Denied: Dealing With A Social Security Denial Positively

When you've spent several months trying to get Social Security benefits, getting that turn-down letter can be awful. You should understand, though, that the Social Security Administration (SSA) demands certain facts be true and that a mistake on your part could have led to the denial. Fortunately, you may be able to apply for an appeal of the adversarial ruling. It's vital that you understand what went wrong and how to fix it, so read on for some common denial issues and how to address them.

You did not show that you had a disability for the correct period of time.

To get covered, you must show that your medical condition:

1. Has affected you for at least a year, or that it

2. Will affect you for at least a year into the future.

This means that you must show that you have been unable to work for at least a year or for a year in the future. Proving this requires medical proof in the form of medical records, which is proof that you have been seeing a doctor for your illness. Problems that are expected to be short-term, like a broken bone or pneumonia are not sufficient to prevent you from working for a year. Furthermore, you must show that you have been receiving medical care for your condition on a continuous basis and that you are following all prescribed care plans.

You are earning income while applying for benefits, and that income exceeds the limits.

You must keep a watchful eye on your income since it must be reported to the SSA once you are approved for benefits. What some people fail to realize is that your income during the application and waiting process are also monitored. For the year 2018, you can make $1,180.

You failed to respond to requests for more information from the SSA.

The SSA uses the US mail exclusively to communicate with applicants, so providing a good address for getting mail is important. In some cases, the SSA may request that you provide missing information on your application, attend a special type of medical exam or attend an in-person interview at your local SSA office. Missing any of these requests could result in your claim being denied.

You missed the appeals deadline.

Getting turned down by the SSA is far from the final word. You will be provided with a date by which you should have your request for an appeal submitted, and missing that deadline could have you going all the way back to the starting point again. In fact, you only have 60 days to file for this important appeal. You may be able to appear with the support of your attorney and have your benefits finally approved.

Speak to a Social Security or disability lawyer to learn more about what it takes to get your case approved on appeal.