If you have been through the entire Social Security Disability (SSD) process, including an appeal hearing before an Administrative Law Judge (ALJ) and have still been found ineligible for benefits, your next step to pursue benefits is to complete form HA-520.

The HA-520 is the “Request for Review of Decision/Order of Administrative Law Judge”, which allows you to request that the ALJ’s decision on your appeal be reviewed by the Social Security Administration’s (SSA’s) Appeals Council.

The HA-520 form asks for very little information. It only requires that you formally declare your request for an Appeals Council review, answer a few questions related to your case, and state the reason you believe the ALJ’s decision is wrong.

Why Form HA-520 is Important

Although the HA-520 request form asks for minimal information, it is necessary to fill out if you wish to continue seeking disability benefits.

Without completing the form, your case will end with the ALJ’s decision. It is important to note that you must submit the form within 60 days of receiving the notice of denial from the appeals court in order for your SSD claim to remain active.

How to Complete Form HA-520

Filling in the required information on form HA-520 takes only a few minutes. You will be asked to provide your name, Social Security Number, claim number, and a well-worded statement explaining why you believe the ALJ’s decision was incorrect.

You will also be asked to submit any additional documentation you have to support your disability claim. If you do have more information to prove your claim, then you must submit that documentation to the SSA at the same time you submit the HA-520 form.

To ensure that the HA-520 form is filled out completely and accurately you may wish to hire a Social Security advocate or attorney to assist you. An advocate or attorney will help you make the best possible case and increase your chances of being approved for SSD benefits.

Over two thirds of Social Security Disability claims are denied. If you have applied for Social Security disability benefits such as SSDI, SSI, or Medicare, and been denied, you have a right to request a reconsideration.

To request reconsideration, you will need to fill out form SSA-561: Request for Reconsideration. You can obtain this form online or from your local Social Security office. On the form, you will make your case regarding why you disagree with the initial determination to deny you Social Security disability benefits.

Most people would be well advised to have a Social Security lawyer go over their claim and help them with form SSA-561. The form itself is not difficult to understand or fill out, but an attorney who is experienced with Social Security disability cases can help present the information in a manner that is more likely to be met with approval. As an added benefit, your lawyer will already be familiar with your claim should your redetermination be denied and you decide to request a hearing.

Fill out all information on form SSA-561 honestly and accurately. Most of the general information requested is self-explanatory. If you are filing for benefits based on the work history of someone else (i.e., a deceased spouse), you must fill in their information as well as your own.

After the general information, you will find the section in which you are allowed to state why you disagree with the determination on your disability claim. You will want to fill this out as completely as possible. You will want to make sure to include pertinent medical information and how it affects your ability to perform work. You will want to focus on conditions which make it difficult to stand, sit, lift, push, pull, walk, concentrate, use fine motor skills, and perform other work related tasks.

If you are asking for a redetermination for a claim of SSI or SVB, you will need to fill out an additional section on the SSA-561 form. Make sure you indicate whether you want to have a case review, an informal conference or a formal conference. The difference between these is discussed towards the end of the form. In most cases, you should request an actual conference.

Be sure to fill out all boxes that apply to you and sign and date the form. If you are working with a lawyer or other representative, their general information must be included as well. Do not fill in anything in the section labeled “TO BE COMPLETED BY SOCIAL SECURITY ADMINISTRATION.” The SSA representative assigned to your claim will fill that section out.

Form SSA-3881 is the “Questionnaire for Children Claiming SSI Benefits”. This form must be completed for any Social Security Disability (SSD) claim filed on behalf of a minor child. It is important to note that children’s benefits are paid through the Supplemental Security Income (SSI) fund rather than through SSD.

The SSA-3881 form requests information about the disabled child’s living situation, education, and other basic details regarding your child’s activities of daily living. You will also be asked about any kind of supportive services that your child may be receiving. This includes babysitters, daycare providers, tutoring and individualized education.

Form SSA-3881 also asks you to answer questions about any other agencies or services that have evaluated your child’s eligibility for other benefits. This includes social services, WIC, and more.

Why Form SSA-3881 is Important

The SSA-3881 form is necessary for the Social Security Administration (SSA) to coordinate information with other federal, state and local agencies and offices. It also helps the SSA evaluate the support your child already receives and any services or support they may be qualified to receive in the future.

This questionnaire is used in combination with other forms in the SSD/SSI application process to determine a child’s eligibility to receive benefits, but it is primarily used to track the child’s coordinated benefits between multiple agencies and services.

