Applying for SSI?

Is there anything I should know.....other then of course that I am likely to get denied and would have to appeal it. I mean I am feeling like I don't have much choice as I don't see how I'll function at a job...but having to deal with a bunch of paper work and legal stuff makes me pretty anxious.

I've heard some people say you need a lawyer to appeal.....but what if you can't afford one. I mean I imagine if I could afford a lawyer I would not really need to be applying for SSI. So if anyone has any advice or useful information on this it would be appreciated.

I'm dealing with this too. The paperwork is about 12 pages that asks about skills and how the disability is affecting you along with a packet that asks questions about previous jobs. If you find that the paperwork is too hard or stressful to fill out you can have a friend or family member help you fill it out and then there is a place at the end for them to sign it too.

Like you said I'm dealing with the denial and will be able to tell you more as I go through the process but I did find out that for the first two levels of appeals all the lawyer does is fill out the paperwork so if you can get it in the first three levels that is ideal. However, if you do have to get a lawyer I found out from somebody else who had a lawyer that they are capped at a certain percentage of your back pay sum or $5800 whichever is more and the fee has to be approved by social security. There are a lot of lawyers that also say that if they don't win your case you don't owe them any money. I hope this helps.

I think I can deal with the initial paper work.......I did apply once and got denied, and didn't end up appealing it. Also yeah I have heard its possible some don't charge you if you don't win it. I guess the other issue is I am not sure how one even approaches a lawyer to help with that process. I always get really anxious about even thinking of calling one I mean especially over the phone I question my abilities to describe things well.......and I guess I just don't know how I would take it if they started getting rude or something because they thought I was BSing or something. I don't handle that sort of thing very well and I feel like applying for SSI the odds are against me so I'll already be essentially having to prove I have the issues I've been struggling with so I can convince people that are more or less hellbent on denying me that they should in fact help.

I guess the idea is the Lawyer is supposed to be on my side though. But yeah one of the biggest issues for me is just the stress and anxiety about it.

I can really relate to the stress and anxiety about having to deal with it. I started the process by calling a lawyer then got to overwhelmed and stopped, that was one year ago. Now I need to apply again but I am to nervous. I think some of my fear comes from the fear of rejection, don't know if I can handle it, but know I need to. I lost my health ins. so I don't have any recent Doctor visits which I am afraid will hurt my case. Oh well, hopefully you are not as chicken as I and you will get it, I wish you well!

Yeah and it's interesting it's not even so much fear of rejection for me...I am afraid of having to deal with rude people I mean that is just really intimidating to me trying to you know put up with their rudeness while keeping my cool....and being able to keep my thoughts straight so I can explain things. So I am concerned with getting denied again to..but its not even just that.

But yeah from my understanding I have to go to the SSI office or whatever in my area in person to apply so I'm kinda stressed about that and still haven't scheduled an appointment unless your supposed to walk in I'll have to check the site again. But yeah if i can manage to get through that it should hopefully work out....but I just don't know how much I can put up with.

Don't worry (I know easier said than done). A lawyer won't be rude to you because they are trying to keep your case. They know that if they don't treat you right that you can always fire them and find another one. If your claim is denied when you request the appeal paperwork they include a sheet with resources for lawyers so you won't be cold calling out of the yellow pages. As for applying, you don't have to go into the office anymore. You can go here http://www.socialsecurity.gov/pgm/disability.htm and apply right online. No more waiting for an appointment and it can be done 24/7 now.

I filled that out and when I was done it said the only way to apply for SSI is to go into the office. So yeah I probably filled out the wrong one because I think that might be for SSDI.

Here is the website for official Gov't info regarding SSI
http://www.socialsecurity.gov/pgm/ssi.htm

Understanding Supplemental Security Income
Home Page2012 Edition
http://www.socialsecurity.gov/ssi/te...anding-ssi.htm

Hellion, you have to have a background of demonstrated handicap and, if you have at your age, your parents were probably already receiving SSI for you. Otherwise, it is to supplement what you can earn at a job; you do not get to decide if you can/cannot work, it has to be proven which means you have to have tried to work and been discharged for cause while seeing doctors who can document your disability and difficulties.

Unfortunatly for me I never have been able to afford getting my issues officially diagnosed...I have had treatment though mostly counseling and am working on getting everything addressed and more on record. My parents never really had any of this looked into any more then I went to counseling and it wasn't really so bad when I was a child.

Also why the assumption that I just up and decided I can't work? that actually really upsets me because I've been having a really, really difficult time functioning because of my PTSD and other issues I've had for longer...I had to drop out of college and can hardly go out in public and when I do have to limit myself because of it. So as much as I would like to be able to get a job I really don't see how I would function at one...I have had a couple jobs in the past to and it didn't work out do to the disability issues.

I was kind of asking for help with how to get on it, and the process not someone to tell me I have no business applying because they assume I don't have an actual disability. I wasn't posting this to have to prove myself over a forum why I am applying as that kinda puts a lot of un-needed stress on me right now. I mean I really don't have another option besides applying for SSI, but I guess it was stupid of me to expect it might work out if I apply and appeal it when it gets denied. Everything else is hopeless so why wouldn't that be.

