Extreme obesity

Hi folks,

My girlfriend and I are discussing goals for her long-term weight gain. She's willing to meet my needs up to a certain point, but she's a bit unsure about how legal disability might work if she becomes too fat to do most jobs. Its not the financial aspect we're wondering about, it's the legal aspect. She has a large amount of student loans, and as I understand it, she can be legally absolved of those if she goes on permanent disability.

Does anyone here have experience with qualifying for long-term disability once they reach a certain weight? Could you shed some light on how that worked for you?

If my gf could qualify as permanently disabled and get out from under her student loans by growing extremely fat, she'd be much more willing to do it. (Which I think is totally understandable).

Thanks in advance for any input.

I would not count on it. The government isn't happy to give out money because someone is too big to work. Many places consider obesity a lifestyle choice, and not a disability.

Work as long as you physically are able to as things are different once on a set fixed income (especially with inflation). In some instances, It's not a question as to weight but what the limitations and pain tolerances are.
Some folks have been waiting on appointments/judgements for multiple years after initial/secondary/tertiary denials (with little to no $ coming in).
Unfortunately this deals more with the 'ugly' side of fat vs the fantasy (that most here are expecting).
Most likely this thread will be locked like the others.

Getting on disability isn't glamorous - especially since you are American. There are long wait times for approval, they ask some pretty dehumanizing questions, and there are a lot of loopholes you'll have to jump through. And they are subject to change as well.

You must also have less than a certain amount in assets and income. It's not uncommon for a case worker to make you sell off your possessions (can't be to a relative) so you can qualify. And once you're on it? Next to impossible to get off of it.

There's no shame in getting on disability, but the whole process to get on it is truly awful. So keep that in mind.

So getting to fat to work (like immobility) can get classed as a disability?

Thats wild if true

Eh, sorta. Being obese isn't enough to qualify for disability. It would have to contribute to other medical conditions that greatly limit your ability to function. The questioning is very invasive and it's not unusual for the government to reject the request.

was gonna say, because I honestly don't see getting to fat to work as a disability, More a lifestyle choice

I've been told that any application for disability will be denied at first. You'll need to repeatedly apply and/or get an attorney to help.

Sorta. About 70% of all initial applications are rejected every year. Some medical conditions are all but guaranteed automatic approval. But with numbers like these, it's best to get an attorney if you can afford it.

For the purposes of this discussion, obesity and obesity related complications would be an uphill battle. And buy the time OP's girlfriend is ready to apply, the laws may get stricter.

Feel free to get this article out to get a bit more in depth information:

www.disability-benefits-help.org/blog/top-5-reasons-why-social-security-disability-claims-are-denied

Always good to have various perspectives.

I'd be able to support her if she got too fat to work, I was just curious about the student loan aspect.

She has another long-term health issue which may result in her qualifying for disability at some point anyways.

I guess if it was easy to get out from under student loans by becoming 700 lbs we'd see more people doing it 🤣