How to Write a Social Security Appeal Letter

Although it's not true that Social Security denies all disability applications the first time, statistically speaking, only about 38% of claims are approved after initial review—and even fewer (15.9%) are awarded at the first administrative appeal level, known as "reconsideration." Most claimants aren't granted benefits until after they've had a hearing with an administrative law judge, which doesn't happen until after they've been denied twice.

It's an unfortunate reality that you, as a disability claimant, will likely receive a denial letter at some point. However, if you prepare yourself for the likelihood that you won't get benefits immediately, you'll be better suited to write a successful appeal letter that can increase your chances of ultimately winning your case.

What Should I Do After My Disability Claim Is Denied?

The first thing you should do is carefully review your denial letter. The Social Security Administration (SSA) is required to tell you the reasons why they denied you in the letter, so becoming familiar with the agency's rationale is important in order to make a persuasive argument on appeal. When you review the denial, make a list of all the issues you want to address in your appeal letter.

Once you've reviewed your denial letter and taken notes about what you disagree with in the agency's decision, you can start gathering and completing the appeal paperwork forms to send back to the SSA. Then, you can begin writing your disability appeal letter addressing what you found wrong in the agency's decision to deny you benefits.

Do I Need to Send a Disability Appeal Letter After a Denial?

While an appeal letter will be part of your request, you'll have to submit some official forms too. If you've received a denial letter after your initial application, the first thing you should do is file a request for reconsideration. Reconsideration means that you're asking for another disability claims examiner to look at your application and determine if the first decision was correct.

If you were denied at the reconsideration level, you'll need to request a hearing in front of a disability judge. During the hearing, the judge will look at your application with fresh eyes ("de novo review"). You'll have the opportunity to answer questions about how your medical condition affects your activities of daily living and ability to work full-time. Appeals letters addressed to judges before the hearing is held are called "pre-hearing briefs."

How Do I File a Disability Appeal With the SSA?

Make sure that you've completed the relevant forms below before writing your appeal letter. If you only send in a letter without the official forms, Social Security can't process your appeal. You have several different methods to choose from to file your appeal:

• Online at the Social Security website. Applying online has many benefits, such as giving you a dated receipt of your application.
• Send your request by mail, using Form SSA-561, Request for Reconsideration or Form HA-501, Request for Hearing by an Administrative Law Judge. (A PDF viewer is required to open these documents.)
• Contact the SSA at 800-722-1213 between 8 a.m. and 7 p.m. Monday through Friday, to start your appeal. If you're deaf or hard of hearing, you can call the TTY number at 800-325-0778.
• Visit your nearest Social Security field office. You can locate your field officehere.

Both the reconsideration and request for hearing forms have a section at the beginning asking you to explain why you're appealing the denial, but the forms don't give you a lot of space to explain. You can keep your reasons general before going into specifics later in your appeal letter—saying "I'm disabled" or "I can't work" in that section is fine.

One of the forms you need to submit with your appeal, theDisability Report (SSA-3441), will be the basis of your letter. Section 10 of this form ("Remarks") provides a page of blank space for you to provide any information you think Social Security needs to know. You can attach additional pages if you need more room.

How Long Do I Have to Submit an Appeal Letter for Reconsideration to the SSA?

You have 60 days from the date you received your initial denial letter to submit your reconsideration request to the SSA. Likewise, if you were denied following reconsideration, you have 60 days from that denial letter to submit your request for a hearing with a disability judge. Don't forget to keep on top of the 60-day deadline for appeal—if you miss the deadline without a good reason, you'll have to start over from square one by filing a new application.

How Should I Start My Appeal Letter?

Start by typing the address of the Social Security office handling your claim in the upper right corner of the page. Then, put your name, address, and claim number below the Social Security office information, towards the left corner of the page. You can find your claim number on your denial letter—it's often your Social Security number followed by "A," "B," or the like. Add the current date below your personal information, towards the right side of the page.

You can start by addressing the reader with "To whom it may concern." Then, state your name, previous occupation, date you last worked, a brief summary of your medical conditions, and the date you received the denial letter. You can then say that you disagree with the denial. This basic information should form the first introductory paragraph, which you can then follow up with a more detailed description about why Social Security incorrectly denied your application.

What Should I Write in My Appeal Letter?

Address every reason why the SSA denied you in your appeal letter. It's normal to disagree with several of the agency's reasons for a denial, and some of them may be stronger grounds for appeal than others. Keep your responses brief and to the point. Below are some examples of how to respond to some of the most common reasons for denial.

