A very common question people want to know the answer to is: what information is needed to complete an SSDI application? Although the information is available online through the Social Security Administration website, it can still be confusing to figure out exactly what is needed to complete your application or, furthermore, increase the likelihood that your application will be approved. Let’s discuss the ins and outs of what is needed as well as what is not needed for your application, as well as some professional legal tips to increase the possibility of your application being accepted.
Review Adult Disability Checklist
It is recommended that every applicant review the Adult Disability Checklist provided directly by the U.S. Social Security department. The checklist has a lot of information but can also be confusing for some individuals. We will break down the items needed for your SSDI application along with some insights to the various sections of the application to make it easier to organize the required information.
Create a My Social Security Account
Before beginning the application, it is recommended to create a My Social Security Account. This can require additional forms of verification to set up, such as your mobile phone to receive texts, an email address for the account, and in some cases, a W-2, tax form, or credit card to aid the verification process. Creating an account allows you to track the status of your application throughout the process.
The Information You Need
1. Date and Place of Birth
Initially, the application intends to validate and confirm your U.S. Citizenship before continuing. This is done through the account creation process, but if you were born outside of the U.S., it is required to provide your birth country and time or your Permanent Resident Card if you are not a U.S. Citizen.
2. Marriage and Divorce
You are required to provide the name of your current spouse or previous spouse if the marriage lasted over ten years or ended in death. Your spouse’s date of birth and social security numbers are optional but can help further validate your application. Lastly, you need to provide the beginning and ending dates of your current marriage and past marriages, including the dates and city/state/country in which you were married.
3. Names and Dates of Birth of Children
You will also need to provide the details about your children, including any of your children that became disabled prior to the age of 22, any that are under 18 and are unmarried, or any children aged 18-19 that are in secondary school full time. If you have children over the age of 18 that are not disabled or in school, then their information is not required.
4. Military Service
If you have served in the military, it is important to also include the type of duty and branch you worked in as well as your service period dates. This can help the Social Security office further evaluate your case.
5. 3 Years of Employment Details
You will also need to provide your employment details for the current year and two prior years before your application. This needs to include start and end dates, total earnings, and the company and employer name of who you worked for.
6. Self-Employment Details
If you are self-employed or were self-employed for the current year and 2 years prior, you will need to provide information about the type of business and total net income of your business.
7. Direct Deposit
You must include your bank routing number, account type, and bank account number to receive your SSDI or SSI payments. This can also go to an international bank, but requires additional info such as the country of the bank, bank name, bank code, and currency type.
8. Alternate Contact
An additional contact must be provided in order to have someone to contact regarding your medical conditions so they can help you with your claim. This can be your lawyer in the event that you have representation during your application process or are working with a law firm like ours.
9. List of Medical Conditions
This is one of the most important sections of the application as this is the information that will largely determine your eligibility for social security. It is best to be as thorough as possible in this section. You should include:
- Names, addresses, phone numbers, patient ID numbers if applicable, and dates of any examinations or treatments received.
- Names and dates of medical tests you have had and who placed the test orders
- Names of medications, reason for medication, and who they were prescribed by
- Info about additional medical records like vocational rehabilitation services, workers’ compensation, public welfare, prison medical records, records from an attorney, or any other place that may have additional records about your disability needs.
- The date your medical condition began and how it affects your ability to work
- Types of jobs you have had over the 15 years prior to you becoming unable to work because of your condition
- Types of duties you had on the longest-standing job from your list
- Highest grade in school completed and any special education including the dates, school name, city, and state
- Names of any special job training schools, trade schools, or vocational schools, along with dates of completed course work.
Although this can be a painstakingly long process to collect all of this information, the more thorough you are with the information provided, the more likely your case is to be accepted. Providing additional information could also affect the amount of Social Security Income you are awarded should your application be accepted.
Contact a Disability Lawyer for Help with Your SSDI Application
Working with an attorney experienced in disability law can ensure that your SSDI application is as complete and thorough as possible. Application denials can, in some cases, result in months of waiting for an appeal. The attorneys at the Law Offices of Karen Kraus Bill are ready to assist you today. Contact us today for a free evaluation.