How to Apply for Disability Benefits: Step-by-Step Guide

Stage 1: Apply For Benefits Stage 2: Hearings and Appeals Get help applying for disability Find disability help in your state Resources > General General How to Apply for Disability Benefits: Step-by-Step Guide to SSDI and SSI Written by Jackie Jakab Lead Attorney Published April 17, 2024 Updated March 3, 2026 5 min read Why trust us? Compass Disability offers free, high-quality disability advice for Americans who can't work. Our team of Stanford and Harvard-trained lawyers has a combined 15+ years of legal experience and has helped over 50,000 Americans apply for disability benefits.

Why trust us? Dealing with an injury or illness is stressful, but if you suddenly find yourself unable to work, it can be especially challenging. On top of managing your symptoms and trying to maintain some quality of life, you’re now concerned about your financial security, too!

That’s where disability benefits come in. But unfortunately, applying for disability isn’t exactly a stress reliever. Even if you know you deserve benefits, the process can feel overwhelming. And that’s fair — applying for disability is a complex and time-consuming process. But it doesn’t need to be confusing. There are clear, defined steps to follow as you apply. Today, we’re here to walk you through them.

First, you’ll prepare and submit your application. Then, you’ll follow up with appeals and hearings, since most applications get denied the first time around.

Here’s what you can expect, step by step, as you apply for disability benefits.

Key takeaways:

• Applying for disability benefits is a multi-step process that includes submitting an application, providing medical evidence, and often going through appeals and hearings.
• The Social Security Administration (SSA) denies most initial applications, but many applicants are approved after reconsideration or a hearing — especially with legal representation.
• Strong medical documentation and timely appeals are important to improving your chances of getting approved for benefits.

Stage 1: Apply For Benefits

1. Assess your situation

Does the Social Security Administration (SSA) consider your condition a disability?

Unfortunately, not everyone struggling with a health condition is eligible for disability benefits. For the government to consider your condition a disability, it must:

• Be related to an illness or injury diagnosed by a physician
• Last for at least 12 months (or be likely to result in death)
• Keep you from working at your current job
• Keep you from doing other jobs

Some illnesses, like terminal cancer, are considered “listing-level conditions.” If you are facing one of these, you your disability application can move through the consideration process more quickly.

2. Decide which program to apply for

Most people will qualify for one of two government programs; Supplemental Security Income (SSI), or Social Security Disability Insurance (SSDI).

SSDI is based on your employment history, with payouts based on how much you’ve earned. SSI payouts are much lower and come with more restrictions.

Get more information on both programs in our Disability Claims 101 guide .

3. Collect paperwork and documentation

Examine the application, and determine what paperwork, records, and documentation the SSA needs as evidence of your disability. You will want to have all these materials ready before you submit your application.

The SSA might ask for documentation, including:

• Medical records
• Educational records
• Work history
• Your doctor’s contact information
• Financial information

You could also consider keeping a symptom diary and asking your doctor to note your entries in your medical records. This can become valuable documentation later in the process.

4. Fill out and submit your application.

SSI and SSDI application forms are very in-depth. They can be upwards of 30 pages long and take hours of work to complete. This is why it’s so crucial to be well-prepared, with all the information and materials you’ll need before you start.

Your attorney can also help make sure the forms are filled out properly. This is just one more reason it’s so helpful to have a lawyer's assistance, even early in the application process.

You can submit your application through the SSA website, in person at your local SSA office , or by phone.

5. Provide supplemental information

No matter how careful you are, the SSA may ask for more evidence or documentation after reviewing your application.

This isn’t a reason to worry — the SSA is just trying to better understand your situation.

Carefully collect and submit the requested information. Often, this will mean sending over more records and documents.

The SSA might also request an examination with one of its medical experts.

3 Tips for your SSA Medical Examination

A medical examination is nothing to fear. But you do need to be mindful of how you talk about your condition with the examiner. Here are a few tips to set you up for success:

1. When asked about your symptoms, describe how they feel on most days, not how you’re feeling at that moment.
2. If needed, remind the doctor why you are there so they ask relevant questions. For example, if they only do a physical exam and you’re living with depression , reiterate that your condition is mental, not physical.
3. Ask to see your medical record at the end of the exam to make sure what you reported has actually been added.

6. Await your decision

Congratulations — your application is complete!

It’s time to wait for the SSA’s decision and move ahead with the hearings and appeals process if you aren’t approved.

Stage 2: Hearings and Appeals

1. Receive your decision

If you don’t have a listing-level condition (ALS, stage 4 cancer, etc.), your first application will most likely be rejected. But don’t despair — this is an expected part of the process. Only 20% of applications get approved at this stage, and most of them have fast-track conditions.

Nor do you need to apply over and over again if you get rejected. With the help of your lawyer, you can appeal the decision and pursue more hearings, making your case stronger every time.

