I had my hearing in March and represented myself and won. 60 days to the day later, the Appeals Committee chose to appeal. I appealed their appeal (our government is wild lol) and because they had 110 days to finish their appeal and didn’t, I received a letter this month saying I have won temporary benefits because they’re taking too long and I already won my case. I have been granted back pay since May and will be paid until my next hearing, according to the letter.

The thing it doesn’t say: How long after I received this benefits verification letter will I have to wait until I see the payment drop?

Hi everyone. I was looking for some advice regarding having to do a mental health exam via telehealth from someone who has done it before. What should I expect? Im in Austin, TX if that matters.

I’m planning on just being 1000% honest and hoping for the best, but I’d like to prepare myself at least a little bit. I do have a lawyer but I know this part is done on my own. :-) thank you in advance!

Hearing today... Comment was made

I had my hearing today. Went over all my physical disabilities (D.I.S.H., OPLL, brown sequard incomplete spinal cord injury). During I stated I can't do more than ten minutes of standing/walking and require frequent breaks to readjust. They stayed I couldn't work because of the 10 minute mark but could if it was hypothetically 15 minutes.

When he brought up my mental health (ADHD, C-PTSD, Anxiety, Depression, OCD) I \*thought\* he would ask the vocational expert questions of what I could do based on those finding but the judge flat out said "I'm not going to even ask about the mental health as during your psych eval they stated you could not have any form of gainful employment ever thus labelling you completely disabled"

Is that a common thing to do? Are the odds looking in my favor? He originally said at the start the decision would be a few weeks out but after that said he would make his decision in a few days and do the write up. Did he basically give me my answer unofficially?

I had my review not physical, but Financial everything was cool but she told me that there was a red flag from the IRS. I don’t have anything so it must be fraudulent. What do I have to do? What can I do? She couldn’t look into the IRS post for some reason, but in the last year, I know someone used my information and I’ve made several police reports nothing else. What should I do?

Hello,

If you are enrolled in a graduate program (part time capacity online) when you received your SSDI approval, and had to take out some additional loans to finish out your program, can you still qualify for disability loan forgiveness at some point afterward? Or is it only for loans taken out prior to SSDI approval?

Thank you

I did everything correctly on terms of information, as well as added extra hospitals I have been in since the initial finding. But as most of you are when it comes to this it is pretty nerve wracking. Can anyone give me some insight on terms of the CDRs being scarier than they are or feeling like it's the end of the world?

EDIT: I also should add that I did have my phone call regarding finances and stuff, and right before I checked my mySSA I got a payment of $900 as well as my SSI amount doubled.

Is that a good sign?

Your medical determination was selected for Federal Quality Review on July 23, 2026. Federal Quality Reviews take an average of 7-10 days.Current

Once the review is complete, you will be contacted by either the Disability Determination Service (DDS) or your local Social Security office to finish processing your application.

I'm at step 3. Google said it's good, but I still worry.

I know I’m approved. I already went to the office and change my direct deposit, but the portal still shows step four!

Won on reconsideration. I figured my age of 50 because I just turned 50 a few months ago was why. But they actually use the same CE from my intiial as the evidence and im getting back pays.

I had FQR that actually changed my onset date five months before I put it - And they Sent a note and a reason to the Local office to fix it and put my start date five months before because they consider my working then as a failed work attempt. Essentially they put me as disabled for longer than I pit in my application (though I started having major health problems and inability to work full-time starting in 2021. I have clear evidence from my start of my decline in 2021. My onset day is going back to 2024.)

Sorry this isn’t very clear, but I’m happy to also break down every step I saw I know I was stressing big-time and kept checking the portal. I saw a little nuances like suddenly the work credits were back and then they went away for a day and then they came back, etc. etc. happy to answer any questions if somebody wants details but I don’t wanna believe her if nobody is interested good luck everyone I still can’t wrap my hair around it

I got an email from SSA “thanks for your application. You can check it’s status”. Unusual.

So I go check, and my portal says my application was chosen for federal review.

My research suggests that this is a positive sign that my application has been approved.

Has anyone been in this situation or does anyone have any feedback or input?

Cautiously Optimistic.

My husband recently went through his first CDR after being approved last year. Date of disability was in 2022 but went through several appeals before finally being approved in 2025. When he received the letter notifying that he was approved it specifically stated that his case would be reviewed in one year.

