Many people who collect Social Security disability benefits don’t plan to continue accepting them on a long-term basis or they change their mind about long-term benefits at some point. They may feel motivated to get back to full-time work or they even decide to start a business. A disability attorney in Jefferson County MO provides information for these individuals to answer various questions. One person might want to know if he or she must stop receiving benefits entirely when going back to work, or whether part-time employment would allow benefits to continue. Running a business has complicated implications in regard to disability payments. No matter what type of work the person is considering, weighing the financial pros and cons is essential. Consulting a disability lawyer is a smart idea.
The Social Security Administration considers any type of self-employment as running a business. That means someone who mows lawns, does online data entry as a contractor, or assists tax return companies in the spring is a small business owner. The Administration uses a factor they call substantial gainful activity to decide whether the person can still continue to receive disability benefits. If the individual occasionally sells craft items online, that may not qualify as substantial. However, someone who earns more than $1,130 per month as of 2016 will likely lose the opportunity to receive disability benefits. But, there are several exceptions to that general rule, which is one reason why talking with a Disability Attorney in Jefferson County MO is essential.
Essentially, the government agency is trying to figure out whether the claimant deserves ongoing disability benefits if he or she can, in fact, perform a significant amount of work. For instance, a person may have become disabled in the sense that it’s no longer possible to work full-time as a roofing contractor or a nursing assistant. Nevertheless, eventually, this individual may find gainful employment in an occupation that allows for sitting throughout the work day. Many people who can no longer do strenuous physical tasks can complete a 40-hour work week in more light duty occupations. An attorney with a firm such as Hoff Law Center has the answers to questions on these matters.
