Rates from 12.9% APR to 1625.5% APR. The minimum Loan Term is 1 month. The maximum Loan Term is 60 months. Representative Example: £1,000 borrowed for 18 months. The total amount repayable is £1564.59. Interest amounts to £564.59, an annual interest rate of 59.97% Representative APR: 79.5% (variable).
Credit score is important factor that lenders use to evaluate your creditworthiness and offer you financial products. Having a good credit score helps to get better interest rates and offers.
Skipton Group has announced that Skipton International chief executive officer Jim Coupe will retire in 2025.
Coupe will remain in his role until the summer, with work already underway on finding his successor.He has worked at Skipton International for 15 years, having joined as commercial director in 2009. He has also worked as a deputy managing director and managing director at the company.
Coupe has served in his current role as CEO since October 2023.
The group says that Coupe has been “a driving force” behind the growth of Skipton International since its inception following the merger of Skipton Guernsey and Scarborough Channel Islands in 2009.
Skipton Group chief executive officer Stuart Haire says: “I’d like to thank Jim for his 15-year service to Skipton International and to the Skipton Group.”
“During this time and thanks to his significant contribution, Skipton International has grown to be one of the largest lenders of its kind. Jim has been an active member of island life on Guernsey, and I have no doubt he’ll remain so in his well-earned retirement.”
Commenting on his retirement, Coupe adds: “It has been an immense privilege to lead Skipton International for what will be over 15 years. From our beginnings in 2009, following the merger of Skipton Guernsey and Scarborough Channel Islands, to our position today as a market leader in mortgage lending and savings solutions, the journey has been both humbling and rewarding.”
“The success we have achieved has been a testament to the hard work, dedication, and passion of the entire Skipton International team.”
That’s according to Josh Jamner (pictured top), investment strategy analyst at asset management firm ClearBridge Investments, who told Mortgage Professional America a December cut was all but fully priced into markets – but there was a clear chance of fewer 2025 reductions than originally expected.
“As we look out to 2025 our base case would be that there could be two interest rate cuts. I think the possibility that there’s only one more cut seems a little bit more likely than three cuts in 2025, for example,” he said.
“But I think the determinants of that will be less about what’s coming out of DC and more about what labor and inflation data look like.”
Perhaps the most telling indicator of the Fed’s likely approach in 2025 is its so-called dot plot – a visual representation of its Federal Open Market Committee’s (FOMC) interest rate projections, published each quarter.
Following Trump’s election win, the proposal to remove Fannie Mae and Freddie Mac from conservatorship has resurfaced, potentially impacting the housing market.https://t.co/kAMYFrDy3y
— Mortgage Professional America Magazine (@MPAMagazineUS) December 16, 2024
The implied neutral rate – the point at which the Fed’s funds rate neither restricts nor boosts the economy – has gone up in a flurry of meetings since last year, Jamner said – “and there’s increasing chatter that the neutral rate could [end up] higher than people believe.”
Today, we are sharing performance data from the Prosper Portfolio for November 2024.
Portfolio insights and key charts can be found here: Prosper Performance Update –November 2024
The Prosper Performance Updates are designed to help our investor community better understand performance trends and provide important insights into the trends we are seeing and the information needed to invest through the Prosper platform.
For more information about Prosper for investors, click here
Check out Prosper listings here
Download the Prosper Invest app on the iTunes store
Download the Prosper Invest app on Google Play
The Massachusetts Mutual Life Insurance Company, MassMutual for short, is one of the largest insurance companies in the United States. They provide long-term disability coverage to individual policyholders, as well as employer-sponsored group plans.
If you have long-term disability coverage through MassMutual and recently had a claim denied, you aren’t alone. Disability denials are commonplace and frequently unfair or unreasonable. Once you file a claim, it’s in the insurance company’s best interest to find some reason to deny it—and often those reasons don’t stand up to scrutiny once all the facts are known.
If you believe you’ve been unfairly denied, you have a right to appeal. But you need to act quickly and be smart. Depending on your circumstances, you may have a very limited time to file—and only one opportunity to add evidence to the record. Working with an experienced long-term disability lawyer can greatly increase your chances of success.