To learn more about how many times you can apply for disability, check out this guide .

2. Request reconsideration

If the SSA denies your application, you have 60 days to ask the SSA to examine your application a second time via a reconsideration .

But unless they missed something important, rejection at this stage is again typical. Only 10% of applications get approved after reconsideration, so don’t get discouraged.

3. Hearing

After reconsideration, you and your lawyer will request a disability hearing , where you can make your case to a judge. Again, you have 60 days from your last decision to request a hearing.

In attendance at the trial will be:

• A judge
• A vocational expert
• You and your lawyer
• A medical expert (sometimes)

This is when you’ll really get a chance to state your case, explain why you need benefits, and hopefully change the decision.

If you get to the hearing stage, your odds are much better — 50% of applications are approved post-hearing, and if you have a lawyer, your chances of success are three times higher.

For more advice, read our guide to preparing for your disability hearing.

What to say at your hearing

At your hearing, be prepared to answer both specific and open-ended questions. The judge will interview you and the medical and vocational experts to evaluate how much your disability impacts your daily life.

Your lawyer will coach you on what exactly to say at your hearing, but there are some general tips that can help you make a good impression and answer tricky questions.

When speaking at your hearing:

• Only answer questions asked of you specifically. Never jump in on a question asked of someone else.
• Be concise, and give simple answers without over-explaining. Yes-or-no answers are perfectly fine.
• Be specific and concrete. Try saying “I can only stand for 2-3 minutes without pain,” not “standing is hard for me.”
• Describe how your symptoms feel on most days, not at the present moment.
• Don’t undersell or downplay your symptoms, even if you have some good days

4. Appeal

Getting denied doesn’t have to be the end of the process. Many successful applications appeal multiple times. If your application isn’t successful post-hearing, some applicants move on to a review from the Appeals Council, which reconsiders the judge’s denial.

A good disability lawyer will improve your case based on the judge’s feedback, so you have a better chance of getting approved in the future.

5. Get approved — and get paid!

After finally getting approved for benefits, it’s time to figure out how much and when you’ll get paid.

Your exact payment amount depends on which program you’re in, how much you earned over your employment history, and whether you qualify for back pay . Back pay is a lump sum that covers the time between submitting your application and approval.

Just like the rest of the benefits process, determining your payout can get pretty complicated. For more information, check out our guide on how and when you’ll get disability back pay and benefits.

How long does this take?

Getting disability benefits can take a long time. In most cases, it can take 2-2.5 years to get a final decision and start getting benefits payments.

If you have a listing-level condition, the process could be much faster. But if you need to move through multiple hearings and appeals, it could take longer.

Applying as soon as you can after becoming disabled is very important. To learn more, read our article explaining how long it takes to get disability benefits .

Get help applying for disability

It takes a lot of time and effort to navigate this process. To make sure that the investment pays off, we strongly recommend working with a lawyer at every stage of the application process.

Applicants with legal representation are three times more likely to get approved for benefits at the hearing stage. Disability attorneys work on a contingency basis, meaning they only get paid if you win benefits. That means you pay a one-time, federally capped fee. Compass Disability can help you get disability benefits and make the process less confusing. Fill out our 2-minute questionnaire to get a personalized consultation about your case.

Find disability help in your state

Alabama

Arizona

California

Colorado

Florida

Georgia

Hawaii

Illinois

Indiana

Kentucky

Louisiana

Maryland

Massachusetts

Michigan

Minnesota

Mississippi

Missouri

New Hampshire

New Jersey

New Mexico

New York

North Carolina

Oklahoma

Oregon

Pennsylvania

South Carolina

Tennessee

Virginia

Washington

Wisconsin

Other regions

Jackie Jakab

Lead Attorney

See if you qualify See if you qualify How long has your condition made it hard to work?

About Us Mission Careers For Clients My Account Help Center Articles Fields of Law Disability Benefits Workers' Compensation For Lawyers Our Firm Lawyer Portal At the bottom of many websites, you'll find a small disclaimer: "We are not a law firm and are not qualified to give legal advice." If you see this, run the other way. These people can't help you: they're prohibited by law from giving meaningful advice, recommending specific lawyers, or even telling you whether you need a lawyer at all.

There’s no disclaimer here: Compass Disability is a law firm, and we are qualified to give legal advice. We can answer your most pressing questions, make clear recommendations, and search far and wide to find the right lawyer for you.

Two important things to note: If we give you legal advice, it will be through a lawyer on our staff communicating with you directly. (Don't make important decisions about your case based solely on this or any other website.) And if we take you on as a client, it will be through a document you sign. (No attorney-client relationship arises from using this site or calling us.)

• © 2026 Compass Disability

Terms | Privacy | California Privacy | CHD Policy | Disclaimer | This website is lawyer advertising.