What You Need to Apply for Social Security Disability Benefits

Sep 30, 2018 | General, Social Security Disability

In order to successfully receive Social Security disability benefits, you must first submit a variety of documents and information as part of a rigorous application process. To help you get prepared so that you know exactly what you need to apply for your Social Security disability benefits, our Social Security disability attorneys at Atkinson Petruska Kozma Hart & Couture have put together the following list based on information provided by the Social Security Administration (SSA).   

Personal Information

To apply for Social Security Disability benefits, you may need to release you and your spouse’s birth dates, Social Security numbers, bank account information (institution and routing numbers for electronic deposit of funds), or other related personally identifiable information. You may also need to provide the names and dates of birth for any minors you currently care for.

Employment Information

In order to figure out how much monetary assistance you should be awarded, if any, the Social Security Administration may require a significant amount of information related to your previous/current income and employment. This information may include your total income for this and last year, names and contact information for current and previous employers over the course of this/last year, dates of time served in the military (before 1968), a copy of your Social Security statement, and a list of up to five jobs you held in the 15 years prior to your disability along with the approximate dates you worked those jobs. You may also need to disclose information regarding any other benefits your have applied for or plan to apply for, like workers compensation, longshore and harbor workers compensation, federal employees’ retirement, black lung, and more.  

Medical Information

In order to prove your disability, the Social Security Administration may need a comprehensive list detailing all prescription medication you are on, who prescribed all your medications, patient ID numbers and dates for any treatments related to your condition you received, names and contact information for the facilities where you received treatment, as well as dates and referral information for any medical testing you may have undergone. You should also include the name and contact information of the person assisting you with your application in case further contact is required.

Documents

Documents that you may need to submit as part of your benefits application include:

  • “Birth certificate or other proof of birth”
  • “Social Security card”
  • “Proof of U.S. Citizenship or lawful alien status”
  • “U.S. military discharge paper(s) if you had military service before 1968”
  • “W-2 Forms and/or self-employment tax returns for last year”
  • “And Adult Disability Report”
  • Proof of any “temporary or permanent workers compensation-type benefits you received”
  • Any other forms, medical records, or evidence that can further substantiate your disability claims

Fee Information

Lastly, it’s important to know that a qualified Social Security disability attorney should never accept any upfront payment for legal services rendered. If you apply for benefits and your claim is approved, 25% or $6,000.00 will automatically be withheld from your, or your family’s, retroactive check and sent to your legal counsel directly from the Social Security Administration.

For more information about applying for Social Security disability benefits, or to learn more about allowing one of our esteemed Social Security disability attorneys to help you complete the application process, reach out to one of our incredibly friendly legal professionals at Atkinson Petruska Kozma Hart & Couture today by calling 1.877.732.2491 or complete our free case review form in the sidebar to receive a prompt response from our one of our knowledgeable staff or attorneys.