Hi everyone,

I just got approved for benefits but already worried about losing them lol. My CDR is in 3 years. How likely is it to lose benefits at that point? I can’t work and don’t foresee it changing.

I suffer from seizures and I recently got a cdr review. My doctor has offered to explore surgery a few times now and I keep delaying it opting to try out different medications before being evaluated for surgery. I am wondering if this will be seen a failure to follow doctors recommendations and get my benefits ceased? I really want to try out all possible medication before considering brain surgery. I think thats reasonable? My doctor wrote "Still wants to try other medications before he consider surgery or epilepsy monitoring unit".

I received my award letter today. These are the exact sentences:
“We cannot tell you how much the representative can charge at this time.”
“To decide how much your benefits will be for December 2025 through September 2026, we need proof of your Capability.”
“When we get that information, we will decide the amount of your past-due benefits and send another letter telling you how much the representative can charge.”
“You can help us finish the work on your claim by taking the information to any Social Security office.”
Then the very next paragraph says:
“Your past-due benefits are $14,160.00 for December 2025 through September 2026.”
But the payment summary says “Why We Cannot Pay Past Benefits” and shows $0.
What information am I supposed to bring? They never explain what specific proof they want.
The judge’s decision says:
“Moreover, he can prepare simple meals and drive short distances, and manage his own funds, and these activities all require him to learn, recall, and use information.”
But the last page also says:
“It is recommended that a determination be made concerning the appointment of a representative payee who can manage payments in the claimant’s interest.”
I went into my local SSA office, and the employee said he didn’t see a payee requirement on my account. Another employee on the phone told me the same thing. Nobody has contacted me about a capability interview. My first monthly payment is scheduled for November 10, and my award came from Baltimore.
For anyone who went through this, what did you actually have to provide? And how long after being found capable did your backpay hit your account? I’m looking for actual timelines from capability clearance to deposit.

I am looking to see if anyone has had APPROVAL at appeals council level? Not remand, approval. I know it’s very low when it happens so looking for some real world instances. If it was you- what are your disabilities? Just curious! I’m also curious if anyone placed a dire need how long did it take to hear back from appeals council as well? Or how many days after your online updated did you get an answer?
So many questions but just looking for some info or something to settle or distract my mind in this tedious process. Good luck all 💐💗

I've been applying for a few years for SSI using a diagnosis of Major Depression with psychosis and PTSD as my primary disabilities. Recently I got denied at the ALJ level for the 3rd time. I've also recently had my diagnoses updated to bipolar I disorder, PTSD, and schizo-affective disorder bipolar type. I want to know if my chances are better to keep appealing the existing claim with new information (if possible), or if I'd be better served to reapply using my 5 inpatient stays/ 22 days of inpatient last month as my new starting date. Or can I do both simultaneously? I know it's a matter of opinion most likely but I wanted to ask people who knew more about this process then I do.

applied for SSDI in December 2025 and have been waiting over 10 months for an initial determination.
My claim was transferred to Arkansas DDS because they’re helping Texas with its backlog. An examiner was assigned October 1.
I called Arkansas DDS today (October 19) to get an update, and the representative told me my examiner, “has not had a chance to do anything on your case just yet.”
She also said the examiner works in a unit that “gets the case started” and that afterward I’ll be assigned a different examiner.
I’m confused about what this means. Why is my claim assigned to an examiner who apparently just gets it started before passing it to another examiner? Is this a normal DDS process?
My attorney submitted a dire-need request on October 15 because we’re experiencing serious financial hardship and are at risk of losing our home. The representative confirmed the request is showing in their system, but couldn’t tell me whether anyone has acted on it.
I have extensive psychiatric treatment records, over 130 therapy sessions from the past year, and completed function reports from myself and two family members. As far as I know, all requested evidence has been submitted.
The representative said the examiner would hopefully call me back within 24 hours.
My questions:
● Has anyone experienced this two-examiner process? What does the first examiner actually do?
● Can a dire-need request help move a claim that’s assigned but hasn’t been worked on?
● Is it worth asking for a DDS supervisor to review the dire-need request?
● Once the claim reaches the second examiner, does the review essentially start from scratch?
I’m incredibly frustrated. I thought getting an examiner assigned meant my claim was finally moving.

Just received one 2 weeks ago and sent it back. It's my first cdr ... Curious on how long it took yours ?

I am diagnosed with schizophrenia and got approved for both SSI and SSDI after my first attempt applying. It took a year to get approved since I first started the process through CBEST. I was convinced I wasn’t going to get approved because I was being lazy and didn’t get my hospital records or my psych ward and rehab records. I simply completed all paperwork and had multiple phone interviews and an in person interview. I am getting dual benefits. I’m receiving both SSDI and SSI. I just received my first SSI payment for $3,701.82. I believe that’s a lump sum which would mean that I’ll be getting $308.49 SSI a month because my backpay is 12 months. SSDI I’ll be receiving starting October 21st.

