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          The process of applying for Supplemental Security Income (SSI) or Social Security Disability (SSD) can be arduous.  Lawyers who are authorized representatives with Social Security can help collect your records necessary to present a strong argument on appeal.  And you should not be surprised if you are denied and want to appeal.  Many – if not most – applicants are denied after their initial application, and it can take approximately a year and a half to receive a hearing date after an appeal.  Backlog is an unfortunate reality of the current social security process.

However, the Social Security Administration (SSA) does recognize this problematic backlog, and has taken steps to significantly reduce the waiting time for individuals diagnosed with conditions or illnesses that clearly meet the SSA’s definition of “disability.”  The SSA has a list of “Compassionate Allowances.”  Individuals suffering from conditions or illnesses on this list experience a reduced waiting time.  According to the SSA website, the Compassionate Allowances program identifies claims that will clearly be granted, and “[b]y incorporating cutting-edge technology, the agency can easily identify potential Compassionate Allowances to quickly make decisions.”  Conditions on this list include certain cancers, Huntington’s Disease, ALS, some types of muscular dystrophy, and more.  (For a complete list, visit: https://www.ssa.gov/compassionateallowances/conditions.htm.)

On Tuesday, September 5, 2017, the Social Security Administration announced that it is expanding its list of “Compassionate Allowances.”  CACH (Vanishing White Matter Disease, Infantile and Childhood Onset Forms), Congenital Myotonic Dystrophy, and Kleefstra Syndrome have been added to the list of Compassionate Allowances conditions.  (For more information, or to view the press release, visit: https://www.ssa.gov/news/press/releases/#/post/9-2017-1.)

What this means for you:  If you have been diagnosed with a condition on the Compassionate Allowances list, you can qualify for an expedited review of your SSI and/or SSD application.  The conditions and diseases on this list are ones that clearly meet the agency’s definition of disability, so you will be able to receive your benefits quickly and avoid the lengthy application and appeal process.

At Pyfer Reese, Attorneys Gabriella H. Farhat and Lauren Martin are authorized representatives with the Social Security Administration.  If you have questions about your social security disability benefits, we can help you. Make Pyfer Reese your choice – visit www.pyferreese.com or call 717.299.7342 to set up a free consultation.

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EXCITING NEWS- “WALK-INS”- FROM OUR FIRM TO YOU!    Starting March 6, 2017, to allow flexibility for potential new clients, we will now offer a rotating “WALK-IN” DAY.  The hours will rotate and NO APPOINTMENTS will be needed.  WE WILL ANNOUNCE THE WALK-IN DAY EVERY FRIDAY, BEFORE NOON FOR THE FOLLOWING WEEK ON OUR FACEBOOK PAGE. That’s right.  Just walk in.   Our usual policies and rates apply. We have a team of talented Attorneys who can handle a variety of legal issues. We can serve you in many ways.  Refer to our website, www.pyferreese.com for a list of our Attorneys and their areas of practice.  We look forward to meeting you.  OUR FIRST WALK-IN day is Tuesday, March 7, 2017, from 9 until 3pm. 

The General Assembly of Pennsylvania recently passed House Bill No. 12, amending Title 23 (Domestic Relations) of the PA Consolidated Statutes relating to divorce. Introduced by Representative Michael H. Schlossberg, the legislation provides simple and meaningful reforms to better protect victims of domestic violence. Summarily, the amendment streamlines the legal process to dissolve a marriage when there have been instances of spousal abuse.

Under the prior law, if the abusive spouse did not consent to the divorce, the marriage could remain intact for two additional years. Under the new law, upon showing that the abusive spouse was convicted of a crime and the filing spouse was the victim, the innocent spouse can obtain a divorce in the same manner as if the convicted spouse consented to the divorce.  Additionally, the victimized spouse is no longer required to undergo court-ordered face-to-face counseling with the abusive spouse.

Terminating a marriage is a legal process that involves confronting the other spouse. This can be painstaking and difficult for victims of abuse. This amendment affords victims greater control over the decision to escape the abuse.

http://www.legis.state.pa.us/cfdocs/billinfo/billinfo.cfm?syear=2015&sind=0&body=H&type=B&bn=12

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The History of St. Valentine’s Day from The History Channel http://www.history.com/topics/valentines-day/history-of-valentines-day

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On January 4, 2016, President Obama signed the final version of a new ATF** rule that directly affects the transfer and manufacture of weapons regulated by the National Firearms Act. That rule, known as the new ATF Rule 41(f) defines the term “responsible person,” as used in reference to an entity like a Gun Trust. It requires responsible persons to complete a specified form and to submit photographs and fingerprints when the trust or legal entity files an application to make an NFA firearm or is listed as the transferee on an application to transfer an NFA firearm. It also requires that a copy of all applications to make or transfer a firearm, and the specified form for responsible persons, as applicable, be forwarded to the chief law enforcement officer (CLEO) of the locality in which the applicant/transferee or responsible person is located.

Despite those changes, a Gun Trust is still without a doubt the best way to legally share the use of NFA weapons with others and to ease the process of legally transferring those weapons in the event of your death or incapacity. Attorney Matthew Oas is ready to meet with you and to custom tailor a Gun Trust that addresses your specific needs. Call today to set up a consultation to discuss the formation of a Gun Trust and to learn more about how it can help to protect you and your loved ones.

 ** ATF [Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives] defines themselves as “a law enforcement agency in the United States’ Department of Justice that protects our communities from violent criminals, criminal organizations, the illegal use and trafficking of firearms, the illegal use and storage of explosives, acts of arson and bombings, acts of terrorism, and the illegal diversion of alcohol and tobacco products”. ATF “… partners with communities, industries, law enforcement, and public safety agencies to safeguard the public we serve through information sharing, training, research and use of technology.”