Applying for Social Security disability benefits can feel overwhelming, but understanding what information you need to gather before you begin can make the process much smoother. Whether you’re applying for Social Security Disability Insurance (SSDI) or Supplemental Security Income (SSI), having the right documentation and details at your fingertips will help you complete your disability application accurately and potentially speed up the decision-making process.
Personal Identification Information
The foundation of your disability application starts with basic personal information. You’ll need your Social Security number, birth certificate or proof of birth, and proof of U.S. citizenship or lawful alien status if you were born outside the United States.
If you’re applying for SSI benefits, you’ll also need information about your living arrangements and the value of assets you own, as SSI is a needs-based program with income and resource limits.
Additionally, gather information about your current and former spouses, including their names, Social Security numbers, dates of birth, and dates of marriage or divorce. This information is relevant because your work history and eligibility may be connected to your spouse’s record in certain circumstances, particularly for divorced individuals who were married for at least ten years.
Employment and Work History
A comprehensive work history is crucial to your disability application. The Social Security Administration needs to understand what types of work you’ve done and whether your disability prevents you from performing those jobs or adjusting to other work. Prepare a detailed list of all jobs you’ve held in the five years before you became unable to work due to your disability.
For each job, you’ll need to provide the employer’s name and address, dates of employment, job title, and a description of the physical and mental demands of the position. Be specific about what your job required: For example, ask yourself the following questions:
- Did you lift heavy objects?
- How much did they weigh?
- Were you on your feet all day?
- Did the work require detailed concentration or interaction with others?
These details help claims examiners understand whether your medical conditions prevent you from doing your past work.
You should also include information about your earnings. The Social Security Administration will verify your work credits and calculate your benefit amount based on your earnings record, so having W-2 forms or tax returns from recent years can be helpful, though the Administration can access much of this information independently.
Comprehensive Medical Information
Medical evidence forms the backbone of any disability claim. The Social Security Administration needs detailed information about your medical conditions, treatments, and how your conditions limit your ability to function. Start by making a complete list of all your medical conditions, including physical impairments, mental health conditions, and any combination of issues that affect your ability to work.
For each treating physician, specialist, therapist, or medical facility you’ve visited, compile their names, addresses, phone numbers, and fax numbers. Include the approximate dates of your visits and what conditions they treated. This information allows the Social Security Administration to request your medical records directly from your healthcare providers.
Document all medications you currently take or have taken for your conditions. List the medication names, dosages, prescribing doctors, and any side effects you experience. Side effects can be significant if they impact your ability to work. For example, if medication makes you drowsy, affects your concentration, or causes other symptoms that would interfere with job performance.
Your medical records should include test results, imaging studies, laboratory work, hospitalizations, emergency room visits, and any surgical procedures. If you have copies of particularly important medical documents, such as recent MRI results, hospital discharge summaries, or detailed evaluations from specialists, these can strengthen your disability application. However, you don’t need to submit copies of everything yourself, as the Social Security Administration will obtain records directly from your providers.
Functional Limitations Documentation
Beyond medical diagnoses, the Social Security Administration needs to understand how your conditions affect your daily life and ability to work. Prepare detailed descriptions of your functional limitations. How far can you walk before needing to rest? How long can you sit or stand? Can you lift or carry objects, and if so, how much weight? Do you have difficulty with fine motor tasks like buttoning clothes or gripping objects?
Consider cognitive and mental limitations as well. Do you have trouble concentrating for extended periods? Is your memory affected? Do you experience anxiety in social situations or have difficulty following instructions? Can you handle workplace stress? These functional limitations are often as important as the underlying diagnoses in determining disability.
Think about what a typical day looks like for you. What activities can you no longer do that you could do before your condition worsened? Do you need help with personal care, household chores, or shopping? Do you need to lie down during the day? This real-world context helps paint a complete picture of your limitations.
Work Accommodation and Vocational Information
If you’ve attempted to continue working despite your condition, or if your employer made accommodations for you before you stopped working, document these efforts. Describe any modifications to your job duties, reduced hours, special equipment provided, or additional breaks you needed. This information demonstrates that you tried to remain employed despite your limitations.
If you’ve participated in any vocational rehabilitation or training programs, include information about these programs, when you participated, and why you were unable to continue or successfully return to work afterward.
Third-Party Information
Sometimes statements from people who know you well can provide valuable supporting information. Family members, friends, former employers, or colleagues can describe changes they’ve observed in your abilities and functioning. While not required, such statements can add credibility to your claims about your limitations, particularly for conditions with symptoms that fluctuate or aren’t easily measured by medical tests.
Financial Information for SSI Applicants
If you’re applying for SSI benefits, which are needs-based, you’ll need additional financial documentation. Prepare information about your income from all sources, including wages, self-employment, unemployment benefits, pensions, and any other payments you receive. You’ll also need details about your resources, such as bank accounts, stocks, bonds, vehicles, and property you own.
Information about your living expenses and household composition is also necessary. Do you pay rent or a mortgage? Who else lives in your household, and do they contribute to expenses? This information helps determine your eligibility and benefit amount for SSI.
Get Organized
Gathering this information before starting your disability application will make the process significantly easier and more efficient. While the volume of required information may seem daunting, remember that completeness and accuracy can help avoid delays in processing your claim. Consider creating a folder or binder where you keep all relevant documents organized and easily accessible.
Have Questions About the Social Security Disability Application Process? Contact Bross Frankel PA Today
Applying for Social Security disability benefits can be overwhelming. Each step requires a baseline understanding of complicated legal standards and/or a fair amount of work. If you are unsure about your eligibility for SSDI or SSI benefits, or simply need help putting together a disability claim, contact the experienced disability benefit lawyers at Bross Frankel PA.
With decades of combined legal experience, including as a Benefit Authorizer for the SSA, our team of SSDI Lawyers and SSI Lawyers are ready and able to help you get approved for SSDI and/or SSI benefits. To learn more or to schedule a free claim review with a New Jersey Social Security disability lawyer, give us a call at (856) 795-8880 or fill out our online contact form.
Rich Frankel is the managing partner of Bross & Frankel. He is a member of the New Jersey and Pennsylvania bars. He has focused exclusively on disability and social security benefits since 2005.
Mr. Frankel joined what is now Bross & Frankel after having watched his father struggle with disability, fighting a lengthy illness. Mr. Frankel founded the firm’s veteran’s law practice and substantially grew the social security disability practice, focusing Bross & Frankel’s ability to fight for all of the disability benefits available to his clients.
Mr. Frankel additionally fights for clients in court, obtaining frequent victories in Social Security appeals and against insurance companies in Federal court.