It makes a huge difference whether your long-term disability insurance is governed by the federal law known as ERISA or by state contract laws. The appeals process, and even how and when you can file a lawsuit, may be totally different in either case.
Fortunately, it’s usually not hard to tell:
Since ERISA rules place strict, standard limits on the appeals process, we’ll cover these plans first. Feel free to scroll down if you have an individual policy. And of course, if you’re still not sure, don’t hesitate to just give us a call to request a consultation.
When MassMutual denied your claim, they were required under ERISA to provide a detailed claim denial letter. This letter should clearly state:
Take careful note of the reasons MassMutual used for its decision to deny. It’ll give you important clues about what additional information and evidence you’ll need to supply in your appeal.
Note also that, under ERISA, you have no more than 180 days from the date of denial to file an administrative appeal. That may sound like a lot of time, but it really isn’t. You need to make sure that your appeal is as airtight as possible, because you will likely only get this one shot to add evidence. You want to give yourself as much time as possible to build the best possible case.
RELATED RESOURCE: ERISA Appeals – Bryant Legal Group (bryantlg.com)
If MassMutual did not provide you with a copy of your claims file, you should request it immediately. This file should contain all the medical records and other information and evidence MassMutual has about your case. For your appeal to be successful, you’ll need to determine what additional supporting evidence (that MassMutual doesn’t already have) you’ll need to provide.
Although hiring an attorney isn’t legally required, we urge you to review your case with an experienced ERISA disability lawyer as soon as possible. MassMutual disability appeals are usually highly complex, and the stakes couldn’t be higher. If you miss a deadline, or don’t include the right evidence in your claims file, your chance to obtain the long-term disability benefits you deserve might be permanently lost.
Under ERISA, you can’t sue MassMutual right away. You must go through the administrative appeals process first—MassMutual’s own internal review of your claim.
After you and your attorney have carefully reviewed the denial letter and claims file, it’s time to start gathering supplemental evidence to support your long-term disability claim. This might include:
RELATED POST: How Do You Prove You Are Disabled? – Bryant Legal Group
After the new evidence is gathered, you’ll need to submit it along with a detailed appeal letter. The letter should state the specific determinations you’re contesting (for example, that your condition is severe enough to meet the definition of disability or is not excluded by the policy) and provide a summary of the new evidence you’re providing.
A detailed, accurate, comprehensive letter is important—another reason why working with an experienced disability attorney is a huge advantage.
After you appeal, MassMutual has 45 days to review your case and either approve your benefits, deny them, or request a one-time extension for another 45 days. It could be up to 90 days before you get a final decision on your administrative appeal.
If MassMutual approves your benefits, you should start receiving your monthly checks and any retroactive payments (if any) that you would have earned if you had started to receive them when they should have been due.
If you’ve fully completed all your mandatory administrative remedies and your benefits still haven’t been approved, you now have the option to file a lawsuit against MassMutual.
Unfortunately, under ERISA you are only allowed to sue for payment of retroactive benefits, approval of your current and future benefits, and sometimes attorney fees. Your rights are restricted in other ways, too. You typically can’t add new evidence that wasn’t already in your claims file and you usually don’t have a right to a jury trial, either.
Still, don’t lose faith! With a skilled attorney representing you, you may still have a good chance of overturning the insurance company’s decision in court. Because ERISA protects insurance companies from bad faith claims and other damages, they often have relatively little to lose by denying borderline and even legitimate claims and forcing claimants to take legal action. An impartial judge may view your claim far more favorably than MassMutual’s own administrative review team, as they have an obvious conflict of interest.
If you purchased an individual disability insurance policy that isn’t governed by ERISA, then your rights and responsibilities are determined by state law. (This could be the state where the policy was purchased, or based on a choice of law provision in the policy itself.) In most cases, this means you have many more legal options at your disposal.
In Illinois, where Bryant Legal Group handles most of its cases, policyholders can file a lawsuit against MassMutual at any time—no need to go through the full administrative review process, even if one is offered. You can ask for a full jury trial. You can also seek damages above and beyond your unfairly denied benefits if you believe they are warranted, such as bad faith.
