00:00:00 Speaker 1: Welcome to my show. I'm Rashon McDonald, a host of Money Making Conversations Masterclass, where we encourage people to stop reading other people's success stories and start planning your own. Now, you don't want to miss an episode, so please take a moment right now to follow or subscribe to Money Making Conversations Masterclass. 00:00:16 Speaker 2: It's free. 00:00:17 Speaker 1: You can follow me on the iHeartRadio app, Spotify, Apple Podcasts, or wherever you listen to your podcast. New Money Making Conversations Masterclass episodes drop daily. I want to keep you on alert because my guests provide tips on how you can uplift your community, improve your financial planning, motivation, or advice on how to be a successful entrepreneur. Now, let's get this podcast started. My guest enjoys assisting to disable with attaining Social Security disability benefits. He helps his clients understand the impact that the law has on their lives. As a candidate for disability, he interfaces with various attorneys and judges to ensure that the client is fairly represented in the court of law. Please welcome to the Money Making Conversation Master Class. He's an advocate. Please welcome. Leonard Graham. How you doing limit. 00:01:08 Speaker 3: Heyshawn, thank you for having me on the show Man. 00:01:11 Speaker 1: When I say an advocate, because we're not talking about an attorney, an advocate for disability and the social security side, what does that mean. 00:01:21 Speaker 3: Well, it's it's in a sense kind of lack of attorney. We still help clients with their representation all the way from the beginning of the process through appeals to the end. Relative to me, if they are awarded benefits. 00:01:40 Speaker 1: Now you know, I'm sixty seven, Okay, I don't feel I need benefits like that. 00:01:47 Speaker 2: Who needs benefits like that? 00:01:51 Speaker 3: Well, it's interesting that you say that because when you say social security disability, most people will automatically think of the elderly. Right, But what if, for instance, you get in a car accident and you can't go back to work, or you get hurt on the job and you can't go back to work, or if you have a certain illness or condition and you can't work. But those are reasons for filing for disability. 00:02:22 Speaker 2: Benefits and why does one file? 00:02:27 Speaker 3: So what typically happens is you can file out on your own. It's good to have a representative, whether it's an attorney or an advocate, to help you you set up a phone appointment or you can actually do an application online with the Social Security Administration, and then they ask you certain questions related to your conditions. They want to know about what conditions are preventing you from being able to work or work enough to sustain yourself. So they ask you those types of questions whether or not you are still working, because you can actually have a claim and work, but you cannot gross over a certain amount per month. It's what we call substantial gain for activity. So right now, that threshold is sixteen hundred and ninety dollars a month. So as long as you are under that gross amount per month, you can still work and have an active claim. 00:03:34 Speaker 2: Oh okay, I didn't know that. 00:03:36 Speaker 1: So in other words, I'm just that's why I wanted you on the show because we can turn We could lose out by not knowing. Yes, indeed, and that's a situation here. So somebody said, man, you working, You can't get that. That's somebody just shut you down with bad information. 00:03:52 Speaker 3: Yeah, it's a lot of that. And one of the things that we do here at our law firm is we tell our clients don't talk to somebody else about your claim. There's no one said universal way of obtaining benefits. Each claim is its own individual claim, so it's best that you have your own claim. But don't talk to your neighbor or even your relatives about your claim because it's not going to do anything but frustrate you when they say, well, I read this in the newspaper or I saw this on the internet, and your situation is worse than mine. And I'm already getting money because I know the next call is going to be to me asking me why am I not getting benefits? 00:04:41 Speaker 2: Well, you mentioned a law firm. 00:04:42 Speaker 1: Now you took They say, the GENI out of the bag, Now the cook off the box. Because your law recently did some fantastic for a young man. I'm gonna see a young man because everybody who's alive is young. To me that it came to the rescue legally and he tenderism. If anybody not familiar with that viral word that came out. Attorney Ken Harris, he's at your law firm, correct. 00:05:10 Speaker 3: Yes, Hen Harrison is the senior attorney at the law firm. He and I have been in business partners for over thirty five years. 00:05:18 Speaker 1: So you know exactly the type of environment that this company works out of. Because I'm not saying I'm not interviewr Kin, but you got to know the story about how that came about and shared with my audience because reason to ask you to share with my audience, because that's a prime example of what you guys are doing at this law firm. You're helping the needy when they don't have no what to turn and a lot of people who need your services are people of color and black correct. 