5 Facts About Checking Your SSDI Claim Status

In 2021, the Social Security Administration received more than 1,500,000 Social Security Disability Insurance (SSDI) applications for disabled-worker benefits. Was your application among them? If so, how can you check on your SSDI claim? And with more than a million applications for the Social Security Administration to review, how long will you wait? Consider five facts about checking your SSDI claim status.

1. How Can You Check on Your SSDI Claim?

Check the status of your SSDI claim on the Social Security Administration’s website. If you filed for disability benefits online, use your SSDI account to check claim status. But if you submitted your application at a Social Security office, you can create an account online.

Your application status will show the following information:

• Date that you filed the application
• Where your claim is in the process
• Location of the office that is servicing your claim
• Your scheduled hearing date and time
• Re-entry numbers for an incomplete application
• A list of publications that relate to your claim and where it is in the process

2. How Do You Create an SSDI Account?

You can create an SSDI account on the application status web page. Click Create Your Account and sign up with your email address and a secure password. Or, if you are a government employee, you can sign in with your employee ID.

3. Where Can You Find Your SSDI Claim Number?

You can find your SSDI claim number in these ways:

• Access your SSDI account online
• Look at your application confirmation letter from the SSA
• Call the Social Security Administration

4. What Is the Average Wait Time for SSDI?

The wait time for a decision on your SSDI application usually occurs within three months. But the response time for you depends on several factors, including:

• Your disability type;
• How quickly your medical providers give evidence of your disability;
• Whether the Social Security Administration requires you to complete a medical examination; and
• Whether the Social Security Administration reviews your application for quality purposes.

Still, more than 60 percent of SSDI claims are denied yearly. If the Social Security Administration denies your claim, you can file an appeal. Visit the Social Security Administration’s website for details on the stages of SSDI claim appeal. If the Social Security Administration approves your claim, you will not need to proceed to the next stage. You can expect these wait times:

• Stage 1: Reconsideration – Three to six months
• Stage 2: Hearing by an administrative law judge – Six months to a year
• Stage 3: Review by the Appeals Council – Six months to a year
• Stage 4: Federal Court Review – A year or more

5. How to Reduce the Risk of SSDI Claim Denial

Most of the claims the Social Security Administration denies are due to technical errors, including incomplete paperwork or lack of supporting documentation. You can reduce the risk of SSDI claim denial and avoid delays by partnering with an SSDI lawyer.

If you live in San Antonio, request an SSDI consultation with Attorney Lisa Wogwu.