Savvy Senior: Who’s eligible for Social Security disability benefits?
By Jim Miller
Dear Savvy Senior,
What do I need to do to get disability benefits from Social Security? I’m 60 years old and have a medical condition that doesn’t allow me to work at my job anymore, but I’ve read that getting disability benefits is very difficult.
Need Help
Dear Need, Getting Social Security Disability Insurance benefits when you’re unable to work can indeed be challenging.
Each year, approximately two million people apply for SSDI, but around two-thirds of them are denied, because most applicants fail to prove that they’re disabled and can’t work. Here are some steps you can take that can help improve your odds.
ARE YOU DISABLED?
The first thing you need to find out is if your health condition qualifies you for Social Security disability benefits.
You generally will be eligible only if you have a physical or mental impairment severe enough that it prevents you from working in your current, or past line of work, for at least a year. There is no such thing as a partial disability benefit.
If you’re fit enough to work part-time, and you’re earning more than $1,620 ($2,700 if you’re blind) a month on average in 2025, your application will be denied. But, if you’re not working or are working but earning below those limits, your application may be considered.
Your skills, education and work experience are factors too. Your application will be denied if your work history suggests that you could perform a less physically demanding job that your disability does not prevent you from doing.
To help you determine if you’re eligible, use the SSA Benefit Eligibility Screening Tool at SSAbest.benefits.gov.
HOW TO APPLY
If you believe you have a claim, your next step is to gather up your personal, financial and medical information so you can be prepared and organized for the application process.
You can apply either online at SSA.gov/ disability or call 800-772-1213 to make an appointment to apply at your local Social Security office, or to set up an appointment for
ATHLETES
From page 2
walk and silver in mini javelin.
■ Christian Stacy competed in three events, placing fifth in both the 100m dash and mini javelin, and sixth in the 200m dash.
The weekend kicked off with an unforgettable opening ceremony at the Tacoma Rainiers game on Friday night. The Rainiers beat the Albuquerque Isotopes 14–10 with a season-high four home runs. The evening ended with fireworks, which many Cruisers stayed to enjoy despite cold temperatures that sent much of the crowd home early.
On Saturday night, athletes attended the annual Victory Dance, themed “The Golden Ball: A Journey through Time,” hosted by DJ Shane.
The Eatonville Cruisers had 14 athletes compete in the spring track season, with
someone to take your claim over the phone.
The whole process lasts about an hour. If you schedule an appointment, a “Disability Starter Kit” that will help you get ready for your interview will be mailed to you. If you apply online, the kit is available at SSA.gov/ disability/disability_starter_kits.htm.
It currently takes six to eight months from the initial application to receive either an award or denial of benefits. The only exception is if you have a chronic illness that qualifies you for a “compassionate allowance” (see SSA.gov/compassionateallowances), which fast tracks cases within weeks.
If Social Security denies your initial application, you can appeal the decision, and you’ll be happy to know that roughly half of all cases that go through a round or two of appeals end with benefits being awarded.
But the bad news is, with a huge backlog of people waiting, it can take another eight to 10 months or longer to appeal the decision, and another 15 months to get a hearing if reconsideration is denied.
GET HELP
You can hire a representative to help you with your Social Security disability claim. By law, representatives can charge only 25% of past-due benefits up to a maximum of $9,200 if they win your case.
It’s probably worth hiring someone at the start of the application process if your disability is something difficult to prove such as chronic pain.
If, however, your disability is obvious, it might be worth initially working without a representative to avoid paying the fee. You can always hire a representative later if your initial application and first appeal are denied.
To find a representative, check with the National Organization of Social Security Claimants’ Representatives or National Association of Disability Representatives. Or, if you’re low-income, contact the Legal Services Corporation for free assistance.
Send your questions or comments to questions@savvysenior.org, or to Savvy Senior, P.O. Box 5443, Norman, OK 73070.
10 qualifying for state. The program also benefits from dedicated student volunteers. This season, Emory Simpson and Katelyn Lindquist from Eatonville High School contributed their time to support athletes during practices and at the games. Four Eatonville athletes—Maya Frink, Jason Pedersen, Ayden Hildebrand, and Sarah Olmstead—are eligible for selection to represent Washington at the 2026 Special Olympics USA Games in Minneapolis. Final team selections will be announced July 2.
The Eatonville Cruisers Special Olympics program runs year-round with seasonal sports including bowling (fall), basketball (winter), and track and field (spring). It is open to athletes ages 8 and older and welcomes high school and adult volunteers.
Summer kicks off with a Tacoma Blast
By Tacoma Weekly
One of the South Sound’s biggest Independence Day celebrations is returning to the Ruston Way waterfront — the 4th of July Tacoma Summer Blast. It will be a full day of live music, food, entertainment, craft vendors and, of course, spectacular fireworks over Puget Sound.
The event is spread across a long footprint, from Dune Peninsula to Cummings Park on Ruston Way, which will be closed to all vehicular traffic between Alder Street and N. 49th Street. Yacht Club Road will be closed between Ruston Way and Grand Loop, and N. Baltimore St. will be closed between Ruston Way and N. 49th St. This allows for everyone to move about freely.