Since you do have a lot of legal options in this situation, there’s no single standard appeals process. It’s important to work closely with your attorney to develop a strategy that will give you the best chances of a successful appeal in the shortest amount of time to protect your rights, your privacy, and your claim.
Bryant Legal Group is one of Chicago’s premier long-term disability law firms. Over the years we have built a strong reputation for handling disability claims and appeals quickly, professionally, and successfully. To schedule your free consultation with our law firm, call us today at 312-561-3010 or complete our online form.
Diwali, the festival of lights offers interesting financial lessons which can be used for future planning. It is also the most celebrated & marketed Indian festival ever. For the most of us, this festival is about joy, family get-together, good food and happiness. On the other hand, this festival is also about appeasing the goddess of wealth Laxmi ji. There are a few goals which can be kept in mind for the festival of lights so that all of us can celebrate freely.
GOAL 1: SAVE AT LEAST 20% OF YOUR EARNINGS BEFORE NEXT DIWALI
If you still haven’t saved enough, there isn’t a better time than Diwali. Saving is the foundation stone of every wealth creation plan. More you save, greater you invest. This leads to better wealth creation which we invite into our homes.
GOAL 2: HAVE A CONCRETE FINANCIAL PLAN IN PLACE
How smartly we invest our savings is important to turning rich. The affluent class knows how to save money enough & invest proportionately. Educate yourselves about personal finance well and find out which financial tools would suit the best. This should be based on your pre-set financial goals and the time you’ve availed, in terms of the investment horizon. You should at-least have a basic financial plan which tells you what are the main financial goals and how much time will it take to achieve them.
Additional Reading: Be Financially Ready Before You Quit Your Job
GOAL 3: ATTEMPT TO MEET AT-LEAST ONE FINANCIAL GOAL BY NEXT YEAR
If you want to achieve something, set a target first. A financial goal be whether it is setting up an emergency reserve or buying a car requires fixing up targets. Unless you have a target in mind, you will only end up with excuses to not meet your financial goals.
GOAL 4: START INVESTING FOR GOOD RETIREMENT
Most of us in the late 20’s and 30’s rarely think about retirement. We are generally focused on how our careers look, which is of-course good. What is not good to think is that retirement planning needs to begin as early as possible in our careers. We tend to ignore it big time.
GOAL 5: GOAL-BASED INVESTING
On the occasion of Diwali, gifts are bought for friends and family according to their age and personal references. Similarly, our investments should also be based on distinct goals. Investment plans should always be focused on major financial goals, like buying a home, retirement plans, children’s education, marriage expenditure so on and so forth. Every goal in life usually impacts our personal cash flow. Goal-based investing with the proper review will incorporate changes in our financial plan in order to derive maximum benefit.
Diwali, indeed is a good time to start thinking about some of these goals if you already haven’t. Don’t just stop thinking, start investing! This could be the stepping stone for your financial goals.
Proving disability for rare or uncommon conditions can be challenging, but knowing the process can help you build a strong case. Here are some things you can do to strengthen your Social Security Disability (SSD) claims for your rare condition.
Gather comprehensive medical evidence
Medical evidence is the base of your disability claim. For rare conditions, you need detailed records to show how bad your condition is and how it affects you. You should:
Obtain official diagnoses: Get medical records that clearly state your diagnosis, including lab results and imaging tests.
Document treatment history: Keep a complete history of all treatments, medicines and therapies you have received.
Highlight functional limitations: Include job or physical therapist records describing how your condition affects daily tasks.
These documents give a solid base for your claim, showing how much your disability affects you.
Utilize the Compassionate Allowances Program
The Social Security Administration (SSA) offers the Compassionate Allowances program to speed up claims for severe conditions, many of which are rare. If your condition is on the Compassionate Allowances list, the SSA will process your claim faster. This program helps you get the benefits you need more quickly.
Provide personal narratives
Personal stories can bridge the gap between medical facts and real-life impacts. Describe how your condition affects your daily life and ability to work. These stories add truth and context to your claim, making it more convincing.
Consider legal guidance
Dealing with SSD claims for rare conditions can be overwhelming. Consider getting legal help to strengthen your case.
A lawyer can help you in these ways:
Understand your rights: A lawyer can explain your legal rights and what you need for your claim.