00:05:50 Speaker 3: Yes, And that's one of the things of major focuses we have here at the law firm is trying to educate the black community because they're things that they don't understand or feel like they don't have anywhere to turn to or somebody to talk to to help educate them on certain things. So that's what we're here for. 00:06:11 Speaker 1: Why is that, you know, I would just you know, you know, I grew up in a black neighborhood. My father had a third grade education. He was a truck driver, He put food on the table. I am where I am today because he raised me. 00:06:23 Speaker 2: Right. My mom, she knows she. 00:06:25 Speaker 1: Graduated from high school. So education plays a role, but also fear plays a role. And what we do as an African American community because we're afraid to confront something even though it might be a benefit for us. 00:06:40 Speaker 2: How do we change that? Leonard? 00:06:44 Speaker 3: Well, one of the things that I've run into, or we run into here, is when we're talking to individuals, there's a certain element of ego and pride. So we try to tell people sometimes you have to be vulnerable and speak to people and let them know exactly what you're going through and that you don't understand. That way you can get educated and know which are the next steps to take to try to help improve your life. 00:07:17 Speaker 1: Now, again, as we as we as I stated earlier about social security disability. Now I know about social security payments, I know about Medicare. There's a lot of words out there that we're throwing out there that's tied to social security. What is the difference between if you're going to educate me, educate me right, between medicare and social security disability? 00:07:40 Speaker 2: If you can help me there. 00:07:42 Speaker 3: Well, when you're filing for soci security benefits, okay, that is based off of the benefit where you say you can't work, you unable. 00:07:52 Speaker 2: To work, okay, okay, And. 00:07:55 Speaker 3: So that comes to the benefit related to a benefit or amount of dollars that you get. Medicare is the insurance that covers you once you are awarded benefits. 00:08:09 Speaker 1: Oh okay, okay, So that's just another words. When I go to the doctor's office or when I go to a pharmacy, that's where MEDICAC covers me. As far as insurance or the disability, Can you actually present you a check? 00:08:24 Speaker 3: Yes, yes, So when you unable to work and you don't have any income coming in, that's why you file for Social Security disability. And then there are two different types of benefits. When you're filing for Social Security disability benefits, you have Social Security Disability Income or SSDI, which is the larger of the two benefits. That's based off of your individual earnings. So when you work and you pay your taxes, you're paying it to the Social Security system. That system is based off what we call credits or quarters, so you get one credit for every eighteen hundred dollars that you earn. The credit amount changes every year with the cost of living. You have to have a minimum of twenty credits to qualify for disability, and forty to get your maximum benefit, which basically equates if you work the past five to ten years. Then you should have to qualifying credits to qualify for disability. Because it's an earnings based benefit. You can have a million dollars in the bank and still file for soci security disability. Now, if you awarded soci security disability benefits, then you qualify for medical care. That's after you've been disabled for twenty four months. 00:09:58 Speaker 1: Okay, cool, Let me ask you this right quick. Is there an age restriction? In other words, you have to be over sixty, be over fifty or over seventy. That'll be able to over forty? Is there any there's Social security disability doesn't have an age where it only happens for you or you only can qualify for it. 00:10:17 Speaker 3: No, No, there isn't. As long as you work and have the qualifying credits, then you potentially qualify for that benefit. So there is no age restrictions. 00:10:29 Speaker 2: So you'd be thirty years old and qualified for this if you have. 00:10:32 Speaker 3: Work, If you work long enough to have the qualifying credits, you potentially qualify for SoC Security Disability income benefit. 00:10:41 Speaker 2: Let me ask you this then, Leonard. 00:10:44 Speaker 1: Would somebody feel like they wouldn't they wouldn't apply because they feel like it might be a stigma, might make them look bad. I'm just trying to go through the process that the way people think, the way people are not filing because again it's there for them, two files. And that's doing this interview to educate people on stop letting stereotypes, stop feel like you stigmatize. Talk to us about that, Leonard. 00:11:09 Speaker 3: Yeah, a lot of people do that. They feel like, hey, if I apply for benefits or if I'm awarded benefits, that people will look at me in a certain type of way or feel like I'm not well enough to do a job. But it's yeared for helping you when you're unable to work and obtain money or earnings to help you pay your bills. So let's suppose you you are awarded benefit. You don't have to keep the benefit. If God blesses you and you get well again and you're able to go back to work, all you have to do is just call the SOB Security Administration and tell them I'm better now, I'm back at work. You can stop my benefits and they'll stop it. 00:11:57 Speaker 2: Please don't go anywhere. 