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Filing for SSI DisabilityApplications for supplemental security income (SSI) must be made directly with your local social security office, so the first step to filing an SSI claim is to call Social Security to schedule an interview. SSI disability applications are not taken online (unlike social security disability insurance claims); however, it is not always necessary to physically go to the office—in many cases, the interview may take place over the phone. Potential SSI applicants can also submit preliminary information online before their interview, but this will not count as an actual protective filing, and there may be a long wait before a social security representative follows up with you to schedule an interview. When the disability interview is complete, a claims representative (CE) for social security will be assigned to review your case, and determine if you have met the qualifications necessary to receive SSI benefits. Remember, SSI is a needs-based disability program, and claimants in these cases must demonstrate both decreased (or non-existent) income and a lack of any significant financial resources (total assets, excluding a car, should not exceed $2,000). In some instances a claimant may be eligible for SSD and SSI, depending upon the amount of hours worked and wages accrued in the past 10 years. (When a claimant is able to qualify for SSI disability and SSD benefits, it is known as a concurrent claim.) If the CE determines that you are eligible for SSI, your case is forwarded to the state disability agency in charge of making disability determinations for social security (most commonly known as disability determination services, or DDS), where a disability examiner will evaluate the medical evidence and work history and either approve or disapprove the request for benefits. If your claim for SSI meets the medical criteria needed to establish physical or mental disability, it will then be sent back to the federal social security office, where it will once again be evaluated to ensure that the claimant’s financial situation has not changed, and that he or she still meets all non-medical criteria necessary in order to collect SSI payments. For those individuals filing SSI claims, the ability to demonstrate a lack of any real financial resources, including property, savings accounts, etc., is critical. For more information on: Social Security Disability and SSI Disability.
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