rate” or “FBR”...

My older son just started a postsecondary automotive tech program and is trying to buy a new-to-him “cool” car. My younger son just started high school wrestling. As a result, I am having to learn new vocabulary about cars such as “straight pipe,” “cat-back”, “coilovers”, and “rebuilt title”. I’m having to learn new vocabulary about wrestling such as “takedown”, “escape”, and “reversal”. In addition, I’m learning Spanish to work more effectively with clients for whom that is a first...

When one works with people, it is hard to turn off work-related thoughts after hours. Being as much a Dolly Parton fan as anyone else, I can say that helping people apply for Social Security Disability benefits requires more than “working 9 to 5”. This might explain why I had a dream recently in which a person asked me whether some applications are “easier” to get through than others. Variations on this question come up frequently in my waking interactions with prospects and clients. ...