I hope someone will see this post that has already applied and was approved, so those of us applying will have a bit more to go on.
As for me I ended up calling the employment center here in my town and they told me an agency for disabled adults will help "anyone" fill out disability applications. All the agency had me do was get assessment notes from my T, and medical notes from my pdoc. I also gave them my relavent medical records from my MD, becuase I also have physical ailments.
I took me about three visits with the disability agency to finishing filling out all the paperwork. It should have taken a week or two, but I was just unable to leave my house, (other then going to my psychotherapy sessions 2X a week) and kept canceling my appointments with the disability agency so they could help me finish getting the paperwork filled out. It ended up taking about 3 months to finally get everything together.

Then when everything was filled out, my casemanger called the local SS office and made an appointment to bring in the paperwork. I rode along with the supervisor and case manger because I didn't know to get to the new Social Security office. When we arrived we met with an intake worker, and when she asked me questions my case manager answered for me.

I was stressed for days when my case manger first told me about the meeting at the SS office, but being able to ride along and having my casemanger do all the talking, the whole thing turned out to be a piece of cake.
Unfortunately, my case manager said I will probably get turned down for disability the first go around. But my case manger told me that they had a list of lawyers, and then told me the lawyer will only charge me, if I am granted disability. I have been out of work for six months now. I don't know how I am going to pay my bills when my savings runs out. I only applied for disability 3 months ago.

I hope this information helps someone.

I've applied for SSDI a month ago using an attorney. You do not get Medicare for at least two years if SSDI is approved. I'm single, the most I can get from SSDI is $1700 a month. My meds are $849 a month. I've been hospitalized a few times. If it happens without insurance...
With SSI, you have to be broke to file. That includes cashing in 401K's or retirement plans which can really put you in a serious decision making bind. You can, as a single person only have a house, a car and $2000.
Many people consider SSI to be welfare, including my attorney. The money you get comes out of the general tax fund, not what you have paid in. You get Medicare immediately upon approval of SSI but you wait 2 years for it on SSDI. Makes no sense.
I will try all avenues for meds but what sucks is losing my doctors, one I've seen for 20 years.
Brits hear our situation with insurance and can't believe what we go through here. Vote Obama or it will get much worse. (vote your conscious) But Obama is moving in the right direction.
I too can see myself homeless and I started doing farm work when I was 12 and have always worked. So, why do I have to put up with SSDI delays and denials to get MY money.
(may have gone off topic, sorry)

I am broke and I cannot even picture myself having a house to myself or a car, so I don't think that there will be an issue. I just want something to live on and if I have to go somewhere then I'd have gas money for people to give me rides or bus money...and I'd probably just end up splitting rent with my friend when he moves....or maybe my cousin would be cool with something like that.

I consider SSI welfare as well, I mean that is what it is I just have a hard time seeing what is wrong with welfare, even if some others try to pound it into my head that it's 'stealing' or makes me a parasite. I mean since i have not had an opportunity to work more than a few months anywhere I doubt I'd get anything from SSDI anyways so I gotta stick with SSI.

I don't think I will be voting for Obama however...Universal Healthcare would be one thing but from what I've heard/read his policy is more about penalizing people for not purchasing health insurance or something like that. Well I can't afford it in the first place but maybe I am wrong on this...other then that though I am not too fond of his current foriegn policy and some other things. But I'd like actual Universal Healthcare.

But yeah why would SSDI have more delays when its technically your money in the first place? I'd think it would be the other way around.

Sorry, Hellion, I didn't mean to make it sound like I was giving you a hard time; it's just that you literally won't qualify. Here's the link to the difference between SSI and SSDI and how to apply, etc.; SSDI is Social Security Disability and you have to have worked, paying into it and become disabled or have been disabled since a child (in which case your parents/guardian apply for you, etc.) or whoever was supporting you (spouse, parents) dies, etc.; SSI is Supplemental Security Income and has nothing to do with Social Security and is food stamps, etc. and has various rules about where you live and how:

http://ssa-custhelp.ssa.gov/app/answ...ssi-disability

Oh well I know the difference between the two, I was going to apply for SSI not SSDI. And I know SSI has nothing to do with social security or food stamps.

Not sure why I wouldn't qualify for SSI unless of course they decide my symptoms aren't serious enough or whatever in which case, I am really not sure what I will do.

SSI does have to do with food stamps; it is run by your state and they have their way of running it (that is different from other states); go to your state page and it will tell you what you need to know:

http://www.ssa.gov/policy/docs/progd...t/2011/co.html

http://www.colorado.gov/cs/Satellite.../1251580725146

When you apply, a state examiner looks at your information and decides; some states are "easier" to get SSI from than others, even though it is a Federal program and no way to really know that since each state administers it and one can't really compare me, in Maryland to you in Colorado, etc. to know if we're the same. How much each state gets from the Feds is based on population, etc. so California, for example, is going to get more than Maryland. But, too, the State has to use some of its funds and Maryland might give more per resident than California, it's a little like school systems.

Oh I misread...but actually in my state SSI and foodstamps are not related, I imagine if I am on SSI I could qualify for food stamps well that is if I didn't live at my moms because for foodstamps the household income(so her income) is too high. I know SSI and SSDI are seperate in general though. I have gone to my states page more than once so I know what it says on there.

But yeah hopefully I can get a diagnoses because there is probably no sense in applying if I don't have much documented information about the issues I have. I don't know though, but I'll go to the local mental health center and see what resources they have available.

For SSI you generally have to go in to the office because you have to prove income and resources, your name, address, bank records, everything. Take the Benefits Eligibility Screening Tool (BEST) to see if you are eligible:

http://www.benefits.gov/ssa

Yeah I don't mind going into the office...for that, easier then sending it in in some ways. And I did take the screening tool that is what told me I still had to go to the office to actually apply.