Sometimes, Waiting is the Hardest Part: Social Security Disability Insurance

Sometimes, Waiting is The Hardest Part

“Lost time is never found again.” — Benjamin Franklin

Each paycheck you earn is reduced by deductions for Social Security taxes. These taxes are used to fund Social Security Retirement and Disability Insurance (SSDI) so that workers will still have steady incomes if they are disabled because of an illness or injury. The problem is that applicants in Arizona and across the country often wait so long until they finally are approved for SSDI that the bills pile up and other negative consequences occur — and the benefits of SSDI are too little, too late.

The wait time for SSDI in Arizona

The number of people applying for SSDI has increased in recent years, with about 8.9 million people currently receiving federal disability benefits. However, as reported by USA Today, there is a long backlog, with an average wait time in Arizona of more than 10 months. That leaves about 8,900 Arizona applicants waiting for their SSDI hearing, out of about 750,000 nationwide. There are many reasons for the long wait times, including:

·         Most SSDI applicants are initially denied by the local Disability Determination Services, leading to a lengthy appeals process including hearings before a judge.

·         There are many older “baby boomer” workers who are more likely to become disabled.

·         Many workers with illness that were fortunate to have work accommodations were unable to find work with accommodations after  economic recession  lay offs.

While the long wait and grueling process can take its toll, the Social Security Administration has been making strides to lessen the wait by adding staff and allowing for more electronic verification. Having a qualified Arizona Social Security attorney with you from the start is still the best option for receiving the benefits you deserve — when you need them.

Mary Kay Fowler is a Social Security disability attorney at Taylor and Associates, PLLC with more than 25 years of experience as a Registered Nurse in a variety of healthcare environments including medical-surgical, cardiovascular, and intensive care. She states, “I went to law school so I could advocate for my patients healthcare needs. Taylor and Associates allows me to do that as a Social Security Disability attorney.”



The caring and skilled Social Security disability attorneys at Taylor and Associates, PLLC work tirelessly to help clients document the medical evidence and prove you have a qualifying disability, from the initial application to appeals and hearings, if necessary.




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