How to apply for SSI: steps, documents and the decision

Small gaps in a claim cause long delays

SSI is run by the Social Security Administration in every state. Social Security has to check what you tell it before it can decide. That is why it asks for documents and may set up an appointment. When a paper is missing or an appointment is missed, the claim can wait for weeks.

The date you apply matters too. Social Security cannot pay SSI for months before your application date. The earliest payment is for the month after you apply, or the month after you meet all the rules, whichever is later. If you call to set up an appointment and then miss it without calling back, you have 60 days from that call to turn in a signed application. Starting early protects that date.

Answers to the questions from the first page

Why does Social Security leave some income out? Social Security does not count all income. For example, it leaves out the first part of what you earn from work and half of the rest. It also leaves out SNAP food benefits and income tax refunds. The income that is left lowers the monthly payment. Resources work in a similar way. Cash, bank accounts and other things that could be turned into cash count. The home you live in, one vehicle used for travel and household goods do not count.

How do the documents and the decision work? You apply, give proof and answer questions about your income, resources and living situation. If the claim is based on a disability or blindness, Social Security also looks at medical records. It then mails a written notice with its decision. Each notice explains how to appeal if you disagree.

Where do you apply for SSI? Only Social Security takes SSI applications, online, by phone or through a local Social Security office. Only Social Security can decide a claim, and this site does not take applications.

How to apply for SSI step by step

The steps are the same in every state. Read each question with care and give the same answers on every form.

• Check the rules first. Social Security suggests reading who can get SSI before you start or call. A person must be 65 or older, blind or have a disability, and must have little income and few resources.
• Start the claim. You can start online, call the national Social Security line to set up an appointment, or call your local office for a phone appointment. Someone else can call and set it up for you.
• Gather your papers. You may need your Social Security card or number, proof of age, and proof of citizenship or immigration status. Pay stubs, bank statements and a lease or rent receipt help show income, resources and living costs.
• Bring originals. Social Security needs original papers or copies certified by the office that issued them. It does not accept photocopies, and it gives the originals back.
• For a claim based on a disability or blindness, add medical details. This means the names and phone numbers of doctors, hospitals and clinics, the dates of care and the names of the medicines taken.

You may not need every paper on this list. If one is missing, Social Security will tell you what else it can accept and give you time to get it. You may also name a representative to help with the claim and come to appointments with you.

What to do right after you apply

A few habits keep the claim moving and protect your rights.

• Write down the date you applied, and keep a copy of what you send. Note the date and the name of each person you talk to.
• Open every letter from Social Security. A letter may ask you to call, come in or send papers. Ignoring it can cost you benefits or the chance to use your rights.
• If the decision is not what you hoped for, read the notice for the deadline. Most appeals must be asked for in writing within 60 days.
• Once payments start, report changes in wages, other income, resources or where you live each month.

The next page shows where to reach Social Security and what to check while you wait.