Gather evidence: Legal experts can help collect and organize documents.
Represent you: An attorney can represent you during hearings and appeals, boosting your chances of a successful claim.
Proving disability for rare or uncommon conditions requires careful preparation and knowing the legal process. Gathering full medical evidence, using the Compassionate Allowances program, sharing personal stories and getting legal help can help you build a strong case and improve your chances of getting the benefits you deserve.The post How to prove disability for rare or uncommon conditions first appeared on Disability Rights Law Center.
Key Takeaways:
Insurance companies often request that a claimant undergo a functional capacity evaluation (FCE) for long-term disability claims. However, attending an FCE may be harmful to your claim. Also, many policies do not have any contractual language obligating claimants to undergo a functional capacity evaluation. You may be able to object to an FCE, even if you have a policy that requires one.
When you understand your rights and prepare adequately for the FCE, including using the advice of your treating physician and the guidance of a knowledgeable disability attorney, you can navigate the process with confidence and the knowledge that your evaluation will more accurately reflect your capabilities.
Contact the Law Office of Justin C. Frankel for a free consultation and to learn more about your rights before submitting to a functional capacity evaluation.
An FCE test for disability is a series of tests that measure several physical abilities, including:
However, these types of activities are potentially extremely dangerous to claimants’ health and could aggravate their conditions.
If you and your attorney agree that you should attend an FCE required by your disability insurance company, you can expect:
The functional testing portion of the FCE covers several tests, including:
In addition, the FCE will evaluate your ability to perform specific tasks that are the same as your job duties, such as handling tools, operating machinery, or assembly tasks. The assessor monitors and documents pain and fatigue and how they affect your performance.
In a study published in Physical Therapy, a medical journal, the authors concluded that there are significant safety issues regarding FCEs. Because a patient is asked to perform physical tasks to demonstrate maximal effort, it could exacerbate the injury or cause additional injury without a physical therapist available to note exterior visible signs of unsafe performance. The authors also concluded that the assessors should have available criteria to determine when maximal effort has been put forth and when to intervene. Currently, no such criteria exist.
Also, according to Physical Therapy, FCEs have many deficiencies, including:
Additionally, the assessor could conclude that the patient is not putting forth maximal effort, even though he or she is, as there is no reliable and valid method of determining lack of participation.
If you are asked to undergo an FCE, consult with a knowledgeable disability insurance attorney to determine if you are contractually required to undergo an FCE. Even if required, you should discuss the potential for harm with your treating provider, who should be required to authorize a claimant’s participation in such testing.
If your insurer says you must attend an FCE for your long-term disability insurance claim, please do not hesitate to contact our nationwide office to see how we can assist you.
An FCE can play a role in determining eligibility for long-term disability benefits, though its role may not always be beneficial for your long-term disability claim. Disability insurance companies use FCE results in the following manner:
Preparing for an FCE involves several steps.
First, consult with your attorney to determine whether you must take an FCE. If your attorney advises you to undergo the FCE, speak with your doctor and physical therapist regarding the safety of undergoing an FCE.
Additionally, understand your job duties and print out a detailed job description to take with you. You may be asked to bring medical records and other relevant documents related to your disability claim. Wear comfortable clothing and take medications as prescribed.
The length of time for an FCE depends on the exercises you will need to do. However, an FCE generally lasts one to two hours.
If you fail the FCE test, that typically means that the examiner determined that you cannot perform tasks essential to the work you did before your injury. If the insurance company scheduled the FCE then it is likely that they will not provide the claimant with a copy of the report unless they use it to deny or terminate the claim. If it is scheduled by the claimants doctor the claimant will get a copy of the report. Give a copy of the results to your doctor and your attorney if possible, especially if you must meet a court deadline.
The Law Office of Justin C. Frankel has experience handling disability claims that require FCEs. We take a compassionate approach where we listen to your claims and unique circumstances to create a personalized approach to your case. We also offer comprehensive support throughout the FCE process and coordinate with medical professionals where necessary. Most importantly, we help you understand the FCE process, your rights and the potential outcome.
“Justin and his team instantly made me feel valued and heard.” — Anthony O.
“I have been working with Mr. Justin Frankel, ESQ., for nearly 20 years, and I have been extremely happy with his services.” — Noa B.
