The majority of the disability claims that are received by the Social Security Administration (SSA) are denied at the initial stage of the disability application process. Because of this, most disability applicants will need to appeal the SSA's decision to deny benefits if they hope to receive the Social Security Disability payments they may be rightfully entitled to. However, there is a time frame in which an appeal must be filed. If the appeal is not filed within the proper time frame, the Social Security Disability applicant will once again have to file an initial disability claim with the SSA (and the odds are that the claim will once again be denied and an appeal will need to be filed in the future).

A disability applicant has 65 days from the date of being denied Social Security Disability benefits to file an appeal. The Controlling Date is the date used to determine when that 65-day period begins. This is usually the date that your determination letter is sent out to you. If your disability claim is denied, you have 65 days from the date that the SSA mails out their decision of denial to have your appeal forms back to the Social Security office.

You can find out what your Controlling Date is by looking at the denial letter you receive from the SSA. The Controlling Date will be located in the upper-right-hand corner of the denial letter. If the SSA does not receive your appeal within 65 days of this date, you will either have to explain why you were unable to file your appeal in a timely manner or you will have to start a new claim for disability benefits and start over from day one of the application process.

When looking at your Controlling Date and filing your disability appeal, make sure that you allow enough time for the SSA to receive the appeal paperwork back in their office. For example, if you mail your paperwork back on day 63, they may not receive the appeal on time. You should allow at least five to ten days when mailing your appeal forms to ensure that the SSA receives your appeal paperwork within the required time frame.

What is a Closed Period?

When a Social Security Disability applicant applies for disability benefits through the Social Security Administration (SSA) and is found to be ineligible for future disability benefits, but had been eligible to receive benefits for a period of time in the past, the period of time that the applicant was eligible to receive benefits is referred to as a closed period.

A closed period of eligibility usually occurs when a disability applicant has had to endure the lengthy disability appeal process before having their disability case decided.

In 2011, the Social Security Administration (SSA) will receive millions of claims submitted by disabled workers who are in desperate need of Social Security Disability benefits. In the Northern Marianas Islands, 260 residents receive disability benefits from the SSA.

There are approximately 1,300 American Samoa residents receiving Social Security Disability benefits from the Social Security Administration (SSA) each month. There are even more residents currently backlogged in the Social Security Disability appeal process and even more applicants will be filing brand new claims for disability benefits this year. Unfortunately, approximately 70 percent of these new claims will be denied by the SSA if history is any indication of future approval rates. This will add even more appeals to the already backlogged system.

In 2011 the Social Security Administration (SSA) is expected to receive more than three million claims for Social Security Disability benefits. If history is any indication of future applicant success, nearly 70 percent of these claims will be denied during the initial stage of the application process. To further complicate the matter, more than 80 percent of initial appeals will be denied by the SSA as well.

There are more than two thousand residents living in the U.S. Virgin Islands who collect monthly disability payments from the Social Security Administration (SSA). Each year, more U.S. Virgin Islands residents will apply at their local Social Security offices in hopes of obtaining disability benefits that will alleviate the financial burdens caused by their inability to work. Unfortunately, the majority of these applications will be denied by the SSA.

Approximately half a million people make their homes in the State of South Dakota. Approximately 3.7 percent of these individuals receive monthly benefits from the Social Security Administration (SSA). In the coming year, the SSA will receive even more claims from South Dakota Social Security Disability applicants. Unfortunately, nearly 70 percent of the claims received by the Social SSA will be denied by the SSA. This leaves the majority of South Dakota Social Security Disability applicants in the position of having to file a disability appeal in order to obtain the benefits they need.

Approximately 3.5 percent of the residents living in the State of North Dakota receive monthly disability benefits from the Social Security Administration (SSA). This year, even more North Dakota workers will face long-term or permanent disabilities and will file additional North Dakota Social Security Disability claims. Unfortunately, the majority of these claims are likely to be denied by the SSA. Historically, the SSA has only awarded approximately 30 percent of the disability claims received each year – and it gets worse.

This year alone, millions of disabled American workers will apply for Social Security Disability benefits through the Social Security Administration (SSA). Unfortunately, most of these applicants will be denied. On average, the SSA denies approximately 70 percent of the initial disability claims they receive. This means that the majority of Washington DC Social Security Disability applicants must endure the disability appeal process in order to obtain the Social Security Disability benefits they need in order to cover their day-to-day living expenses.

There are fewer than 400,000 individuals living in the State of Wyoming and approximately 12,000 of those residents receive Social Security Disability benefits. The average monthly benefit of $1,052.20 does help these individuals make ends meet, but it is not as easy as to get these benefits as some people might believe. In fact, only about 30 percent of the initial disability claims that are received by the Social Security Administration (SSA) each year are approved during the initial application stage.