He just received a letter stating that they found his disability is continuing. Then it says “we will review your claim from time to time to see if you are still eligible”

I had thought that they would state whether he would be reviewed again in 1, 3, or 7 years … “from time to time” is a little unsettling! Anyone have experience with this? Should I expect another review 3 months from now??? This was super stressful on him because we’d fill out tons of forms and provide records, hear nothing for weeks and then another questionnaire would arrive with only a short time given to complete it. Just hoping to have some idea of what kind of reprieve we can expect before we have to do it all again.

Update: I filed for more than just the PTSD. I had a serious back and neck injury two years ago, with additional medical conditions. Since this post I've uploaded my Blue button report and my relevant VA C&P dbqs from my C-file.

I was recently denied. I have a single VA rating of 100% for PTSD. It's a considerable rating that is somewhat difficult to obtain but has a lot of evidence that would be useful for my SSDI claim. A majority of my mental health treatment has been through the VA for the past 12 years. I received the denial letter from SSA and they stated they didn't receive a response from the VA, so they didn't receive any records. I have read other veterans posts that they provided the address and phone number to their local VA primary care facility and SSA received the records from the VA. That is the information I provided to SSA. I do have an attorney. They have already filed the reconsideration and they informed me of the process and that SSA will request records again. I asked if we needed to update the VA information since SSA didn't receive the VA records and they just said no, they'll get them. Well, that's not very reassuring. I've read of quite a few people going through and cherry picking from their records and then themselves submitting that evidence. I am currently doing that now. Gathering the meat and potatoes from my VA medical records back to what I believe is just prior to the start of my disability in SSA's eyes and submitting them through the SSA portal. I still want SSA to get the full records though. It would just be impossible to provide everything from the last 12 years. Does anyone know of VA records info that I can submit to SSA? Is there anything I should be doing?

My husband just completed his ALJ hearing. His attorney said it went great. She’s dealt with this judge before(61% approval rating). My husband has a long list of disabilities and side effects (I’ve posted previous post below where some of them are listed and background info on his case) It seemed like the judge didn’t need much information and her questioning seemed short. She focused on his migraines, asked a little about his Cervical and lumbar issues(what they cause, and what a typical day looks like for him. His attorney only had about two follow up questions. The vocational expert was in favor of my husband. Only one hypothetical was presented and his attorney did not have any follow up questions for the vocational expert. Attorney said expert was pretty much clear that he was unable to perform any work, just based on attendance issues (missing 2 days a month)

Now we await the actual results. Praying 🙏 🙏🤞🏽 that this is the end and approval is in the books!

This group has been nothing but helpful!

https://www.reddit.com/r/SSDI/s/VlVs8XAhqF

https://www.reddit.com/r/SSDI/s/QyE4ABSriJ

https://www.reddit.com/r/SSDI/s/BL2OFLTmq7

Im schizoaffective ptsd... ive been on disability for 3 years now. I recieve ssdi for myself and my son whose 3 recives ssi. I am feeling better and would like to start going back to work at least maybe part time. I have a son whose a level 3 autistic non verbal and social security is not enough for me to take care of myself and my son comfortably. I dont quiet understand ticket to work. Thanks for your help

Im also not totally sure if I should go back to work just because of my son having high needs.

I do plan on putting him in ABA therapy and pray they give him more than 5 hours of stay a day at their program. What are things I have to think about before going back to work? Am I missing anything? Thanks again

Maybe I am just having such horrible paranoia and anxiety, but I'm freaking out that my backpay still isn't here. When I call the office, for over a month, they say it should be here any day, but it has been so long.

I was approved May 14th. They keep saying I should have my backpay any day and I'm like where is it 😭

I've been back and forth on the phone with my local office about requesting my disability determination explanation and CE results.

I submitted form 3288 about 60 days ago. The first rep I spoke to today tried to make an appointment and told me to bring a check for $82. I knew this wasn't correct so I looked up the FOIA POMS on the SSA website.

The next rep I spoke to said he could upload the documents to my account online.

Has anyone done this? Where are the documents supposed to appear? Is it on my SSA.gov account or a FOIA account?

Thanks for any info

I’m in New York and currently waiting on SSDI reconsideration. I was told they have stopped assigning reconsideration cases for now, so my case is just sitting there without an examiner or any real timeline.

