As you prepare to go through the application process, it helps to stay positive. Remember that the majority of all SSDI or SSI applications for Social Security Disability benefits are initially denied. The reasons for being denied are many and varied, but often it comes down to the fact that the applicant filed prematurely or had not prepared the proper documentation to support their case. The most common non-medical reason for denying a Social Security disability claim is insufficient number of recent work credits. From 2001-2010, about 25% of all denied disability applications were denied for technical non-medical reasons. When you file for benefits, you must be ready and able to show that:

1. You are legally eligible to apply for benefits.
2. That you are disabled according to the definitions specified by the SSA.
3. That you qualify from an income or asset standpoint

In order to show all of the above, you need documentation. Medical records, bank records, pay stubs…the list goes on and on. Determining exactly what records you will need is itself a complicated process.

However, it is a process that has rewards. The more prepared you are before you file, the more likely you are to be granted benefits without having to go through an appeals process. That said, even if you are well prepared, the possibility still exists that you will initially be denied benefits and thus need to appeal.

If that is the case, your preparation will not have been in vain! All of that prep work and documentation collection will help you to effectively make your case at the appeals level, or if necessary, the hearing level.