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Social Security Disability Practice
-Thomas E. Bush This two-volume set is highly regarded by many practitioners, and for good reason. The inclusion of forms for initial client contact, fee agreements, impairment specific RFCs for the client's doctor to fill out, and sample letters is enough reason to consider adding this guide to your collection. The well-organized topics and straightforward writing (e.g. "Step 2 denials are usually hogwash.") provide the remaining incentive. Bush starts at the initial client contact, examines prehearing procedure, the hearing, what to do following a favorable decision (other than pop open the champagne) and discusses appeals to the Appeals Council and federal court in depth. While a touch steep at $159, if you can only afford one Social Security guide this is the one to get. - - - - - Social Security Advisory Service
-Peter S. Young and Robert C. Dawes The Social Security Advisory Service is a quarterly newsletter, with thorough discussion of the latest Social Security Rulings and discussion of cases in all circuits, with a focus on the Ninth Circuit. The recent price drop from $195 to $149 for a year's worth of quarterly updates makes this useful service more attractive. For those who can't afford it, the penultimate quarter's issue is available online at http://www.ssas.com/ which is also home to the new Connect Board with a lively discussion of anything and everything related to Social Security law. - - - - - Bohr's Social Security Issues Annotated
-Sarah H. Bohr & Chantal J. Harrington Hot off the presses, this guide seems like it could have used a little more work before ink hit paper. Some topics are spartan while others are non-existent. A look in the index for back impairments - common among our clients - turns up one reference that turns out to be a six line summary of a Missouri district court case. A search for discussion of "sit & squirm" in-hearing exams by ALJs turned up nothing. None-the-less, the topics that are covered span a wide range and many are dealt with in depth, with cites to appropriate regulations and case law in all circuits. Some flipping back and forth is needed between the "Case Survey" and "Issue Topics" sections to get a full examination of a given topic, but the analogous section numbering makes this a less annoying task. At $95 (includes quarterly update service) this guide makes it to the wish list if not the must-have list of any Social Security practitioner.

All three of these publications are available from James Publishing which can be reached at 1-800-440-4780.

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