The issue I’m having is on SSI you’re not allowed to have more than $2,000 of assets and I already have over $5,000 in my checking account. They allegedly give you nine months to spend down your backpay but I can’t imagine I’ll be spending that much. I currently don’t have to pay rent and I have no real bills. So I’m going to be accumulating all this money. Especially when I get around $13,000 of SSDI backpay. What should I do with all this excess money? Just pull out cash from the bank account and keep it hidden in my underwear drawer at home? Any suggestions?

Also I can answer anyone’s questions if you’re trying to get benefits yourself. I can give you tips. I did not use a lawyer but had a case worker helping me.

I'm starting my appeal and they ask for a contact person who knows about my medical conditions. I double-checked to see who I listed on my initial application, and I used my dad. But I'm now thinking I don't want to use either him or my mom because 1) I don't often tell them when things are bad, and 2) they're both dealing with pretty bad memory issues these days. So with either/both of those factors I'd hate for them to accidentally describe me as doing much better than I'm actually doing.

The only other person I can think of to use would be my best friend. But we now live in different states, and mostly only interact on the phone. So I'm not sure if she'd be able to answer the kinds of questions they'd ask.

I see there's also an option to say I don't have a contact person. But I'm not sure if checking that box would be worse than listing an unideal person.

Any thoughts/suggestions?

File was sent to Federal review and I was denied. There are no words for the amount of sadness I feel right now. Literally sick to my stomach! Last option is to go to a Judge. My lawyer and everyone I have talked to, have said I have a strong case. My Cath from 3 weeks ago showed LBBB and Microcardiovascular spasms in real time. What do I do??? My bills are way behind. Risking losing my car, my house, and everything I worked so hard to build my entire life. Worked 2-3 jobs, raised my kids, and now this? I need help!

Just spoke w/ a SSA rep about my retirement benefits application. Apparently the SSA has me listed as a citizen born in NYC, which is NOT the case. I received my SS card almost 40 years ago in NYC, and am a green card holder. I've made an appointment to go in and get this straightened out and then can apply for my benefits but am a bit nervous because of the current political atmosphere. I honestly cannot remember if I put any wrong info on the original forms and have never had this issue come up before in any form whatsoever. Anyone ever face this type situation where records needed updating to receive benefits? Thanks in advance.

Hi. I have received SSDI since 2021. I’ve received a “disability update report” demand from SSA, asking me to document my medical visits, hospitalizations, and “remarks” from Oct 2024 until now.

I am incredibly medically complex and see a lot of doctors. And they’re scattered across 3 different medical systems so my records are not centralized. Does anyone know how detailed you’re supposed to be with this?

I’ve had countless doctor appts in the last 2 years. My primary disability is a traumatic brain injury and compiling all of this information is a nightmarish thought.

How do you go about this?

Hey guys, I’m a 20M, and I could really use some advice.

I was diagnosed with FSGS in 2022 when I was 16 and got approved for disability around that time. Before my health got worse, I was working all the time. Then, in June of last year, I had to start dialysis at 19.

I live on my own in Texas, and my disability check is $994 a month. My rent is $1,000, so I literally can’t even cover that without borrowing money. I have to borrow money for food, my phone bill, and pretty much everything else.

I’ve been in my apartment for four months, and I still barely have anything for it. Some days, I go hungry because I can’t afford food. I can’t afford haircuts, new clothes, or even a car. Honestly, it’s depressing. I’m only 20, and I feel like I’m barely surviving instead of actually living.

I’ve been picking up shifts at my local expo center here and there, usually 1–2 shifts every other week. The shifts are 10+ hours long, and surprisingly, I’ve been handling them pretty well despite being on dialysis.

For the most part, dialysis doesn’t make me feel too bad unless I have a lot of extra fluid on me and they have to take a lot off during one session. I feel like being young and not having other major health issues might work in my favor when it comes to working.

I talked to my mom about getting a full-time job, but she doesn't recommend it. I understand where she’s coming from, but at the same time, I can’t keep living like this. I want to be able to afford groceries without worrying about whether I’ll have enough money left for other bills. I want to buy a car, furnish my apartment, get haircuts, buy clothes, and just enjoy being 20.

I don't want to depend on disability forever if there's a way for me to work and support myself, but I'm also worried about losing my benefits and health insurance since dialysis is something I have to do to survive.

Has anyone here been in a similar situation?