Technical Denials

If you received a technical denial, it means that Social Security didn't find that you met certain legal or financial requirements to be eligible for at least one kind of disability benefit.

• If you were denied because the SSA thinks you were working full-time, explain how many hours per week you worked, when you stopped working, how much money you earned, and whether you had any special accommodations (like extra breaks).
• If you were denied because the SSA thinks you have too much money in the bank to qualify for benefits, explain how your resources are split and who owns what.
• If you were denied because the SSA thinks you lacked enough work credits, provide detailed wage information showing that you were insured on the date you became disabled.

Keep in mind that technical denials are difficult to successfully appeal because they're based on financial situations or past work experiences that aren't easy to change. But Social Security makes mistakes, and may have miscalculated your prior earnings or current income level.

Medical Denials

If you received a medical denial, it means that even though you're technically eligible to receive benefits, the SSA doesn't think that your medical conditions prevent you from working.

• If you were denied because the SSA thinks your impairment doesn't interfere enough with your activities of daily living, explain in detail how long you can sit, stand, and walk; how much weight you can lift; how you complete chores like laundry and grocery shopping; and how long you can maintain focus.
• If you were denied because the SSA thinks you can return to jobs you've done in the past, describe in detail the requirements of your past work. Include the physical demands of the job and whether you used specialized equipment or worked closely with other employees.
• If you were denied because the SSA thinks other, less demanding jobs exist that you can still perform, explain why you're unable to perform even sedentary work or have significantly reduced productivity for any full-time job.

When addressing a medical denial, your best approach is to include a short description of your most significant physical and mental limitations. Give Social Security the most important information you want the agency to know about your conditions. Here is some sample language for your appeal letter:

• "I am disabled because of my diabetic neuropathy, degenerative disc disease in my lower back, and depression. My feet constantly hurt and swell. I can't walk more than 5 minutes at a time. I need to elevate my feet every day."
• "I am disabled with depression and anxiety. Even with medications, I have daily crying spells and panic attacks. I can't even leave my house to go grocery shopping."
• "I am disabled from my traumatic brain injury and migraine headaches. I have trouble remembering basic things. I forget to turn off the burners on the stove. I have at least 2 migraines per week even after Botox injections."

Make sure to include how often your symptoms occur, how long they last, and when they started. The SSA loves numbers and quantities, so if you're writing about not being able to lift as much as you used to, say something like "I can't lift more than 10 pounds" or "I have trouble carrying a gallon of milk."

What Should I Avoid in My Appeal Letter?

Don't spend valuable space talking about issues or concerns you have that aren't relevant to a finding of disability. The SSA is aware that people filing for disability benefits have to deal with an often frustrating bureaucracy at a point in their lives when they're out of work, in pain, and stressed. Your appeal already signals to the agency that you disagree with their past decision, so don't use the space to argue or complain.

Sample Disability Appeal Letter

Click on the thumbnail below to enlarge a sample disability appeal letter for a claimant who is appealing a medical denial for his physical and mental health impairments. Remember that your appeal letter should be tailored to your medical conditions and reasons why you were denied—this sample is just a template for what an appeal letter should look like.

Documents to Include With Your Disability Appeal Letter

Before you send your appeal letter, make sure that you didn't forget to complete the formal request for reconsideration or for a hearing in front of a judge. Also, if you have new medical evidence you want the SSA to consider, let them know. At this stage of the process, the agency will obtain the medical records with the release form you filled out for the initial application. (If you didn't sign a release form and you were denied because the SSA couldn't get your medical records, you should submitForm SSA-3288 with your appeal.)

If you already have a medical source statement from your doctor or witness statements from your friends and family, feel free to include those with your appeal letter. Social Security values the opinions of doctors who you've seen regularly for your treatment and who can shed light on limitations you have from your medical conditions.

I Filed My Appeal and Submitted My Letter, What's Next?

This is where patience comes in handy. The average processing time for a reconsideration review as of fiscal year 2023 (the most recent data available) is 213.1 days, or about seven months. Waiting times for disability hearings are even lengthier, at about nine months (as of August 2025).

If you haven't yet contacted an experienced disability lawyer or advocate, now's the time. While you aren't required to hire an attorney, having one increases your chances of winning your claim. Your representative can help you navigate the appeals process, handle communications with Social Security, and get opinions that can strengthen your case. Most disability attorneys offer free consultations—and don't get paid unless (and until) you win your claim—so it doesn't hurt to ask around and find a lawyer who's a good fit for you.