Applying for SSDI or SSI in 2025: Step-by-Step Guide

If you're no longer able to work full-time because of a medical condition, you may be considered disabled by the Social Security Administration and qualify for monthly benefits. The first step in the process is to fill out an application for Social Security Disability Insurance (SSDI) or Supplemental Security Income (SSI), the two types of benefits provided by Social Security. You certainly won't be the only one applying—for the first half of 2025, the agency received almost one million applications for SSDI benefits alone.

The application itself isn't particularly difficult to complete or hard to file, but it does ask you to provide a lot of information. Unfortunately, too many applicants ("claimants" in Social Security lingo) speed through the paperwork, hurting their chances of getting benefits sooner. Having the correct information on hand when you apply for SSDI or SSI will make the process go much smoother and increase the odds that your claim will be approved.

How to Apply for SSDI or SSI Online

Many disability claimants find it convenient to file for benefits online using Social Security's online application tool. The agency now allows applications for both SSDI and SSI to be completed fully online, with the following exceptions:

• You can't complete the entire SSDI application online if you've been denied disability benefits in the last two months, or you're younger than 18 years old and are filing for dependents benefits.
• You can't complete the entire SSI application online if you're married, have been married, or have applied for SSI benefits before (whether for yourself or your child).

If you fall into one of these two groups, you can begin the application process online, but you'll need to complete the claim over the phone in person. Any online activity regarding your disability application does require that you create a free "my Social Security account." This official government account can help you submit your application paperwork as well as track your claim progress through an interactive portal that shows what stage of review your claim is currently at.

Setting Up Your "My Social Security Account"

Creating your My Social Security Account first requires you to be registered with login.gov or ID.me. You can find step-by-step instructions on how to do so by watching the instructional videos below, provided by the Social Security Administration (for login.gov) and the U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs (for ID.me)

Both login.gov and ID.me require you to provide proof of your identity. This typically means providing a picture of your ID, such as a driver's license, on your smartphone or tablet and uploading the photo to the relevant website. You'll also need to verify your identity using a two-factor authentication method (in addition to choosing a password), which involves having a secure code sent to your phone or email address that you then input into the site when asked.

How to Apply for SSDI or SSI Over the Phone or In Person

If you aren't comfortable filing your application online (or you're not eligible to complete your application online), you can call the national Social Security hotline at 800-772-1213 from 8:00 a.m. to 7 p.m., Monday through Friday, to speak with a representative. Deaf and hard-of-hearing applicants can use the TTY number at 800-325-0778.

You can also file in person by contacting your nearest Social Security field office and telling them you wish to schedule an appointment to apply for disability. (You can find the office closest to you using the agency's online locator tool.) Most offices are open weekdays from 9 a.m. to 4 p.m., but some may have reduced hours on Wednesdays.

What Are the SSDI and SSI Application Forms?

If you're filing online, you don't need an application form—the application tool will fill in the required information automatically. (Social Security will mail you any other forms you need.) But if you're filling in person or over the phone, you'll need to file using the paper application forms. Which forms you'll need depends on whether you're applying for SSDI or SSI disability benefits.

To apply for SSDI, you'll need to fill out Form SSA-16-BK, Application for Disability Insurance Benefits, and Form SSA-3368-BK, Adult Disability Report. To apply for SSI, you'll need to complete Form SSA-8000-BK, Application for Supplemental Security Income as well as the Adult Disability Report (or, if you're filing on behalf of your child, Form SSA-3820-BK, Disability Report-Child). You can learn more in our article about Social Security disability forms.

Starting Your Disability Application

Whether you're applying for SSDI, SSI, or both, Social Security asks for a lot of information when you file your application. Having as much of this information ahead of time can make the actual application process faster and easier.

Make Sure You're Ready to Apply

You'll have your best chances of a successful claim if you know what evidence Social Security looks for in making its disability determinations. That means you'll want to file when you're confident that you'll satisfy the agency's criteria.

• See your doctor regularly—you'll need recent medical records to qualify for disability.
• Estimate when your condition became disabling (your onset date).
• Check your financial eligibility (work credits for SSDI, income and asset limits for SSI)
• Talk to your friends and family about your disability.

Social Security awards benefits to people who have a medical impairment that keeps them from working full-time for at least a year, so you should be ready to provide evidence to that end. Even If you're missing some evidence, it can make sense to start the application before you've gathered it all because the date you begin your online application counts as your filing date, which affects the amount of disability backpay you'll receive.

Write Down Your Employment History

Start by writing down your work history for the last five years. Be sure to include the employer's name and contact information for each job, as well as all the following:

• your job title
• your dates of employment
• your daily and weekly work schedules
• your daily responsibilities (job description), and
• the physical requirements of the job.

Having a detailed and accurate description of your work history available when you apply is one of the simplest ways to avoid extra delays in processing your application.

Gather Your Personal and Medical Information

Whether you're applying for Social Security benefits online, in person, or by phone, you'll need to provide as much of the following information as you can:

• your name, address, and Social Security number
• your total income for each of the last three years
• your banking information (routing and account numbers) for direct deposit
• contact information for all the doctors, hospitals, and clinics you've visited, and
• medical treatment you're currently receiving (including medications you take and any side effects).

If you're filing online and you can't complete the application in one sitting, you can save your work and come back later—just be sure to write down your application number so you can access your online application. After you've finished, a Social Security claims representative may contact you with additional questions about your claim. (Learn about what not to say on a Social Security disability application.)

How Do I Apply If I Don't Speak English and Can't Read the Application?

Social Security has several services to help people with limited English proficiency apply for SSDI or SSI benefits. For example, the ssa.gov/es website has most information about SSDI or SSI available in Spanish (although the online application portal is currently only available in English). You can also find written publications about disability benefits in over a dozen languages, including Farsi, Korean, and Tagalog, at the ssa.gov multilanguage webpage.

The agency also provides interpreters free of cost in more than 200 languages. You can request an interpreter by calling 800-772-1213 and pressing 7 (for service in Spanish) or remaining silent during the English automation prompts until a representative answers (for all other languages). If you can't read or write in any language, you can have another person help you complete the application, as long as they identify themselves as helping you out on the form.

Can a Lawyer Help Me File for Disability?

Yes, you can hire an attorney to help you file for SSDI or SSI benefits as well as represent you through any necessary appeals if your application is denied. Having an experienced disability lawyer by your side can significantly increase your chance of getting benefits, and because Social Security attorneys don't get any fees unless (and until) you win, there are few, if any, upfront expenses to keep you from hiring one.