The SSA may also contact different service providers and other individuals who know your child and his or her physical or mental limitations. For example, during the application review process, the SSA may contact the scout leader, tutor, or social worker listed on this form to discuss your child’s overall condition and the limitations it places on your family.

How to Complete Form SSA-3881

Form SSA-3881 requests some duplicate information as that required on the Child Disability Report and other forms, like the details of your child’s medications, for example. Although the information may have already been covered on other forms, you must still fully complete the SSA-3881, leaving no questions blank.

Any blanks on form SSA-3881 will result in delays as the SSA seeks more information from you and from other sources. Additionally, failure to disclose information, like a child’s involvement in school activities or other groups, can also result in delays.

Many questions on the form ask for additional details or explanations, and not just simple yes or no answers. Make sure you thoroughly explain your answers when required to do so, and be sure you provide consistent information on all the forms you complete for your child’s disability application.

While you must fill out form SSA-3881 yourself, you can seek assistance with the process. A Social Security advocate or attorney can help you with this and the other required forms for SSD/SSI application.

The SSA-3820 form is the “Disability Report – Child” form which is the central piece of documentation in any Social Security Disability (SSD) application for a minor child. Form SSA-3820 requests information on the child for whom you’re applying for benefits, like his or her age, height, weight and other basic details.

The HA-501 form is one among several that are required by the Social Security Administration (SSA) if you’ve been found ineligible for Social Security Disability (SSD) benefits even after a reconsideration review. If you want to appeal the decision, then you must complete and submit the “Request for Hearing by Administrative Law Judge”, which is the full title of the HA-501 form. The request form is the first step in formally asking that your claim for SSD benefits be scheduled for an appeal hearing.

The SSA-3441 is a form that’s only required if you’re initially denied Social Security Disability (SSD) benefits and need to appeal the decision. It is entitled the “Disability Report – Appeal” form and it is required for any applicant who wishes to continue seeking SSD benefits through the appeal process.

Some of the information requested on form SSA-3441 is the same information as initially required on the primary disability report form you completed during the application for SSD benefits. The Disability Report – Appeal form also requested information related to your disability that has occurred since your last disability report. Examples include more recent medical tests, new physicians who’ve treated you, and any new medications you’re taking or other treatments you’re undergoing.

Why Form SSA-3441 is Important

Not every applicant for SSD benefit will need to complete form SSA-3441, though if you’re initially denied benefits and must go through an appeal, the Disability Report – Appeal form is a critical part of moving forward with your SSD claim.

An appeal hearing cannot be scheduled and a decision on your disability claim cannot be made until you submit all forms required by the SSA. This includes form SSA-3441.

How to Complete Form SSA-3441

You must provide accurate and thorough information when completing the Disability Report – Appeal form just as you did when filling out your initial disability report. Even though some of the information you provide on the new disability report will be exactly the same as on your initial report, you must fill it out again.

If you kept a copy of all your prior forms – which you always should – then filling in the same details on the new disability report should be relatively simple.

You should also provide any new information regarding your medical condition, treatment and diagnostic tests or procedures you’ve had done since the last time you filled out a disability report. Leave no answers blank and if a question doesn’t apply in your particular case, be sure to indicate that by writing “not applicable”. Blanks on form SSA-3441 will only lead to delays in the appeals process.

The SSA-3381 or “Medical and Job Worksheet - Adult”, while not a required part of the application for Social Security Disability (SSD) benefits, is a form that the Social Security Administration (SSA) requires you to complete prior to beginning your formal application for disability. This worksheet contains sections covering your employment history dating back five jobs or fifteen years prior to your medical condition becoming so severe that it prevented you from working.

The SSA-3373 or “Function Report” is among the many forms the Social Security Administration (SSA) requires when you apply for Social Security Disability (SSD) benefits. This form asks you to supply the SSA with detailed information about your activities of daily living.

The Function Report asks for information about everyday details and your life circumstances. These include questions about what time you get out of bed, whether or not you have kids or others you care for, and if you’re able to bathe, prepare meals, clean your house and perform other life tasks on your own, or if you require help from others with these essential activities.

Why Form SSA-3373 is Important

While form SSA-3373 may not immediately appear as though it pertains to your ability to work and therefore the determination of your eligibility to receive SSD benefits, the SSA primarily uses the Function Report as a comparison tool. It’s used to validate other information in your application and your medical records, and to give the SSA more specific information about the limitations your medical condition places on your everyday life.

