r/SSDI_SSI

I was on SSI from 2021 till march 2024, I was 16-19. They did a review in march 2023 and found me not disabled. I appealed, it was denied. I did the ADJ hearing and that just came back and was an unfavorable decision. I have been dealing with chronic migraines since I was 11. I have been dealing with severe mental illness since 12. I have been to 2 residential inpatient facilities at 14 and at 17. I have attempted suicide probably at least 20 times. I have uncontrollable mood swings, irritability, rage, inability to listen or respect authority figures, huge social anxiety, PTSD, bipolar disorder, depression and anxiety and adhd. I was looking for representation for over 6 months and absolutely no one would represent me. So i represented myself and i did a lot of research on what i needed to say and went through all of my daily impairments and struggles to function, my work & school history (work history is not large , one job) I dropped out of college due to mental illness. The judge i got was the worst for my area, with a 28% approval rate. My mom and I are both currently going the neurology route, it's looking like she might have MS which means I might as well.. My MRI's have been concerning and i'm getting more. Is it even worth appealing or further pursuing?

I was finally approved on June 30th by the judge. I submitted September 9, 2023. The judge approved me during our call. He will backpay me from the date of November 23, 2024 instead of September 2023. It was a definite approval with the November 2024 date so I accepted.

I am 54 and I have PTSD and knee issues. I am a disabled veteran at 100% disability and I reside in Florida. The judge told me to give him about two weeks. I guess for him to get his paperwork in showing my approval.

When I first started this whole process, I submitted without an attorney. I was disapproved all the way up to ALJ. When I first had an ALJ appointment, it was January 30, 2026. When I was on the call, my judge didn't make a decision because he said that he wanted me to get representation.

So, he dismissed everyone from the call and he told me that he would send me a list of attorneys to contact. He said once I had an attorney, they will contact him to show that they were representing me. I'm not sure when I will get any payment because I have to wait until the judge does his part before anything gets kicked off.

My attorney told me to submit for Disabled Adult Child benefits (DAC). My son is 18 with autism and ADHD. I had never heard of it before but it is something I would get for him because I will be receiving SSDI. But, I have to wait until my approval is showing in the system before I can apply for (DAC). Keep up the fight and good luck to you all.

applied for SSDI back in 2023. Got denied in 2024. Filed an appeal and finally got my ALJ hearing scheduled for November 2025, but it ended up happening on June 25, 2026My hearing was honestly different from what I expected. The judge barely asked me anything, the vocational expert didn’t speak at all, and the judge told my lawyer they needed a bit more information before making a decision. My online status still shows “Step 3: ALJ is reviewing your case.”It’s been over a week with no messages from SSA or my lawyer, and from what I’ve learned, that usually means the judge has everything they need and is working on the written decision. I’m just waiting now and hoping for the best.If anyone else had a hearing where the judge didn’t ask many questions or the VE didn’t talk, I’d love to hear its only been 2 weeks but I need to know

Hi I've been on SSI/SSDI on for a while. I have a lot of mental disabilities as well of Psychical one.

My mother is the person who holds all my SSI and she tells me that the thing I can spend it are extremely strict (basic needs) and I cannot under no excuse spend it on something like video games or stuff like that.

Is that true? Or have i been lied to this whole time? It really spikes my anxiety as Im unsure as how to use my SSI.

Had called my ssdi office handling my claim and was told my files weren't available to them even if I uploaded all my documents to my online portal.

I had told this to my state case worker and she told me she would speak to ssdi about what's going on and she also told me that she recieved all my files and had sent them all over to the government files.

Does anyone know how long this is?

Ive waited a year and two months for reconsideration since may 2025. They failed to retrieve my medical files before hand and had reconsidered me in may 2025 from my original claim in Feb 2025.

I put in a dire need letter and updated any and all informative evidence of forms needed to be signed or medical records.

If anyone's experienced this please let me know what is happening or will happen to my case pleae 🙏

Also my case was transfered to a office with more availability and my case manager told me he had no idea who my government state rep Adam gray was on Thursday. On friday it was showing in my portal for review then monday it showed I needed more documents. I sent these documents in Monday and Tuesday of this week tbh and had sent them over to my government file with the state rep.

Two months ago I won $180 on DraftKings and I am on Social Security for a mental disability and I do not understand how everything works and I was talking to someone about my winnings and they said that I need to report it within a month and I didn’t what will happen

So I received the forms where you explain your daily living. I’m going to be honest on the form but what can I put on there that will really help me get approved? For reference I’ve had three major back surgeries and I am in constant pain that messes with my ability to work and do daily tasks or anything really. I don’t want to end up putting down the wrongs things that get me denied. Please help or give advice. Thank you.

I have 2 children in SSI.

My oldest (6M) has been receiving his since Feb 2024. My middle child (3M) just started receiving his May 2026.

I just found a job finally after so long I start July 9th.

What is the process like?

If it helps I live in the state of Ohio.

My son’s case worker is demanding to see his father to prove he doesn’t live with us or why he isn’t sending me money.

His father and I haven’t been together for 4 years and I live with my sons grandparents (his fathers parents) for numerous reasons. We recently moved and got a new case worker and she’s asking for our backpay receipts (which we’ve already provided for all of this with his old case worker) from 2 years ago and now she’s questioning if his father really does not live with us and told me he has to come in and show proof that he doesn’t live with us. She’s also asking why he isn’t on child support even though I explained to her that just because he doesn’t send me money, doesn’t mean he isn’t caring for our son. I’m providing for myself and my son while his father provides for whatever my son needs. I don’t see the big deal if I can pay my own rent and food.

Is she being rude or is this normal?

I've been having issues getting on Washington's SSI.

