My suggestion would be to also talk to Allsup. They are non lawyer representatives who can take your claim from the beginning without having to wait until you get denied.
Lawyers are also starting to do this, no doubt due to the competition from Allsup.
I agree with
@Silencio that if you have already left your job, it's probably too late to apply for ERISA based long term disability if you had that coverage.
Although it wouldn't hurt to check -
1) did you even have coverage - there should be a deduction for LTD on your pay stub
2) if you did have coverage, ask HR if you can still apply and/or get a copy of your plan policy - there are probably time limits for applying and appealing
As far as Social Security, again Silencio is correct. There are two types of disability:
SSDI which is Social Security Disability Insurance - this is insurance you paid for while working. They don't care how much money you have. You could be a millionaire and collect SSDI. You get Medicare with this.
SSI - Supplemental Security Income - this is if you never worked or didn't work enough to qualify. They do have income and asset limits. You get Medicaid with this. SSI pays about half of what SSDI does (not that SSDI pays that much) :-( It is possible in some cases to get both SSDI and SSI.
It is very possible to win disability with a CFS diagnosis. I've done it, as have many other people on here. The trick is, can you get approved in the earlier stages, or do you have to wait for the judge to make a determination. That takes a long time - 2-3 years depending on where you live and how long the wait times are.
So if you can get a lawyer or Allsup to help with your initial claim, it can possibly save you a lot of grief.
