 SSDRC What is the Application Process for Social Security Disability and SSI? How do you Win Benefits under Social Security Disability or SSI? If I am determined disabled, how far back will Social Security pay benefits? How do you prove your disability case if you have a mental condition? What Can I Do to Improve My Chances of Winning Disability Benefits Common Mistakes after Receiving a Denial of Social Security Disability or SSI Benefits How to File for Disability - Tips for Filing If You Get Approved For SSDI Will You Also Get Medicare? How much does a Social Security disability attorney get paid? Social Security Disability SSI Criteria and the Evaluation Process How long does it take to be approved for SSI or Social Security disability? What do you Need to Prove to Qualify for Disability Benefits? Social Security Disability SSI and Fibromyalgia Social Security Disability SSI and Degenerative Disc Disease Can I Qualify For Disability and Receive Benefits based on Depression? Answers to questions about SSD and SSI disability What Disabilities Qualify for SSI and Social Security Disability Benefits? Social Security Disability Status Social Security Disability Tips — how a claim gets worked on Social Security Disability, SSI Disability - Terms, Definitions, Concepts |
How do you apply for disability if you have depression problems ?How to prove you are disabled and win disability benefits The Social Security disability application process is the same no matter what your disabling condition is. If your depression problems have kept you from performing substantial gainful work activity for twelve months or you expect to be unable to work for at least twelve months due to the symptoms of your depression, you should contact Social Security for an appointment to file for disability. Currently, you can file an application for disability benefits by phone, in person at your local Social Security office, or in some cases online (at this point in time you can only file for Social Security disability online not SSI). If you chose to file your disability claim by phone or in person at your local Social Security office, your claim will be taken by a claims representative. This is true for disability claims filed online as well. If you want to file for SSI, you will have to speak with a claims representative. Since many claims are concurrent (meaning they involve both SSI and Social Security Disability), it does make sense to skip the online process and file your claim by phone or in person. The Disability Interview During your disability interview, a claims representative will ask you questions about your medical treatment sources (i.e. physicians, psychologists, psychiatrists, hospitals, or any other medical professional who has treated you for your depression), the medications you are currently taking along with any side effects, and any medical testing you have had. Preparing for the disability interview You should come to your appointment prepared to give your doctor’s names, addresses, phone numbers, and your treatment dates. In addition to medical information, the claims representative will ask questions about your previous fifteen years of work. You do not have to remember the names of all your places of employment but you do need to know the types of work you did, what you were paid, and how many hours you worked. Social Security has to develop work information because it is part of the disability evaluation process. To be approved for disability, you must have a severe condition that not only prevents your return to any of your past work but precludes any other work performed in the national economy (other work evaluations involve your age, education, your functional limitations and the transferability of your work skills). If you have problems with your memory, write your medical and work information on a piece of paper or on the green disability information sheet provided by Social Security to help you prepare for your disability interview (sometimes they do not get this to you so list them on paper if necessary). If you are filing for SSI disability, you should come prepared to answer questions about your income and resources. The SSI disability program requires the same medical information and work information along with your financial information. Income for the purposes of your SSI disability application might include wages, pensions, rental income, investment income, short and long term disability benefits, workman’s compensation, or any other kind of income. If you meet the income limits for SSI, you still have one other hurdle to get over to be eligible for this needs based disability program. You have to meet the SSI resource limit. SSI disability allows you to exclude your most valuable vehicle and your home and the land it sits on. If you own any other vehicles or land not connected to the land your house sits, on it will be counted toward the SSI resource (asset) limit. Additionally, other resources such as bank accounts, stocks, bonds, 401k plans, burial plots, inheritances, heir land, or any other resource that can be easily converted to cash, are counted toward the resource limit as well. Currently, Social Security allows individuals to have two thousand dollars in resources, while couples are allowed three thousand dollars in resources. The claims representative uses all of this information to evaluate your eligibility for Social Security and SSI disability, and to complete all necessary disability report forms so that your disability claim can be sent for a disability decision. If you meet the eligibility requirements of both disability programs, your disability claim will be sent for a concurrent decision (meaning they make a decision for both SSDI and SSI disability at the same time). If not, your disability claim will be sent as a SSDI-only or SSI-only only disability claim to a state disability agency for a medical decision. Additional information: Should I List My Past Depression Medications on My Social Security Disability or SSI Application? 
Return to: SSDRC, or the Questions, Answers, Tips, and Advice page Individual Questions and Answers SSD and SSI are Federal Programs The title II Social Security Disability and title 16 SSI Disability programs operate under federal guidelines and, therefore, the program requirements--medical and non-medical--apply to all states: Alabama, Alaska, Arizona, Arkansas, California, Colorado, Connecticut, Delaware, Florida, Georgia, Hawaii, Idaho, Indiana, Illinois, Iowa, Kansas, Kentucky, Louisiana, Maine, Maryland, Massachusetts, Michigan, Minnesota, Mississippi, Missouri, Montana, Nebraska, Nevada, New Hampshire, New Jersey, New Mexico, New York, North Carolina, North Dakota, Ohio, Oklahoma, Oregon, Pennsylvania, Rhode Island, South Carolina, South Dakota, Tennessee, Texas, Utah, Vermont, Virginia, Washington, West Virginia, Wisconsin, Wyoming Recent approval and denial statistics for various states can be viewed here: Social Security Disability, SSI Approval and Denial Statistics by state Special Section: Disability Lawyers and unnecessary claim denials |