Long Term Disability Law Blog
It has always been challenging for accountants to have their disability insurance claims approved. The disability companies look at a Dictionary of Occupational Titles which classifies the job as a sedentary one. According to this Dictionary, all it takes to be an accountant is to sit at a desk four hours a day. Wouldn’t that be great? Everyone would want to be an accountant under that definition.
At Dell Disability Lawyers, we know there is a lot more to being an accountant than sitting in a chair. We have years of experience in helping accountants with their disability benefits claims. We have some tips that may help you as you pursue your claim for disability benefits.
There is a Strategy in Presenting Occupational Duties of an Accountant
Disability carriers generally have no idea what accountants do or what a job description of an account actually entails. Even if they think they know the job involves preparing tax returns and reviewing financial documents, they remain unaware of how stressful the job of an accountant can be.
Accountants need to submit specific information about how they perform their job. Generally, accountants spend hours pouring over spreadsheets, financial records, bank documents, and other information needed for making calculations and preparing tax returns or audits. They may also spend hours in front of the computer.
They work on meeting deadlines or risk incurring penalties for their clients. If they make a mistake, it could cost their clients thousands of dollars. The pressure to perform accurately is great. On top of that, they generally spend time “nagging” their clients to provide the documents necessary for them to meet the deadlines. It can be an exhausting job, both physically and mentally. All of this information needs to be submitted to the disability insurance company.
At Least 75% of the Accountants We Represent have the AICPA Disability Policy
At Dell Disability Lawyers, we find more than 75% of our accountant clients are covered under the AICPA policy which is managed by Prudential. It covers accountants in their own occupation. An accountant cannot change jobs and still be covered by that policy. There generally is a clause that lets an accountant collect full disability if they are working in another occupation but not earning more than 20% of their pre-disability earnings as an accountant.
Cognitive Difficulties Secondary to a Physical or Mental Diagnosis are the Number One Reason an Accountant Becomes Disabled
One thing common to disability insurance policies is that diagnosis does not equal disability. A claimant must show how the disability interferes with the ability to perform the material and substantial duties of their job. Almost all of our accountant clients are disabled due to cognitive difficulties that are secondary to a physical diagnosis.
They may have multiple sclerosis (MS), Parkinson’s disease, or a chronic pain condition. In order for the claim to be approved, accountants must show how this condition impacts their ability to perform their job. The impact is almost always due to cognitive difficulties.
No matter what stage you are at in your struggle to have your disability claim approved, at Dell Disability Lawyers we can help. We invite you to our website where you can find numerous videos explaining to you how disability insurance works. We work with clients nationwide and urge you to contact us for a free consultation.