At the Law Office of Justin C. Frankel, we are dedicated to helping our clients navigate the disability claim system, which is why our firm focuses entirely on disability insurance claims and appeals. We have won over $250 million in compensation for our clients and have been awarded the Super Lawyers recognition every year since 2013. We also have a 4.9 average star rating on Google.
When you choose the Law Office of Justin C. Frankel, you are working directly with a top partner — not an associate. Let us use our 20-plus years of experience with disability insurance claims to your advantage. Contact the Law Office of Justin C. Frankel at 888-583-4959 or through our convenient online contact form for a free consultation.
As we age, the chances of developing a medical condition that affects our ability to work can increase significantly. For older workers—typically defined by the Social Security Administration (SSA) as individuals over the age of 50—this reality plays an important role in Social Security Disability Insurance (SSDI) claims. The SSA takes age into account when evaluating disability claims, which can affect the approval process. However, understanding how age affects SSDI and using specific strategies can improve the likelihood of success for older applicants. Here’s what older workers need to know about how age affects SSDI claims and how to approach their claim for the best possible outcome.
The SSA recognizes that it can be more difficult for older workers to transition to new types of work when they can’t continue in their current jobs. Physical and cognitive adaptations may be more difficult, and older claimants may lack the retraining opportunities available to younger workers. To address these challenges, the SSA uses a framework called the Medical-Vocational Guidelines, often referred to as the “Grid Rules,” to help determine eligibility based on age, education level, past work experience, and the physical demands of a claimant’s past work.
Older workers benefit from these guidelines because the SSA may be more inclined to find a claimant disabled if they are unable to adapt to new types of work due to age-related limitations. The grid rules apply primarily to those over age 50, with more favorable criteria available as the claimant’s age increases in categories such as “closely approaching advanced age” (50-54), “advanced age” (55-59), and “closely approaching retirement age” (60+).
The SSA classifies work into physical demand levels—sedentary, light, medium, and heavy. These categories help the SSA determine whether an older worker could reasonably transition to less physically demanding work. Here’s a breakdown of these terms:
The SSA uses these definitions to evaluate whether an older claimant who may have performed in medium or heavy work can reasonably be expected to perform light or sedentary work. If it’s determined that they can’t adapt, the likelihood of approval increases.
When evaluating claims from older workers, the SSA also considers an applicant’s skill level and transferable skills. Skills from “skilled” or “semi-skilled” work may be considered transferable to less demanding positions. However, for workers in physically demanding “unskilled” jobs, the SSA may decide that finding similar work within the claimant’s limitations is unrealistic. Older workers whose past jobs required specific physical demands, and those with limited computer or office skills, can often make a stronger case that they cannot transfer to other work.
Medical evidence is crucial to any SSDI claim, but for older workers, it’s especially important to document how medical conditions limit their ability to work. A successful SSDI claim should include comprehensive medical records, including:
Because the SSA considers both physical and mental limitations, documenting both is essential, especially if they interact in a way that makes it impossible to adapt to new work. Obtaining statements from treating physicians that clearly outline functional limitations can strengthen a claim.
For older claimants, especially those over 55, the grid rules are an asset. Here’s how they can work in an older worker’s favor:
Older claimants often have a combination of physical and mental health conditions. The SSA considers the cumulative effect of multiple impairments, even though none of them alone would typically be severe enough to qualify as a disability. Conditions such as arthritis, back pain, vision loss, or cognitive difficulties related to aging may provide a stronger case when combined. Ensuring that the SSA evaluates how all impairments interact is key to showing that returning to work or adapting to work is not feasible.
To increase their chances of approval, older workers can consider the following strategies:
Older workers face unique challenges when applying for SSDI but understanding how age affects the claim process can lead to a more successful application. By focusing on the SSA’s criteria for age, transferability of skills, medical evidence, and the specific limitations that make it difficult to adapt to other work, older applicants can improve their chances of securing benefits.
If you’re an older worker considering an SSDI claim and need guidance through this complex process, contacting an experienced Social Security disability attorney can make a significant difference. Contact us online or call (888) 321-8131 today for a free case evaluation and get personalized assistance with your claim.