Although the Function Report is not the primary source of information for determining your eligibility for SSD benefits, it’s still an important piece of the decision making process. It will not be the form that “wins” you disability, but it could potentially cause you to be found ineligible for benefits. This is because the SSA will look for inconsistencies in your application, medical records and the various forms you’re required to complete, including the Function Report.

If the information that appears on your SSA-3373 form shows you’re regularly able to perform activities in your personal life that are comparable to those you would typically be required to do on the job, then the SSA will have more questions about your condition. They may require you to undergo an independent medical evaluation, conducted by a contracted physician to determine if the information in your medical records is accurate, given the conflicting details you supplied on the Function Report. They may also find you ineligible for benefits, believing you’re more physically and/or mentally capable of performing essential job duties than your disability report or other application documents reflect.

How to Complete Form SSA-3373

When you fill out the SSA-3373 form, you should be as honest, accurate and thorough as possible. Ensure you answer all questions, leaving none blank. Even if a question doesn’t apply in your circumstances, you must indicate as such, or the determination on your eligibility for SSD benefits may be delayed while the SSA seeks further information.

Additionally, you should ensure the answers you provide on the form are accurate. While you want the details of the Function Report to support your claim for disability, it’s crucial you’re honest and forthright in completing form SSA-3373. Don’t exaggerate your condition, but don’t play it down either.

The Function Report is a long form and asks for a lot of information. It can be a challenge to complete, especially when you’re concerned about potentially providing conflicting information on the form. For this reason, you may want to consider seeking assistance from a Social Security advocate or attorney when completing all the required SSD forms, including form SSA-3373.

Form SSA-3369 is the “Work History Report” required by the Social Security Administration (SSA) as an essential component of an application for Social Security Disability (SSD) benefits. This form asks for previous positions of employment, including job titles and the dates that you worked in each position, going back 15 years from the time that your disability became so severe that it prevented you from working.

The Work History Report also asks for specific details about each job on your employment history list. Specifically, the form will ask for details about the kind of work you performed and the physical requirements of each job, like the how much weight you were required to lift and how frequently you had to walk, stand, push, pull, or stoop, for example.

Why Form SSA-3369 is Important

The information requested on form SSA-3369 is intended to help the SSA determine how your medical condition affects your ability to work in jobs for which you’re qualified. The report shows the SSA the type of work you’ve done in the past and the job skills and experience you’ve gained over the course of your employment. It also tells the SSA the type of mental and physical requirements of each of the positions you held in the past, giving insight into what kind of job duties you were once able to perform.

While the details that appear on the Work History Report are crucial in the disability eligibility determination process, they are not the only details the SSA will take into account when making a decision on your disability claim. Form SSA-3369 helps establish whether you’re able to perform any kind of gainful work for which you may be qualified.

In other words, the details on the form are necessary for the SSA to not only see that you can no longer work in the last job you held but also that you don’t have the knowledge, skills or experience to find work in another area of the workforce in which your medical condition and the limitations it imposes on you would not prevent you from performing essential job functions.

How to Complete Form SSA-3369

When completing the SSA-3369 form, you should ensure you answer all questions, leaving no sections of the form blank. In areas where questions are not applicable in your case or where you’re not sure of the answer, you should indicate as much by answering “I don’t know” or “does not apply”.

Leaving a question blank will leave the SSA with more questions that must be answered before they can make a decision on your eligibility to receive SSD benefits. By ensuring you answer every question to the best of your ability, you potentially shorten your wait for a decision on your eligibility.

Any question on the form that asks for a more detailed explanation, like the questions on “lifting and carrying”, for instance, should be thoroughly answered. Be sure to provide an explanation whenever you’re asked to do so.

If you need to provide further explanation of any other answers to standard questions on the form, you may do so in the “remarks” section, which appears toward the end of form SSA-3369. However, you may wish to consult with a Social Security advocate or attorney before deciding what information to include in the remarks section of the form to make sure the details you provide are relevant and truly represent your physical, mental or other limitations.

Applications for Social Security Disability (SSD) benefits are processed by the staff at Disability Determination Services (DDS) offices in each state. The DDS staff is responsible for evaluating applications and making eligibility recommendations to the Social Security Administration (SSA).

What Are Urgent Case Rquests?

If an application arrives in the DDS office and is based on a diagnosis which appears on the SSA’s list of conditions that are presumed to qualify for SSD benefits, then the DDS staff will mark the application as an “Urgent Case Request”.