How long does it take to get a decision in a Social Security disability case?
How long after you complete your application for Social Security disability benefits (or Supplemental Security Income – SSI benefits), does it take to get a decision?
In Colorado where I practice, it usually takes between four and six months after you apply to get the initial decision. Sometimes, Social Security will describe this as between 120 and 180 days.
Benefit Eligibility Screening Tool checks if you can get Social Security
If you wonder if you are eligible for Social Security benefits, Social Security has an interactive website to help you answer this question.
Visit Social Security’s BEST (Benefit Eligibility Screening Tool).
BEST checks if you are eligible for the following benefits:
Medicare
Social Security Disability
Social Security Retirement
Social Security Survivors
Special Veterans
Supplemental Security Income
Have you tried BEST, share your experiences in the comments!
What you should know before you apply for children’s SSI disability benefits
Social Security has a fact sheet answering common questions about Supplemental Security Income (SSI) benefits for disabled children:
How does Social Security decide if a child is disabled?
How can I get ready for the disability interview?
How does Social Security decide if a child can get SSI?
How will I know what Social Security has decided?
Will my personal information be kept safe?
What if I am more comfortable speaking in a language other than English?
The fact sheet also has information about:
Medicaid.
State Children’s Health Insurance Program (SCHIP).
Other Health Care Services.
Work Opportunities for Young People Who Are Getting SSI.
You can get the factsheet as a pdf here.
How to apply for Social Security disability benefits
There are several ways to start an application for Social Security benefits:
At your local Social Security office
While this make take the longest amount of time (depending on the wait times at your local office), applying in person has the advantage of having a live person to ask to if you have a question. The downside of applying in person is that if you are missing a critical piece of information, you may not be able to complete the application.
If you need help finding your local Social Security office, click here.
Online
If you prefer …
Is your case on track? Call Social Security to make sure!
Tim Moore writes about his experience with claimants who wait patiently for Social Security to contact them after filing a claim or an appeal:
In the case of disability applications, some found that while they continued to wait on an answer, a decision had already been made on their case. In fact, the decision had been made so long ago that the 60 day period in which a claimant is entitled to file a disability appeal had already elapsed. In the case of disability appeals, some claimants who patiently waited on an answer regarding their claim…eventually discovered that the appeal they had mailed in had never been received, or had been lost.
Tim’s article discusses the stages where it is critical to know what Social Security is doing on your case. This is especially true if you are going it alone without a lawyer.
When should I apply for Social Security disability benefits?
Are you struggling with working because of physical or psychological impairments? Have you stopped working because you just could no longer do the job?
You may be going back and forth on whether to apply for Social Security:
Maybe I will get better. But, what will I do if I am not able to go back to work?
Filing for Social Security benefits is not something to rush in to. But, if you are disabled, you should file as soon as you can.
If you wait, you may lose several critical advantages.
What you should know before you apply for Social Security disability benefits
Did you know that Social Security has a fact sheet on “What You Should Know Before You Apply For Social Security Disability Benefits?”
How does Social Security decide if I am disabled?
My doctor says I am disabled. Is that enough to qualify me for disability benefits?
I am getting disability payments from my job or another agency, can I automatically get Social Security disability benefits?
How long does it take to make a decision?
Can I do anything to speed up the process?
How does Social Security make the decision?
If Social Security decides that I am disabled, what type of benefits can I receive?
Can I apply for disability benefits online?
Will my personal information …
Social Security application time: keep the forms you filled out and be consistent!
I recently came across this advice on Gather about keeping copies of all the forms Social Security asks you to fill out.
Make sure everything is consistent the whole way through all of your paperwork and conversations. Keep copies for yourself …. they do read all of the forms. That is why I am saying that you must be consistent the whole way through. It is all logged in and if you have to go before a judge he goes over all of it, too. He will actually refer to certain sections that were filled out, etc.
This is spot on! I have seen this happen …
Don’t wait too long to apply for Social Security disability benefits!
My Colorado clients sometimes tell me that they waited years to apply for Social Security Disability Insurance (SSDI) or Supplemental Security Income (SSI) benefits. When I ask them why, I get a number of reasons:
I did not want to appear needy.
I did not want to believe I was disabled.
I did not want to look like I was trying to scam the system.
Some people do not want to take a handout; even if this means not drawing on a benefit program they have paid into. Others do not want to label themselves as disabled because they view it as a sign that they will not get better. Some of my clients want to keep trying to work. They want to test themselves, and they feel that applying for benefits will make them look like they are giving up and Social Security will look down on them.
I respect the pride, individualism, and self-reliance that this demonstrates.
Unfortunately, waiting too long to apply for Social Security benefits can severely reduce their chances of winning.
Tips when filing for Social Security disability benefits
Dr. Fink of The Bipolar Blog has compiled a great list of suggestions when you are filing for Social Security disability benefits.
Consult your doctor and therapist.
Keep your doctor appointments.
Have your doctor complete an RFC form for you.
Document everything.
File immediately.
Appeal.
Keep copies.
This is just a summary, the article goes into quite a bit of detail.
However, I do not agree with every point. For example, the article says the following about when to contact an attorney:
Social Security denial: should you appeal or reapply?
I often hear the following question:
I just got my Social Security denial letter. Should I appeal or reapply?
While every case is different, based on my experiences handling Social Security claims in Colorado, I often find the you stand a better chance by appealing rather than re-applying.
If you reapply, your case may be reviewed by the same person who denied you the first time. Chances are they will not change their mind.
By appealing, you take the case out of the hands of the person who denied you, and put it in front of a fresh pair of eyes. Sometimes you can present the …
