Our readers in New York may know that applying for Social Security Disability benefits can be a difficult task. First, applicants must gather all of the appropriate documentation to provide to the Social Security Administration. Next, they must wait while the application is reviewed. Then, if the application is denied upon initial review, applicants may need to go through the appeals process. As with many aspects of dealing with the government, the first step – the initial application – is crucial. If applicants don’t provide all of the requisite information to show that they meet the requirements to receive Social Security Disability benefits, denial is likely.
Fortunately, the Social Security Administration has provided applicants with a useful checklist so that they know what information needs to be provided in an initial application. There is a wide range of information, so New York residents who are facing an inability to work due to a disability may want to review the checklist to make sure they know what to submit.
For starters, applicants must provide documentation to show their citizenship status. Next, applicants must provide information regarding their marriage – or all marriages, if they have been married more than once. This information needs to include the dates of the marriages and where the marriages occurred.
Applicants must also provide information regarding any children that they have and any military service. Applicants will also need to provide banking information for direct deposit, should the application for SSD benefits be approved. But, perhaps most importantly, applicants for Social Security Disability benefits must provide information regarding their work history and their medical condition. The medical documentation is crucial, as it must include the names of doctors, hospitals and any medication that the applicant is prescribed.
Source: ssa.gov, “Checklist For Online Adult Disability Application,” Accessed Jan. 7, 2017