00:11:59 Speaker 1: We'll be right back when more Money Making Conversations Masterclass. No need for you to do me a favor right now to follow or subscribe to Money Making Conversation. It's free and you can find it on the iHeartRadio app, Spotify, Apple Podcasts, or wherever you get your podcasts. Please do me that favor, follow or subscribe money Making Conversations. Welcome back to Money Making Conversations master Class with me Rashawn McDonald. So with that being said, let's go through the steps again. I'm talking to Larry Graham. You know you know he enjoys. Let me just tell you something he enjoys. Assistant to disable with attaining Social Security disability benefits. He's already told you. Well, you hear the word disability and the word social security. You always think I gotta be over sixty five, I gotta be over the seventy. I gotta be a retireer zone. He just told you that's not true. As long as you reach are achieve the credits. He said twenty and forty, and that means you have to have had a work history. As long as you have a work history, you can qualify this at hell, if you've been working since U fifteen, you qualified twenty five, you qualified thirty. As long as you have work credits to qualify. So that's first stigma we're trying to get out the way. There's no age issue. The second stigma is that don't allow people to believe just because you on disability that that's something you should be ashamed of. 00:13:29 Speaker 3: Correct letter, That is correct, And I do want to mention the other part of the benefit, which is SSI Supplemental Security Income. That's based off of individual's resources. So if you have worked, but you don't have enough credits, or you haven't worked at all, then you still have the opportunity to apply for SSI benefits as a resource benefit. With SSI, they look at your resources, so your resources can't be over two thousand dollars a month if you're single, three thousand dollars a month if you're married. So what they do is they when you file and they're doing their interview, they ask you financial questions, whether or not you have a check in or save as account, if you have for one K or property or multiple cars, things of value. As long as that value is not over two thousand dollars or three thousand dollars, you could potentially qualify for SSI benefits. Now, they do not count your primary home or your primary vehicle. But if you have other property or vehicles, then they take that into account. 00:14:54 Speaker 2: So let's go all get you the big word, the fraud. 00:14:58 Speaker 1: What shouldn't they be come on that, Leonard, because that's where we were drifted, you know, because you said, hey, they do not charge, they do. 00:15:06 Speaker 2: Not kind a primary home or primary car. 00:15:09 Speaker 1: So to avoid fraud, what should our listeners do besides call you? 00:15:15 Speaker 3: Just just tell the truth. That's the best thing to do. Just tell the truth. When you're applying. You can potentially be awarded benefits because if they catch you on the fraud side, then you're gonna wind up having an overpayment. You're going to pay the money back that they that they sent you if you awarded benefits, and they will stay on you to get that money back. 00:15:40 Speaker 2: Yes they will, Yes they will. That be saying tell us how to get in touch with you, Leonard. 00:15:45 Speaker 3: So here at the lawlaw firm, we actually have two firms. We have Ken Harrison Associalist Law Firm, and then Ken and I started a national firm called USSA United States Social Security Advocates. So we have the ability to help clients all across the country. We don't have to be in a certain state to help clients. You don't have to be an attorney to be in another state. We have clients from coast to coast. We have clients in d C, Baltimore, California, Texas, but they can reach us here at the office at seven zero four six two one eight three six seven. 00:16:43 Speaker 1: Okay, you're based in Charlotte, but can be work with anybody throughout the domestic of the United States. 00:16:49 Speaker 3: Okay, yes, anybody. 00:16:51 Speaker 1: Okay, let me ask a couple more questions before I get you out of here. What happens if I get denied? What can you do for me? 00:16:56 Speaker 2: Then? 00:16:57 Speaker 3: What typically happens? And that's a great question because a lot of people who especially who file on their own, they have the thought, well, let me I know I can't work, let me go ahead and file so I can here, you get and have some benefits and insurance coming in, and I can continue on with my life. And when they file and they get denied, they get mad and frustrated and say, forget it right. If you get a denial, you have sixty days to appeal a decision. So the key with the situation is to continue on with the claim, getting a denial at initial filing is nothing out of the normal. I'd say ninety ninety five percent of initial filings are denied. The key is to continue with the