| Filing your Social Security disability or Supplemental | | | | Because Social Security does such a poor job |
| Security Income claim is a simple and brief process. | | | | presenting its forms and explaining how to fill them out, |
| Social Security disability programs are available to | | | | I wrote a book for claimants that explains how to fill |
| individuals who have long term, serious medical | | | | out the forms correctly. My book is called the Disability |
| problems that prevent them from working. Social | | | | Answer Guide and is available on the Internet. |
| Security does not offer any short term disability | | | | My overall observation about Social Security's forms, |
| benefits, nor is there such thing as a partial disability | | | | especially the forms you fill out to start your claim, is |
| benefit. To qualify your disability must be significant and | | | | that SSA will ask you the same question three or four |
| be expected to last 12 consecutive months. | | | | times. This may be because SSA personnel keep |
| Start Your Disability Claim by Calling Social Security | | | | adding questions to the forms, but no one seems willing |
| There is not cost or obligation involved in filing a claim | | | | to delete any redundant questions. |
| for benefits. You can begin the process by calling | | | | What You Need to Start the Disability Claim Process |
| 800-772-1213, SSA's toll free number. After navigating | | | | You will need to have handy as much information as |
| several layers of automated attendant prompts, you | | | | possible about the doctors, hospitals, diagnostic clinics |
| will find yourself speaking with a live operator who will | | | | and other health care providers who have seen you. |
| take your claim. When you speak to the operator, | | | | You will need the name, current address, phone and |
| make sure to tell her that you wish to claim both Title | | | | fax for these medical providers. |
| 2 disability and Title 16 SSI benefits. You want to get a | | | | You will also need a list of every job you have held |
| protective filing date for both claims even if it later | | | | over the past 15 to 20 years, the name and address |
| turns out that you do not qualify for one of them. | | | | of your employer, the dates of employment and a |
| Meet With a Representative at Your Local Social | | | | brief description of your work tasks. Do not worry if |
| Security Office | | | | you do not have all of this employment information at |
| You can also file for SSDI or SSI by visiting your local | | | | hand - it is ok to estimate. Your official Social Security |
| Social Security office. | | | | file has the name and address of all of your |
| File for SSDI or SSI Online | | | | employers and you can update the job list later. |
| A third alternative is to start your disability claim on-line | | | | The Social Security representative may not accept |
| at the official Social Security web site. Social Security's | | | | your claim if you are still working. If you are working in |
| on-line filing system does not always work well. The | | | | a "special circumstances" work environment, make |
| on-line system prompts you to fill out page after page | | | | sure to advise the rep so that she will take your claim. |
| of information. If you do not happen to have all of this | | | | Start Your Claim As Soon As Possible |
| information handy, you have the option of saving your | | | | Finally, I advise my clients to file their claim as soon as |
| place and logging back in later. | | | | possible after they stop working. SSDI claims are |
| Because Social Security's on-line system permits you | | | | payable only if you have enough credit hours shown in |
| to review only one page of the on-line form at a time, | | | | the SSA system. Once you stop working, you will stop |
| there is no way to know what is coming and no way | | | | earning credit hours. Normally, you remain insured for |
| to know what type of medical records or other | | | | SSDI benefits for three or four years after you stop |
| necessary information. In my view, this absence of a | | | | working, but I have seen some cases where SSDI |
| complete form to review prior to actually filing is a | | | | insured status runs out more quickly. Everything else |
| drawback to the on-line application system. | | | | being equal, file your disability application as soon as |
| Social Security Disability Claim Forms Can Be | | | | you realize that you will be out of work for an |
| Confusing | | | | extended period of time. |