Need to Apply for Disability?

So, how does a person who needs disability benefits file an application for SSDI or SSI?  One of the easiest ways to begin the disability application process is to contact Social Security via phone, at: 800-772-1213.  Once prompted to state your reason for calling, simply state “apply for benefits” and you will be directed to a live representative.  Remember to apply for both Disability and SSI when completing your initial phone application.

If you don’t get through at first, be persistent.  The SSA has been experiencing a large call volume at the call centers, so you may not reach a live representative immediately.  I recommend that you contact the office from Tuesday through Thursday after 10 am EST.  Another option would be to apply in person at your local Social Security office.  Keep in mind that if you choose that route, you may experience delays as well.

Apply for Disability Online

A third way of applying for social security benefits is to apply online.  While this can, in some cases, be a convenient and speedy way of applying for disability benefits, be warned that the SSA’s electronic processing system is still in the formative stages, meaning applying online has its disadvantages.  For instance, certain types of applications may not be filed on-line and, perhaps the biggest problem is that you have no way to see the entire application prior to starting the process.  I still generally recommend that you apply for disability by phone or in person, as I believe the online process to be more of a challenge than paper documents.

Whether you apply online or offline, I suggest you file an application for both SSI and Disability.  Keep in mind, when the Social Security representative asks you when you became disabled, give the earliest date that you think you became unable to work based on your condition – the “onset date.”  If you are unsure about it, just know that the onset date can be amended.  In many cases, the onset date is the date that you last worked.

You can and should use my new client questionnaire to organize the information you will need to give Social Security.  Additionally, I wrote a “how to” book about completing the sometimes hard to manage social security forms.  You may find that helpful as well.