Navigation Continuing Disability Reviews for Social Security Disability
After being award Social Security disability benefits, many clients ask how long they will be able to keep receiving their benefits. The simple answer is that if your medical condition has not improved, you can receive disability benefits for a lifetime. However, all recipients of Social Security disability benefits are subject to periodic continuing disability reviews. During a continuing disability review, Social Security will ascertain whether you have had any improvement in your medical condition that would allow you to return to work. If there has been no improvement in your medical condition, you will continue to receive disability until the next review. Although there is no set length of time for Social Security to review your case, typically Social Security conducts either a 3 year or 5 to 7-year review. However, reviews can be quicker depending on the nature of your medical condition and/or whether or not an Administrative Law Judge expected you to improve with medical treatment.
As stated above, the frequency of a continuing disability review is based on whether medical improvement is expected, possible, or not expected. If medical improvement is expected, Social Security will normally review a medical condition within 6 to 18 months after a decision. If medical improvement is possible, a review of a person’s medical condition is done every 3 years. If medical improvement is not expected, Social Security will conduct a continuing disability review every 5 to 7 years.
Periodic disability reviews can also be performed earlier if an individual has started working. If you have begun to engage in work activity, Social Security can review your case earlier than expected so as to determine the amount of work you are performing as well as if your medical condition has improved given that you have been able to return to work. Social Security will need a monthly breakdown of your earnings as well as a list of what doctors you are seeing and the medication that you are currently taking. If you are working more than what is allowed by Social Security, then your disability benefits will be terminated.