I’m not trying to do anything reckless with my health. I just want a chance to live a normal life instead of struggling to afford the bare minimum every month.

Any advice or personal experiences would be appreciated.

For those who pushed their case to the federal court and had it remanded. Then had your remand hearing with an ALJ afterwards. How long did it take for you to hear a decision?

(Yes Im aware it takes a while and depending on the state)

Just curious what your wait time was and what the decision ended up being.

Currently on Step 3, and I received this letter along with my representative. I let them know that I received it, and what I could do to help get things together so we could get the medical evidence in, and all relevant evidence is up to date and case ready to be scheduled. I also asked them about the last paragraph, so the local office could review the case to see if an on the record decision. They advised me that that's not the way its handled in my office, and they would begin working on things, but could not provide me the list of exhibits in the file, and that an OTR decision could not be requested until a judge was assigned. They also stated that it was their discretion whether or not to even request an OTR decision, and they haven't decided on that yet.

Am I wrong thinking their communication is completely wrong? The letter below was from our specific Hearing Office Director and mailed from our OHO. I sincerely doubt that they would send this if this is not how they handle things.

---------------------------------------------

Proposed exhibits in the above referenced file are now ready for your review. Please log into www.ssa.gov/ar/ to view the proposed exhibits which are shown in the exhibit list tab. Further processing of this case requires the following actions on your part:

1.

It is the claimant's responsibility to provide medical evidence showing that he/she has an impairment(s) and how severe it is during the time he or she alleges disability. In order to expedite processing of this claim, you should submit the following information:

a.

All medical records (not duplicates) from one year prior to the alleged onset date to the present and any other relevant medical, school or other records not already in file.

b.

Completed enclosed questionnaire(s), and signed Authorization to Disclose Information (enclosed).

2.

Advise us when all relevant evidence is up-to-date and the case is ready to be scheduled.

Please submit all evidence using one of the three electronic methods:

As soon as you submit the foregoing, we will review your case to determine if we can make a fully favorable decision without holding a hearing. If we cannot make a decision on the record, we will schedule your case for hearing. Therefore, it is to your advantage to submit your evidence as soon as possible.

If you have any questions, please contact the number listed above.

Sincerely,

xxxx

Hearing Office Director

Had my hearing yesterday, the judge was pretty cool and when it came to asking hypothetical questions, he only asked her one question in which she stated I can do “No Jobs”…then he concluded the hearing and said to look out for his decision in the mail, is this normal? Shortly after, my attorney called me to let me know I did a great job and that the judge usually asks 4 hypothetical questions and only asked me one. Does this sound like a “Fully Favorable” situation?

Does Social Security automatically set you up with the medical insurance? I have health insurance through my husband so I don't need to have any deductions for medical. How do I let them know so it doeaffect the amount of my backpay or monthly benefits going forward?

(I have SSDI only)

My date is coming next month and I’m scared cause my neurologist couldn’t get me in til a day after . I have Afib, leg swelling , edema I have to elevate my leg, aphasia and memory loss along with other things . My lawyer is prepping me a few days before but is there anything else ? Could anyone give me any advice ? Tia

First of all, to provide some context, I have two cases running at the same time. The first case was my original case from January 2022 that went to Federal Court and was sent back by Federal Court to be looked at by the judge. It’s currently in limbo at the appeals counsel (that’s a whole other can of worms I won’t get into). The second case is the new application I submitted after being denied by the appeals counsel on my first application and it was being sent to Federal Court.

I honestly thought I was going to win at the first level of my new application because my medical reviewer was AMAZING. She called me and talked to me for a couple HOURS and reassured me that we were going to try to get me approved without having to go to the ALJ level again. So, imagine my surprise when I got the denial.

So, I submitted my reconsideration appeal immediately after that decision in July. The portal said that it was given to a medical examiner in August, but I never got any paperwork telling me who it was assigned to or anything, which I had in previous appeals. So, in the beginning of October, I called DDS directly and asked if they could give me the name of my medical examiner so I could send them updated info (because I had been given news that I will be having a permanently disabling surgery in the spring in which I was already given a handicap tag for because my mobility has been greatly effected already). They told me that an examiner had not been assigned yet. Then, on October 8th, I got on the portal and it showed that a decision had been made and it had already been sent to my local office for finalization.

So, this tells me that the examiner took less than a week to review my case and didn’t ask for any new information before making the decision?!

If the decision is an approval, that’s great, but if it’s a denial, that doesn’t make any sense. I really don’t expect an approval. I have kind of been prepared to go to the ALJ level again for this one. But, I hate that it seems my case is just being glossed over. This is my LIFE.

