DISABILITY SURVIVAL GUIDE: NORTH ALABAMA EDITION

Many employers carry group insurance that includes a Long Term Disability (LTD) policy on their employees.  This can be a financial life saver when disability strikes. Let's say that you are suddenly diagnosed with a serious disease that will require you to be off work for an indefinite period of time, perhaps even permanently.  Or, you have an accident that leaves you unable to work.  All your bills continue but your income may suddenly stop because you are unable to work. You apply for Social Security disability.  However, you find out that Social Security pays no benefit for the first 5 months from the onset of your disability.  So, even if you are approved quickly, there can be no Social Security check for 5 months. Then, you discover that it often takes months just to get a decision on your SSDI application.  Worse still, up to 80 percent of Social Security disability applications will be denied.  An appeal can take 2 years.  There is n...