claim to appeal that decision. It's what we call the request for reconsideration. If that is denied, we still continue on and do another appeal to request the hearing date to go before the administrative law That's where you have a better chance of obtaining benefits because now you get a chance to go before the administrative law judge to talk to somebody. So the administrative law judge takes your testimony along with the medical evidence, and that judge renders his own decision separate and distinct from the two potential denials you may have got. 00:18:29 Speaker 1: Now that sounds like a loan process. Should I be patient or or is it months of weeks? How long does the process like that take? 00:18:37 Speaker 3: Leonard, Patience is a key because this can be a lengthy process. They don't have enough representatives at Social Security Administration for all the claims that they have, so it can take a while. But the key is being patient and just moving forward and going through with the process. There are times where we get what we calld and on the record award OTR, So you could file and it could be an initial filing or reconsideration where you are awarded based off the medical evidence that they see. So with all the pins, we could have some of the same conditions, but your condition may be a little worse than mine. Right, your age plays apart, your education plays apart, your past work history, all that plays apart when you're talking about social security disability benefits. 00:19:37 Speaker 1: I ask you two more questions you, Leonard. One is I'll be honest with you. When I got sixty five, I finally saw that check from Social Secure, they go, are you kidding me? I can't live off this, you know, because they play it off like you know, we've retired, got so security check. Coming that check is a grave disappointment. Now, medic fantastic, the Social Security check whatever. What type of benefits in the disability world are you looking? Is one looking to possibly get if they qualify on the twenty credits and they qualify on the forty credits. 00:20:17 Speaker 3: Well that's based upon your earnings. But if you have the credits and you're awarded, whether it's the twenty or the forty, if you're awarded, you awarded and what they do is they look at your earnings over a thirty five year period. Even if you hadn't worked thirty five years, they'll just put zeros in for the years that you hadn't worked, and their calculation based off of that to let you know what your monthly benefit would be. 00:20:45 Speaker 2: Wow. Now, my last question. What happens when I get approved? 00:20:51 Speaker 3: When you get approved, typically what happens is soci Security will send out what we call the notice of award, letting you know that you've been awarded benefits. It'll usually have the breakdown of what your monthly benefit will be about the time you should receive it, if there's any back pay that's recovered, what your back pay is going to be. If you have a representative who has helped you, it'll even let you know what the representative representative is entitled to. 00:21:24 Speaker 2: Wow, it's been fantastic. 00:21:25 Speaker 1: Again, give me that number one more time after we wrap up this interview, Leonard. 00:21:30 Speaker 3: The number here at the law firm is seven zero four six two one eight three six seven. 00:21:40 Speaker 1: And this is you provide services. Even though you're based in Charlotte, North Carolina. It doesn't matter what state as long as you in the United States. You can provide services for individual anybody who's trying to get their Social Security disability payments exactly. 00:21:58 Speaker 3: And another thing, I wanted to just make sure that people know there is no upfront costs relating to a claim. We only get paid number one if you are approved for benefits and number two, if there's any back pay that is recovered, we get paid out of the back pay. But we don't touch any other money or handle any other benefit. Social Security does all of that. They make the determination of what our fee is. We don't, and then they'll send that directly to us. Everything else goes to the individual. 00:22:35 Speaker 2: Well learn her. Thank you man for coming on the show. 00:22:37 Speaker 1: I really when I say that, man, because knowledge is power, and in our community, meaning the community of color, the Black community, that knowledge seems to be either doesn't come into our community, goes over our community, or flat our skips our community. But you offered us an opportunity to change people's lives. 00:22:59 Speaker 3: Man. I really appreciate shake the time, and please, by all means, all of your listeners, if you have questions related to some Security disability, please feel free to give us a call. 00:23:10 Speaker 2: We will thank you for coming on money Making Conversations Masterclass. Appreciate you. Thank you for listening to this episode. 00:23:16 Speaker 1: Now I need for you to do me a favor right now to follow or subscribe to Money Making Conversation. It's free and you can find it on the iHeartRadio app, Spotify, Apple Podcasts, or wherever you get your podcasts. Please do me that favor, follow or subscribe Money Making Conversations. 00:23:35 Speaker 2: Keep winning