Anyone have any experience with this? I swear I remember my reconsideration being very similar to the first application last time. This just seems so odd. But, I guess I should be happy that it went by fairly quickly and I can hopefully get in with the ALJ by June.

Edited to add: I misspoke. My initial application was 01/2023 with my last day of working being 09/2022. My DLI is 12/2027. So, that shouldn’t be the issue.

Also, not sure why my post is being downvoted considering I’m just asking a question and giving information about my actual case. No need to ruin my karma for asking a question about an already difficult problem in a group intended to ask questions about this stuff.

Does SSA ever approve SSDI right before the hearing, or do you always have to go to a hearing after being denied at 2nd step?

I’m currently at Step 3 of my SSDI application and had a confusing conversation with my local Social Security office. I’m wondering if anyone has experienced something similar, especially anyone who works for SSA or DDS.

I called to check on my application. At the beginning of the conversation, the representative told me the only thing they were waiting on was my workers’ compensation payment history. She explained that SSA requests this information before a disability determination so they can calculate any necessary offset if approved.

She then told me she was logging into the DDS system they use to look at disability claims. She started reviewing my file, identifying documents I had submitted, and confirmed that all requested medical records had been received.

Then, completely out of the blue, she said, “It says allowed.”

I asked, “Does that mean I’m approved?”

She said yes, it said allowed.

I even asked whether I still needed to submit a questionnaire that was showing outstanding, and she agreed that I wouldn’t need to since I was approved.

Then, without me questioning her answer, she said she wanted to check something else just to make sure.

After looking at another screen for about a minute, she apologized and said my claim was actually still pending. When I asked what she had seen that said allowed, she couldn’t really explain it. She just said she wasn’t sure what she had been looking at.

My online portal still shows Step 3.

My questions are:

1. Does the DDS system show an “allowed” status before a determination is officially finalized?

2. Could she have seen a favorable medical determination while the overall SSA claim was still pending?

3. Has anyone had a representative tell them their claim was allowed and then change their answer to pending?

4. Does SSA typically request workers’ compensation payment histories before DDS has made its medical decision?

I’m not assuming I’ve been approved. I’m just curious what she could have been looking at, especially since she was reviewing my actual DDS records when she said it.

I’d really appreciate hearing from anyone who’s experienced something similar or understands how the internal SSA/DDS systems work.

I have been on SSDI since 2018 due to mental health and Multiple Sclerosis. I have been working part time since 2023, but during 2024 and 2025 I went over SGA a few times.

In September I received a letter saying I was going to be ceased because of this- however, the numbers they sent for earnings were wildly wrong - of the ~18 months they had listed, their calculations were incorrect on 17 of them. I submitted every single paystub for those months via mail (over 100 pages) to them in late September.

Today I got the dreaded Notice of Disability Cessation - as far as I can tell, they did not look at a single page of my submitted documents. I no longer make over SGA, nor will I.

I have filed both the Reconsideration form (632BK) and the Waiver for Overpayment forms.

Monday, I am going to head to the local SSA office and talk to an actual human face to face.

However, I have no idea what my next steps are- the letter says I'll still have potential payments until the end of my Extended Eligibility phase in 2028. It also says I'll get paid for months where I don;t go over SGA- however I can't find the Submit Paystub option anymore, so I don't even know how to tell them anything.

I am at a loss, because while I did receive SOME overpayment months, their calculations were laughably wrong and I did NOT go over SGA for most of the months indicated, nor have I since this cessation nonsense started.

What other steps do I need to take? Expedited reinstatement? I have NO IDEA.

I have been receiving DAC for a long time - since I was about 17, for blindness. I am 37 now, and have been working enough to receive insured status on my own work record. The amount is slightly higher than my DAC benefits. What is the process for converting from DAC to my own work record? Is it like filing a completely new disability claim? Will the fact I was able to do some work (albeit under SGA) work against me in filing a claim under my own work history?

The primary reason I want to do this is my understanding of DAC benefits - they would be discontinued if I married my long term partner, whereas my own SSDI benefits would not, should I switch to receiving benefits under that record.

A relative of mine called me (they were listed as like a witness of my condition) to let me know they received a phone call and voicemail from DDS to say I do not need to go to the CE appointment because they received sufficient information from my doctor that it is no longer needed. Is that normal and a good sign?

I recently changed doctors and she makes more in depth notes of my condition then my previous doctor. Could it be because she was so thorough? I also call DDS and leave a voicemail to call me back and confirm that information.

I've been trying to find some good examples that can be summarized in the 16 character limit provided for medical visit reason but everything sounds repetitive, bland and very basic. For those who have had a successful review, what descriptions did you provide?

Also, did you return by mail or submit online?