top of page
BLOG
Meal Planning and Estate Planning: The Connection You Didn’t Expect
How Meal Planning Reveals Your Values Meal planning shows more than what’s for dinner—it reveals your relationship with time, money, and...
Green v. Commissioner: A Tenth Circuit Veterans Disability Case
The case of Green v. Commissioner of Social Security Administration (2018) is a powerful reminder of how Veterans’ disability ratings...
Networking That Works: How to Make It Fun and Effective
Most entrepreneurs have a love-hate relationship with networking. You know you need it to grow your business, but traditional...
Seventh Circuit Upholds ALJ SSD Case
In December 2024, the Seventh Circuit Court of Appeals decided a case called Schmitz v. Colvin . The case involved a 52-year-old woman...
Preserve Your Family Stories Before They’re Lost
A client once told me she would give anything to hear her grandmother’s voice again. Her grandmother had been the heart of the family—the...
Why Medical Records Matter in Disability Appeals
Every disability appeal has two moving parts: the law and the record . The recent Ninth Circuit decision in Thomas v. Bisignano...
Business Owner Burnout Is a Silent Success Killer
Picture this: You're checking emails at midnight, haven't had a real vacation in two years, and the last time you exercised was... well,...
Case Spotlight: Mejia v. Commissioner
When it comes to Social Security disability appeals in federal court, there are always two battles: Winning the case. Getting paid for...
Estate Planning Mistake You Can’t Afford to Make
Picture this: You and your spouse spend decades building a successful business, accumulating assets, and creating a stable life for your...
Lessons from a Child’s Asthma SSI Case
When handling children's disability claims, the SSA’s Listing of Impairments (20 C.F.R. Pt. 404, Subpt. P, Appx. 1) is our first...
Pay Less in Taxes with Smart Business Planning
Many business owners only think about taxes when April rolls around. They gather receipts, download bank statements, and rush to file on...
Denial of Fibromyalgia Disability Claim
The Seventh Circuit recently weighed in on a Social Security disability appeal that highlights a recurring tension in our field: how ALJs...
When Every Dollar Counts
Labor Day has always been about honoring the American worker—the people who build our communities, power our economy, and create the...
When SSA Disability Meets Employment Discrimination
Background: Who Is Herkert and What Happened Mary Frances Herkert , a GS-13 Branch Chief at the Social Security Administration (SSA) with...
Nadon v. Bisignano: Lessons from a 9th Circuit Disability Case
Sometimes you read a case and want to bang your head against the wall. Nadon v. Bisignano from the Ninth Circuit is one of those. It’s a...
Why Your Business Needs a Legal Advisor Not Just a Lawyer
You're building something meaningful. Your business is growing and opportunities are emerging faster than you can keep up. But with new...
Ninth Circuit Narrows Scope for Challenging VE Testimony in SSDI Denials
In Boonthong v. Commissioner of Social Security , No. 24-3921 (9th Cir. July 22, 2025), the Ninth Circuit reminds us that not all...
A Legacy of Love That Lasts
When Anna Harp lost her father in January 2021, she didn’t get to say goodbye. He had been battling lung disease when he contracted...
When Checkbox Forms Fall Short
In Drumgold v. Commissioner of Social Security (4th Cir. 2025), the court affirmed the ALJ’s denial of disability benefits, offering a...
Missteps in SSDI Ruling Lead to Reversal
Let’s talk about Walls v. Bisignano , a case that highlights the continued tension between ALJ discretion and the requirement for...
bottom of page