Apply for Disability Benefits - Adult
(Age 18 or Over)
From The Social Security Website - www.ssa.gov - Updated: July 2005
To apply for disability benefits for an adult, you will need to complete an application for Social Security Benefits AND an Adult Disability Report. The report collects information about your disabling condition and how it affects your ability to work. You can complete the forms online, or you may call us to schedule an appointment and we will help you in person or by phone.
How to apply
Please follow these steps:
Step 1. Review the Adult Disability Starter Kit. This kit answers common questions about applying for benefits and includes a worksheet that will help you gather the information you need.
Step 2. Fill out the online application for Social Security Benefits. (If you've never worked, skip this step and contact us after you complete Step 3.)
Step 3. Fill out the online Adult Disability Report. At the end of the report, we will ask you to sign a form that gives your doctor permission to send us information about your disability. We need this information so we can make a decision on your claim.
NOTE: If you previously started an online application or online disability report but did not finish it, you can:
Contacting Social Security
If you don’t want to do this online or need help, call us toll-free at 1-800-772-1213. If you are deaf or hard-of-hearing, call our toll-free TTY number, 1-800-325-0778. Representatives are available Monday through Friday between 7 a.m. and 7 p.m.
