A question that our team at Disability Associates, a disability law office in Towson, MD, often hears from our clients is “Why would Social Security terminate benefits?” We believe that this question is one that most people should be educated on, so below is a detailed explanation for why the Social Security Administration would terminate your benefits or the benefits of a loved one. 

Why Would Social Security Terminate Benefits?

Social Security will continue to pay your social security disability until you either improve to the point that you can return to work or you reach your full social security retirement age. Now, how does Social Security know if you have improved enough to return to work? Well, they have a process called Continuing Disability Reviews. Each case is reviewed periodically to get an update for Social Security to see: 

  • How you are doing
  •  What is wrong
  • If you still have the same problems as when you were approved for disability
  • If those problems have bettered, worsened, or stayed the same
  • If you have any new health issues preventing you from working
  • What new doctors you see
  • Why you see those doctors
  • What treatments they give you
  • How you are responding to that treatment

These are the same types of issues that Social Security evaluated to award you benefits in the beginning. So, they will continue to evaluate as time moves forward. Currently, your case is going to be put in one of three categories:

The first category is the default, which is that your case is going to be reviewed quickly in about a year. The second category is if you have problems that are likely to improve and allow you to get back to work but it will take longer, that is a case that will be reviewed in three years, every three years.The third category is that you could be in a situation where you have conditions that, while they might improve, they are unlikely to improve enough to allow you to return to work. The Social Security Administration typically reviews those cases every five to seven years. 

You will know once you are awarded benefits how frequently your case is being reviewed by looking at the Award Letter that Social Security sends you. But, just be aware that yes, your case will be reviewed, and if you have improved to the point that Social Security believes that you can return to work, then your benefits will be stopped. 

About Disability Associates

Our team at Disability Associates views our clients as more than just another case. We build genuine relationships with each and every one of our clients to ensure that they are comfortable during this stressful time. We value honesty, good communication, and compassion, and implement these values with every client we have. In building these relationships, our clients trust that we will provide competent representation and will do our best to get them the Social Security benefits they deserve.