legal advice

In order to apply for any Social Security benefits one must find out if, first they qualify for the benefits they are wishing to receive. There are various options one has to determine if they would be eligible. One such way would be to contact an attorney who handles social security filings. Another option is take an online eligibility test at the social security web site. The test is called B.E.S.T.- Benefit Eligibility Screening Tool. The test is not an application for benefits and it doesn’t give you an estimate of benefit amounts, ask you for your name, or social security number and lastly it doesn’t access your personal Social Security records.
You can apply for Social Security benefits online however you can’t apply for all aspects of Social Security benefits online. Online you may apply for retirement, disability and spouse’s benefits. You are also able to restart an incomplete application and check the status of a claim at the agency site .You are not allowed to use the internet application if you are applying for Supplemental Security Income (SSI) benefits, however you can begin the process of applying for SSI disability for an adult of child by completing an online disability report. An individual cannot apply online for benefits for children, benefits as a surviving spouse, lump sum death payments and lastly apply for Medicare coverage only. Instead of applying online for the listed items above the individual must call toll free at 1-800-772-1213, and for the deaf and hard of hearing the TTY number is 1-800-325-0778. Applicants can also apply by mail or in person at any Social Security office. However they must first make an appointment in order to apply for benefits. The application process can sometimes be complex and confusing, as such, it is sometimes helpful to seek the services of an attorney. By law, an attorney can only receive a fee for SSI or SSDI benefits after you are receiving funds, and in most cases the attorney only receives a percent of the benefits you were do in the past, but not any money due in the future.
Some things that an individual would need to take into consideration when applying for these benefits are; an individual must be ready to supply the information needed in order to approve an application for benefits. The Social Security Administration also may ask the individual to provide certain documents to show that they are eligible and to assist in the decision of how much the benefits should be. If an individual is considering having direct deposit they must also bring their bank information in order for the process to be started.
It should be noted that if an individual has filed for Social Security disability benefits and have been denied the benefits within the last 60 days they are not to use the internet application to file an appeal. If an individual is unsure whether or not they are still within the appeal period they should call the Social Security Administrations toll free number to acquire assistance before completing the internet application.