Steps to take to Apply for Disability Benefits (SSI)

[Georgina77]

To apply for disability benefits for an adult, you will need to complete an application for Social Security Benefits AND an Adult Disability Report. Here I will list the steps you need to apply for disability benefits:

1. Review the Adult Disability Starter Kit

There are 3 main documents to review here and they are:

Fact Sheet (The fact sheet includes the definition of disability and answers questions about applying for disability benefits.) http://www.ssa.gov/disability/Adult_StarterKit_Factsheet.pdf

Checklist (List of information and documents to have ready for your disability interview or when you complete the online Disability Report.) http://www.ssa.gov/disability/Adult_StarterKit_Checklist.pdf

Worksheet (The worksheet can help you prepare for your disability interview.)
http://www.ssa.gov/disability/Adult_StarterKit_Worksheet.pdf

2. Fill out the online application for Social Security Benefits

Online application link: http://www.ssa.gov/disabilityonline

(If you've never worked, you can skip this step after you complete step 3 and contact Social Security here:
http://www.ssa.gov/pgm/reach.htm

3. Fill out the online Adult Disability Report

At the end of the report, you will be asked to sign a form that gives your doctor permission to send SS information about your disability. They need this information so they can make a decision on your claim.

http://www.ssa.gov/adultdisabilityreport

NOTE: If you previously started an online application or online disability report but did not finish it, you can:

* Use your confirmation number to return to your online application.
* Use your re-entry number to return to your online disability report.

More information can be found at: http://www.ssa.gov

[patootie]

That information is of course just for the USA ... every country has their own set of perplexing. peculiar and pervasive rules for claiming disability monies ...

[Georgina77]

yea thats right, all countries have their own set of rules and procedures and some are really complicated to understand and have many steps to take. Looks like the governments don't want to give out benefits to people who deserve it and make the application process long and hard to understand.

I'll try and do some research on other countries- on how to apply for disability benefits and try and make it easier for everyone to understand.

[patootie]

Here in the UK the folk who work in the Benefits office have roughly a 3-5 year training period (depending on where they work) before they can work unsupervised on our benefit claims ... yet .. we, the claimants, get no training whatsoever on how to fill in the paperwork to make our claims ...

Best advice I was ever given was this ... never fill out your forms yourself ... find a benefits advisor and let them do it for you !!!!! Most of the advisors are free of charge here and do the same training process as the benefits staff .. so they understand how to word the claims .. what is most important etc etc .. the points system .. and they can make sure we get the most benefits possible ..

I can't stress enough that it's much better to get find an advisory service rather than filling in any form yourself .. I haven't filled a form in for over 15 years .. and since using the advisors I have not had any problems with my claims .. so 'good luck' everyone ... !

[DisabilityHelp]

I think the first step to apply for a SSDI is always to appoint a lawyer or attorney for discussing the claim. This step is crucial because each case are evaluated individually. Together with a doctor the chances to get the benefits are greatly increased.