Will my disability payments stop because of the shutdown?

At this point, the federal government shutdown has lasted nearly two weeks. While many legislators are calling for it to end without President Trump being allocated money for his border wall, it’s unclear if this will occur. If you rely on the Medicaid, Medicare or Social Security Disability (SSD) benefits that you receive to cover your basic necessities, then you’ll be happy to know that your payments won’t be affected no matter what decision lawmakers reach.

The reason why none of these social programs will be affected is that the government shutdown is only a partial one. Essential services are never done away with even if legislators can’t agree on how to balance the budget. Since the SSD program is considered an essential service, your check will continue to be mailed to you on the date that it usually is.

This latest shutdown, the third that Trump has had under his administration, has caused the Social Security Administration (SSA) to reevaluate their contingency plans for how to maintain operations despite worker furloughs. They decided that they’d continue to have some of their staff continue to work without pay so Title II, XVI, XVIII and Social Security program payments can be made on time.

Individuals in Knoxville and throughout Tennessee who have serious mental health or physical impairments may qualify to receive disability benefits if they’re unable to work.

Most applications for SSD are denied on the first attempt. While that decision can be appealed, there’s a stronger likelihood of an application being denied the second time around as well. An attorney who has over a decade worth of experience can help guide you in taking the necessary steps to build the strongest possible claim.