Many injuries and conditions can gradually grow into a problem that gets in the way of profit. You may be able to work a few days or a few hours out of the day--and you may be the best at your job by everyone's opinions--but crippling pain, locking joints, mental changes out of your control, and a trail of other problems can simply end your productivity no matter how much you try to tough it out. Here are a few options to keep you going and protect your future without taking too many unnecessary hits to your finances.

Social Security Income Planning And Conflicts

Depending on your type of injury or condition, you may qualify for different government programs or legal options. These range from Social Security's disability program to lawsuits over someone else's negligence, and each option may need to stand down against another option.

One major consideration is social security disability income limits when compared with any other option. In general, there are earned income limits placed on the social security recipient that reduces the amount of social security payment.

If you're winning lawsuits and receiving compensation, it makes sense. If you're making money and living fine financially, there's no reason to make more money. That's double dipping into financial support, and social security is for people who have almost no other options.

That said, timing is everything. While you work on a lawsuit, you may not be receiving any decent income, and the victory isn't a guarantee. It makes sense to receive social security in this case, but you may be busy fighting that legal battle to get through all of the proof you need for compensation.

The way you report your other compensation matters as well. Words have significant meaning, and blabbing on the phone or at a Social Security Administration (SSA) building with a representative about how you've got lots of plans to get money elsewhere is a cue for the SSA to save money by denying you. Leave such discussions to a social security lawyer.

Planning Other Compensation Routes After Social Security

If you're already on social security, providing the right information is everything. You don't want to tell the SSA to turn off your disability benefits when you receive compensation from elsewhere, because you may still be entitled to some assistance. At the same time, you don't want to hide your earnings and try to keep benefits that you don't deserve.

A social security lawyer can help you by looking through your current earnings and the likelihood of staying financial safe over the years. For injury lawsuits, it doesn't matter if you're getting a lump sum or a structured settlement; it's a potentially temporary amount of money, and you need a plan to get back on SSA if the funds dry up without some sort of financial security plan.

Lifetime disability programs such as Veterans Affairs (VA) disability could require cancellation of SSA depending on how much you're making from the VA. VA payments can be as small as $133 or several thousands of dollars, depending on compensation for multiple conditions and their severity. Don't assume anything; contact a social security lawyer to create a map of your possible and real earnings, then discuss your next course of action.

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