Joe Brady, Deputy Director of Regional Parks & Attractions for Parks Tacoma, said people enjoying Summer Blast appreciate these street closures.
“That’s always a big hit. Kids can ride their bikes on Ruston Way and its wide open to folks for use,” he said. “My favorite part of Summer Blast is that it’s a safe, family friendly way to celebrate the 4th of July. It activates Point Ruston and the things that are happening there and it’s great to see the waterfront full of people having fun.”
Now in its third year, Summer Blast has been a learning process for Brady and everyone involved.
“We’ve learned a lot over the past couple years. We have more infrastructure in place like more temporary restrooms placed along the event footprint,” he said, “and we’ve been able to add a significant amount of parking to the site.”
Normally the community has parked outside of the event space and walked in, but Parks Tacoma now has access to about 350 more spaces to park cars right above the multipurpose lot at Point Defiance. As you come into Point Defiance via the main roundabout on Pearl Street, make a righthand turn and come down into the multipurpose lot.
The multipurpose lot will provide paid parking for $25 per vehicle and more paid parking is available at the Point Ruston parking garage. There will also be an overflow lot what will take a lot of pressure off the side streets during Summer Blast and help as traffic flows away from the site after the event is over.
Park near the boat launch and in all lots along Ruston Way south of Alder Street on a first-come, first-served basis. Got to parkstacoma. gov/summer-blast-traffic to learn more, and about Pierce Transit bus service that day.
Once inside the event space, more than 150 vendors will be on site – food vendors, artisan vendors, and commercial vendors, and information booths will be at both Cummings Park and Dune Peninsula.
Tacoma Summer Blast features three beer gardens, open to ages 21 and older only, and the Kids Zone at Cummings Park will feature entertainment created especially for kids – a bounce house, soccer, basketball and other interactive games; ice cream; makeand-take crafts; a family karaoke booth; and a special toddlers-only area with a bounce house and slide for the littlest guests.
The variety and quality of the live stage performances add a key element to Summer Blast, and much thought is put into choosing this line-up.
“The depth of musical talent on the stages at Cummings Park and Dune Peninsula is going to be a step above,” Brady said. “Folks will be really excited to see the different kinds of entertainment we’re putting on those two stages. That’s going to be a lot of fun.”
Cummings Park stage performers include DJ Sureal, Emily McVicker, Alex Rassmussen, Tekla Waterfield, and the Triple Treat Band.
Tamao George Yasutake, aka DJ Sureal, has DJed in Seattle for over 20 years. Inspired by his brother DJ Hardcut, and as a member of the Universal Zulu Nation, he has performed with some of hip-hop’s most important pioneers.
Wonder’s grip.”
Alex Rasmussen spans genres as a singer-songwriter, novelist, and poet. For this performance at Tacoma’s Summer Blast, he will be joined by virtuosic local fiddler Julie Baldridge.
Tekla Waterfield incorporates elements of folk, country, roots, rock and soul, creating a wide-ranging sound unified by dynamic vocals and point-of-view storytelling.
The seven-piece Triple Threat Band with their three lead female vocalists is loved for their wide variety of fun party music, old school and new R&B music.
On the Dune Peninsula stage, experience DJ Abbie Gobeli, Kate Dinsmore, Bigtooth, and event headliner Wild Rumours closing out the live music just before the fireworks begin.
Abbie Gobeli is an on-air host and DJ at KEXP 90.3 FM in Seattle where she presents her own show every Wednesday by day and by night spins vinyl and soundwaves a various Seattle venues.
Singer-songwriter Kate Dinsmore brings a modern pop sensibility to timeless lyrics and melodies. Bigtooth, known as Seattle’s “Dad Pop” band, is known for their rich harmonies, big guitar chords and lightning bolt rhythms where no influence is out of bounds.
Headliners Wild Rumours knows the music of Fleetwood Mac backward and forward from the height of the Lindsey Buckingham and Stevie Nicks era and add their own personal touches to the songs that still touch our lives.
The fireworks display starts at around 10 p.m. and can be seen from Dune Peninsula Park in the north, along the Ruston Way Waterfront, and stretching to Jack Hyde Park in the south so there is not a “bad seat” for this favorite part of Summer Blast.
Tacoma Summer Blast could not happen without its
To learn more or get involved, contact coaches Tina Schmidt at 253-677-2479 or Michelle Frink at 253-370-5372. SUMMER, 4
Free public parking is available at Point Defiance
Emily McVicker is a true one-woman musical force. She has been described as “a jukebox and versatile like a Swiss Army Knife, with tools ranging from Lorde’s swells to Amy Winehouse’s bops to
Stevie
The Tacoma Blast fireworks show starts at about 10 p.m. with the best views from Dune Peninsula Park to Jack Hyde Park.
ADOBE STOCK IMAGE
COURTESY PHOTO