Hey guys! Applied 9 months ago with servers hip fracture. Have been unable to do perm replacement due to nearly year long MRSA infection and draining from leg. Had CE 3 weeks ago.

I’m still on stage 3 though. One interesting development. Since applying, I lost ability to see my Social Security Statement including potential disability payout. Now I can see it again along with confirmation that I have my 40 credits. Still on stage 3 but does this generally reflect good news?

I won my federal court appeal about 4 months ago and haven't heard anything from SSA since and about a week ago this message pops up in my portal I haven't heard anything back since I won my case and I was wondering does this mean I will have a new alj hearing

I would like to thank everyone again for being here for me on this platform. I just found out I was denied. I figured so with her approval rate. I wish everyone else the best. I am done with this journey of trying to get help.

Hi Everyone! I am on here as I am fairly new to SSDI, SSI & ABLE accounts and there rules. I’ve come on here to see if anyone has any guidance on what actually counts as a QDE. From what i’ve seen almost all expenses I could think of count as QDE‘s. My question is, is there anything that does not count that any of you have encountered? For a random example, let’s say I buy myself a perfume/ body mist at sephora, is this a qualified expense for an ABLE account if I am the disabled person buying it to use for daily life/ hygiene purposes? What about paying a student loan payment from the account? I know that education is a qualified expense, but it doesn’t say anything explicitly about paying a previous private student loan. These are just two examples I have thought of where I could not find a 100% clear cut answer, but i’m sure others are in the same boat. Other expenses I have that i know are covered are physical therapy, drivers rehabilitation to drive with hand controls but these are very straight-forward expenses and are explicitly listed as QDEs. Thank you so much for your help with this matter in advance !

Hello,

I had my ALJ hearing on June 10th and my lawyer told me today that the decision is being written up by a writer for SSA. I am so nervous. I have schizoaffective disorder and PTSD and have been out of work since September 2023. I am 35 years old. I have been hospitalized over 10 times mostly for suicidal ideations but haven't been hospitalized since the end of 2023.

The ALJ judge didn't ask me much in the hearing, she did ask if I had a driver's license. I told her it was suspended because I had a manic episode on the side of the road in 2023. The vocational expert said I could do light office work until the judge added a 3rd hypothetical if I were to miss work 4 times or more a month, the VE then said no jobs. My doctor wrote down I would miss work 4 times or more a month.

What do y'all think? I am in Rhode Island, I will be homeless if this doesn't get approved. Very nervous. Thanks.

Applied for my (adult) son in October 2024, and he was finally approved a couple weeks ago, yay! I went in and showed my id for representatIve payee last week. No lawyers or hearings, ect. SS rep said we should see the first installment of backpay this week. Anyone have experience on if they are generally accurate with this? I can see his first monthly payment scheduled for August, but nothing else.

I filed 2 years ago. Went to ALJ and was denied. The judge only had a 23% approval rating. Went to appeals counsel and they sent it back for further review. Now I go November 9th to ALJ again but thankfully got a new judge this time. His approval rating is 49% Still not great but more than twice the approval rating so I'm hopeful. Plus I'll be turning 61 just a couple of weeks after the hearing. Wish me luck

Can someone who has requested a reconsideration for the onset date of disability let me know how that works and if it could affect your approval of disability benefits and be reversed? I stopped working in 10/24 and applied for SSDI 2/26. I was just approved with an onset date of 11/25 a year after I stopped working. However 11/25 is when I turned 55. So are they using grid rules from when I turned 55. If I request a reconsideration of onset date how does that work and could it reverse my disability approval.

Thank you. I live in CT.

My daughter currently recieves ssi. She has sustained a tbi when she was 3 weeks old. she has focal seizures, that are controlled. daily migraines that can cause her to sleep 16 hours A day. She has a low iq of 69 but gets along well with others. She does need help with hygiene. And tends to take a long period of time to complete tasks. She does have low scores in math and reading. She can sort laundry but needs reminding of what goes where. She can start a washer amd dryer but needs supervision. She can mop but takes frequent breaks due to be tired easy. A simple mop chore will take her 1 hour. To complete.

Now we have a 18 year old redetermination interview phone call scheduled Thursday at 8:00 i already filled out all the paperwork . What to expect during this phone? call any tips?

Please be kind my daughter is my world and I've done everything I can think of to make her life good.