Most of us usually rely on the experience of others to understand how to deal with similar situations. The real problem with this is that benefits are person-centered. Benefit programs fit each individual differently, based on a variety of facts and conditions, such as:

The more specifically you document your medical condition the easier it will be to support a claim or to make a case for continuing benefits. Documenting in a daily medical journal detailing even the most seemingly insignificant symptoms can be of great value. If you or the individual are too ill, or can't maintain the journal on a daily basis, a friend or relative can log the entries. This journal can also provide you with a way to inform providers about your medical condition.

It can be difficult to find accurate and complete information about Social Security programs. Some social workers and advocates may have limited knowledge and training on the variety of Social Security benefits and how work impacts such benefits. Many representatives of federal and state agencies may be experts in a particular field of benefits but have not been trained on benefit programs that are of interest to you.

Most individuals do not know that Social Security has two separate disability programs. The acronyms for the two programs are misused and confused. Here are three acronyms you should be aware of:

You may be eligible for Supplemental Security Income (SSI) or for Social Security Disability Insurance (SSDI). Some individuals are eligible for both. Understanding which program you are enrolled in can be confusing because of the many benefit program acronyms used. Although both programs have the same definition of disability, the rules governing each are different. Misidentifying these programs is common. Make sure you know exactly which program is being discussed.

Social Security defines disability as your inability to work due to a disabling condition that will continue for at least one year. If you work or return to work (full or part-time), within the first year of disability, Social Security may re-determine your disability status.

If you underreport your earnings to Social Security you may be overpaid and be required to pay back those benefits. Make sure that you are reporting all of your gross income. Gross income is the amount you are paid before taxes are deducted from your paycheck. For the self-employed only, you report earnings based on your IRS tax return.

The earnings you report to Social Security could be questioned. It is your responsibility to maintain good records. To avoid this pitfall, it is important to clearly document and date materials such as copies of letters, dates and times of phone calls to Social Security, and the name of the individual(s) spoken to during these phone calls. For example, many people keep a journal of Social Security contacts in a spiral notebook.