Start Here: Which Stage Is Your Disability Claim In?
The fastest way to find your stage is the last letter Social Security sent you. A denied application points to reconsideration next. A denied reconsideration points to a hearing request. A judge’s decision points to the Appeals Council. Choose the description below that matches your letter.
Each request in the process has its own deadline, so knowing the stage is the first job, not a formality. If the letter is unclear, the guided questions further down sort it out in under a minute.
The five stages
- Application
- Initial decision
- Reconsideration
- Hearing
- Appeals Council review
Choose the disability claim situation that matches your letter
- Before You ApplyYou have not filed yet, or you are deciding whether to.
- After a DenialSocial Security turned down your application.
- Getting Ready for a HearingYour reconsideration was denied, or a hearing is scheduled.
- After a Judge DenialAn administrative law judge decided against you.
- Helping SomeoneThe claim belongs to another adult and you are helping.
Answer two questions to find your disability claim stage
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What your last Social Security letter tells you about your stage
Every decision letter ends with a section on your right to appeal, and that section names the next request. Read it as the map for what comes next. The table below lines up each kind of letter with the request that follows it.
| If the letter is about | The next request is |
|---|---|
| A decision on your application | Reconsideration |
| A decision on your reconsideration | A hearing before an administrative law judge |
| The date and details of your hearing | No new request; this is preparation time |
| A judge’s decision | Appeals Council review |
| Action by the Appeals Council | A federal court case, which Downard refers to a trusted affiliate firm |
Each of those requests is due 60 days after you receive the letter, and Social Security assumes you received it five days after the date printed on it.
Sources: 20 CFR 404.900; 20 CFR 404.901; 20 CFR 404.909; 20 CFR 404.933; 20 CFR 404.968.
Talk with Downard & Associates about your claim
Downard & Associates represents adults with SSDI and SSI claims in every state by phone and video, from applications through Appeals Council review. Sending an inquiry starts a conversation; it does not file anything with Social Security. We respond to inquiries within 3 business hours.
Representation before Social Security nationwide: 42 U.S.C. 406; 20 CFR 404.1705.