Reasons Why Permanent Disability Can Be Canceled

Disability benefits from Social Security are intended to last as long as you continue to be disabled. They are sometime referred to as "permanent" because benefits can last for the rest of your life. However, there are reasons why you may become no longer eligible for disability benefits. Here are 5 reasons why your disability can be suspended or cancelled:

Reason 1: Outstanding Warrant

You are not entitled to receive benefits for any month during which there was an outstanding warrant for your arrest for a crime (usually a felony) where the punishment is a minimum of one year in prison or death.

Reason 2: Incarceration

If you are convicted of a crime, and incarcerated you cannot receive benefits. If you are confined, by court order, to any public institution you cannot receive benefits. This means even if you are found not guilty by reason of insanity or incompetent  to stand trial and you are confined to mental health facility you stop receiving disability benefits.

Reason 3: Parole Violation

Any month that you have violated a condition of a parole or probation you are ineligible to receive disability payments.

Reason 4: Improvement

If your medical condition improves to the point where you are able to return to work, and can perform "significant gainful activity" earning more than $1,000 per month or spending more than 80 hours per month working in your own business then your benefits will be reviewed and adjusted as necessary.

Reason 5: Fraud

If you are found to have entered a fraudulent claim for disability benefits, your payments will be cancelled and you will be prosecuted.

Going Back To Work

If you are lucky enough to have your medical condition improve and you would like to try to go back to work, but are afraid of risking your benefits - don't be. Social Security has a variety of programs that allow their beneficiaries to try working and still maintain their benefit payments as well as Medicare eligibility. There are rules, of course, and your progress is monitored by Social Security, but they do have programs to help you try working again.

Social Security also offers a "Ticket to Work" program that provides vocational rehabilitation training and help finding a job at no cost to you.

Get Legal Help

If you are concerned about losing your disability benefits, contact an attorney today. There are many attorneys who specialize in social security disability, and understand the system and process.  An experienced attorney can help you  get and retain the benefits that you are entitled to.