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Colleen007 · 06-18-2009, 05:42 AM

Hi Pam,

You might want to double check that you would wait for a year before applying for SSDI. When I went on long term disability 2.5 years ago, I had to apply for SSDI right from the start. I get my SSDI payment each month and the LTD carrier supplements the difference to come up with my 60% of salary. Also, you are allowed to work a limited number of hours while you are on SSDI (off the top of my head, I’m not sure how many), so you might want to check in on that as well. It might not be the 1/3 time that you are looking at now (but it will be something).

This will be very difficult for you since you have been with the company for so long. But it sounds like you have a very supportive boss so continuing to work a little bit might be good for you. For me, I went on disability (full-time) and haven’t looked back. I am lucky (as you are) that my employer still continues my health benefits while I am on disability.

Best of luck with this decision…I worked in employee benefits in my prior life and other than what I pointed out above, I don’t see any red flags.

Colleen

06-18-2009, 05:42 AM	#2
Colleen007 Senior Member Join Date: Aug 2006 Location: Franklin, MA Posts: 131	Hi Pam, You might want to double check that you would wait for a year before applying for SSDI. When I went on long term disability 2.5 years ago, I had to apply for SSDI right from the start. I get my SSDI payment each month and the LTD carrier supplements the difference to come up with my 60% of salary. Also, you are allowed to work a limited number of hours while you are on SSDI (off the top of my head, I’m not sure how many), so you might want to check in on that as well. It might not be the 1/3 time that you are looking at now (but it will be something). This will be very difficult for you since you have been with the company for so long. But it sounds like you have a very supportive boss so continuing to work a little bit might be good for you. For me, I went on disability (full-time) and haven’t looked back. I am lucky (as you are) that my employer still continues my health benefits while I am on disability. Best of luck with this decision…I worked in employee benefits in my prior life and other than what I pointed out above, I don’t see any red flags. Colleen __________________ Diagnosed 10-03-2005 (34 wks pregnant, 38 yrs old) Lumpectomy Nov-2005. 10/18 Lymph Nodes impacted Mets to liver, spine & femurs (thus being stage IV right from the get-go) ER-, PR-, HER2+ Taxol/Herceptin/Zometa started Dec-2005. 11 cycles of Taxol. Sept-2006: PET/CT scan of mets to liver, spine and femurs - Stable. Activity in R breast & mediastinum (not seen in prior scans). Navelbine (3 wks on/1 wk off) as of Oct--2006 & continued Herceptin (every 3 wks) & Zometa (every 6 wks) Jan-2007: PET/CT Scan - Stable. Continued Nav. through March-2007, then Herc./Zom. only after that. June-2007: PET/CT Scan - activity in mediastinum. Back on Navelbine as of July-2007. Scanned Quarterly since Oct-2007 - a few small scares, but otherwise stable due to continuing weekly Navelbine, Herceptin and Quarterly Zometa.