People in Massachusetts may be interested to know that it is possible to apply for Social Security Disability benefits online. In this post we will briefly talk about the online application process for SSDI.

To begin, the option to apply online for Social Security Disability benefits is advantageous for a number of reasons. An applicant can avoid the cost of traveling to a Social Security Office to apply. An applicant can also take advantage of the comfort of her or his home by applying at home. Finally, an applicant can avoid the wait for an appointment time by applying online at home.

An applicant only needs to complete a few simple steps to apply for disability benefits online. The first step is to go to www.socialsecurity.gov and click on "Apply online for disability benefits." Next, complete the Disability Benefit Application. The third step is to answer the questions on the Adult Disability Report, and the final step is to mail or take the requested documents to a local Social Security office.

To make the online application process easier there is some information that should be collected beforehand. Regarding the Disability Benefit Application, an applicant should collect the following information:

  • The applicant's Social Security number
  • An original or certified copy of the applicant's birth certificate and if the applicant was born outside the U.S., then proof of U.S. citizenship or legal residency
  • The applicant's W-2 Form from last year, or if the applicant is self-employed, the applicant's federal income tax return
  • Direct deposit numbers for the purpose of having monthly benefits automatically deposited
  • Information about any workers' compensation claim the applicant flied
  • If the applicant was in the military, the original or certified copy of the applicant's military discharge papers.

An applicant should also collect information applicable to the Adult Disability Report. The applicant should have:

  • Information about the applicant's illness and condition including dates of treatment and contact information of medical providers who provided treatment
  • Names of medicines the applicant currently takes and information on who prescribed the medicine
  • Names and dates of medical tests including who requested the tests
  • Medical records the applicant already possesses
  • The name, address and phone number of an individual who can corroborate the applicant's condition
  • A list of five jobs the applicant had over the past 15 years including the dates of employment.

Once the online process has been completed and all of the initial paperwork is sent, the Social Security Administration will ask the applicant to sign a medical release that allows the agency to collect information from the applicant's doctors. If any additional information is needed the Social Security Administration will contact the applicant. The Social Security Administration will send a letter once it has all the information needed to make a decision.

Source: www.ssa.gov, "Apply Online for Disability Benefits," January 2012