I used to be on it as a baby, but was suddenly cut off by the state, with no reason why.

I struggle with both mental and physical disabilities. More than I've been officially diagnosed with. (I've been trying to get diagnosed for my other issues for a few years now, but my doctor has either pushed it off, or my psych kept gaslighting me. I'm currently now searching for a new counselor and psych to at least help with my mental disabilities.)

I've been struggling with SSI for over 2 years now. Last year I finally had a court hearing for my case, with help from my SSI attorney. But I lost the case. A few days afterward, he called me and chewed me out saying I didn't tell my doctor and therapists the same issues I've been telling him. (Which is wrong. They just weren't doing their jobs and adding my symptoms/issues in my files, like I kepr asking them to do, and that my attorney himself, tried to push them to do.)

He was this whole different person. Extremely rude, putting all the blame on me, wouldn't listen to me at all.

As far as I know, he's still my attorney. SSI is still sending letters to both me and him. I know this because they have his address at the bottom of their letters to me, stating that they've also sent a copy to his business address.

But he hasn't contacted me at all, and his secretary has stopped replying to my emails for several months. (I don't overwhelm them with emails. Just sent some asking if they know anything about my current appeal, and sometimes update them on my current medical status, changes in diagnosis, doctors and meds, etc. Which is what he originally wanted me to do.)

2 weeks ago, I got a letter saying my current appeal is being sent to an Administrative Law Judge. Usually my attorney would have called me by now to talk about what our next steps are. But he never did.

So I emailed him at the start of last week, asking what we should do, do I need to talk with him personally, etc. Along with an update on my current meds and my new ABA therapist.

I've got no reply. No calls from him, no emails.

I don't know if he's even still on my case anymore. The state is still sending my SSI letters to both him and me. So surely he still is? But it's like he's given up on me without any warning.

Should I try calling him and ask what's going on?

I'm honestly scared to because of how upset he was last time. He also didn't seem to want to talk to me as soon as I told him my mom wasn't home. (She usually joined me in my calls with him, since she's been my biggest help/support through these SSI issues.) and used it as some excuse to talk rudely to me.

I'm FINALLY making progress in seeing the right doctors for my issues. And I'm hoping they'll help my case since my biggest issues haven't been diagnosed by a qualified doctor yet. (They were only diagnosed by my general practitioner until I kept pushing to get a referral to see a rheumatologist and some therapist who's both qualified to get me tested for some issues and also won't gaslight me like my last one did.)

I'm just lost on what to do. I've lost so much money on my last case because my attorney pushed me to see this psych he knows, who had me pay him $700 (which was over a year of my savings), who did 1 appointment with me before my last court case and didn't help at all. And at this point I've lost hope that my attorney himself, will even help. Even though he was one of the only ones who originally wanted to take my case.

How do I even contact him in a way that helps me know what's going on? It would help a lot to at least know that he's still on my case or for him to even say himself that he's given up on me, so that I can at least take the next steps needed to find someone else who can help.

Location: Washington state, USA

I retired at 62. I was having health issues but not enough for disability. My husband died about 25 years ago at 45. We were not married 10 years prior to his death. Do I qualify for benefits. He was on disability for about 6 years due to blindness

Thanks
Lisa

I’ve been waiting since February and they barely approved my son yesterday. When I check his portal it says his next payment is 7/31. My question is would he get a payment for July or would it be counted as a backpay payment. My payment method is direct deposit.Thank you 🫶🏼.

Hello, I am a 35yo male and have been on SSI for quite some time and i am starting to think its about time to try out the work force once again, but i have a few questions to make sure i do it right.

I know that when you start making money it minuses from your SSI check every month until you make enough to not receive a check. My real question is about my Health insurance. I believe i made a post here a long time ago about it but im not sure if its still like this.

When does your health care go away when you start making money from a job? From what people have said it says that as long as you don't lose SSI from being disqualified due to being able bodied. You retain your health insurance up to making 40k a year. Thats what people have told me and i would like just to get a retake from you guys about it. I don't wanna start making moves since if i lose my medical without getting new medical i won't last long.

Thank for your replies and help! Appreciate it.

I am just a bit lost on what we should be doing. He has MD and is wheelchair bound. He never qualified for benefits as a child since I have a job and was able to provide for him.

He is planning on continuing to live at home and attend an online college program. His stamina is compromised so I don’t think he could work an 8 hour day.

Is he entitled to benefits? I am not sure if we should even be investigating it or not.

Thank you for any insights you might have.

I get this letter a few weeks ago because my dad died next thing you know I see 399 so basically they took away the 250 I would normally get and gave me 150 that's great so I got a lowsey 150.

Everybody thought it was something great but what most people don't realize is anything extra that social security tells you you're going to receive usually isnt extra. It's the exact amount that you would normally get. They never allow you to get any more than $900 and something dollars.

399 sounds good on paper but they subtract that from what you get. So instead of giving you your full benefit plus the $399 they take some of it away

As of June 30th 2026. Been contacting law offices. I’m nervous. Am i on the right track?

Hey y'all!

I know this is probably a dumb question to post but I was wondering peoples waiting time on getting a hearing decision. Tomorrow will be 4 weeks still no word on approval or denial. I have a very low approval judge 15.6 to be exact. My lawyer thinks it went well but I am not pushing myself to be hopeful. Is it a good thing that she hasn't made a decision yet or i havent got a decision? Is it prob a denial? Do u think because its taking a while its an approval? My lawyers office basically told me not to call them they would call me. I am thankful to have somewhere to post where ppl understand. I don't know why this feels like torment. I know i have to keep living regardless. I am just ready to get this part over with. I started this process 11/24.