Hello Heather

I have a student loan of roughly $30k from the PHEAA and have been repaying it with an automatic deduction of 15% from my social security benefits. The benefits of SSDI are based on the amount payed in social security taxes. I was employed from the age of 15 to 28 so I only qualify for $1k a month and as you can imagine loosing $1800 a year is a big dent in my income.

Last month I was asked to update the status of my handicaps with the social security department and this month the 15% was not deducted! I am very curious as to why but don’t want to call and ask just to have them correct a possible mistake which would stop me from going out on a date a couple times a month.

Have there been any changes in the laws of federal dept repayment that could have caused this? Also is there any way to reduce the 15% deduction if it starts to kick in again?

Thanks

~Matt

If you are able to work in a different occupation.  To be eligible, your disability must make you unable to engage in any type of substantial gainful activity.