How to Fill Out the Application for Social Security Disability Insurance: Form SSA-16

There are a couple of ways you can start your application for Social Security Disability Insurance (SSDI) benefits. Many people like the convenience of filing online, but you can also complete a paper application and submit it to Social Security in person or by mailing it in. To submit a paper application, you’ll need to fill out Form SSA-16, Application for Disability Insurance Benefits.

When you file online, Social Security’s electronic application tool will fill out Form SSA-16 for you as you respond to a set of questions. But no matter how you choose to apply, you’ll need to know certain information to complete the form. Before you sit down and begin your disability claim, it’s a good idea to gather this information and have it at the ready so that your application process goes more smoothly.

What's on the SSDI Application Form?

Form SSA-16 isn’t terribly long, consisting of 26 questions (most of them fairly routine). The form will ask you to provide the following information:

• your name and Social Security number (SSN)
• your birthdate
• your address
• your citizenship or immigration status
• the names of your past employers
• the names of your spouse and children, and
• information that will let Social Security determine whether there are other federal benefits that you might be entitled to.

Form SSA-16 also contains:

• a remarks section (for longer answers)
• places for you and a couple of witnesses to sign, and
• a section for you to provide your direct deposit information.

Here's what Form SSA-16 looks like. It’s also available in Spanish (Form SSA-16-SP). Below are some tips to help you answer certain questions on the form.

Choosing Your Onset Date: When Did You Become Disabled?

Question 8 asks when you believe your condition became severe enough to keep you from working. This date is called your alleged onset date, and it’s an important concept in Social Security law. If you’re approved for SSDI, your onset date will help determine how much in disability backpay you’ll receive. The earlier your onset date is, the more backpay you’ll get.

Determining Your Disability Onset Date

If your disability began with a specific incident like a car accident, then this might be an easy question for you to answer. But if your disability is caused by one or more illnesses that have worsened gradually over time, then the question will probably be more difficult.

You might never have tried to remember the date you became disabled. By Social Security standards, your date of disability is generally considered to be when your medical condition started to make you unable to do your job full-time. For this reason, many people choose the last date that they were working at the substantial gainful activity level as their onset date.

What If You Can’t Remember When Your Disability Started?

If you’ve never thought about when you became disabled, sit down with a calendar or talk with people who know you to jog your memory about the history of your disability. This could include your friends, family, and even your former employer.

For example, say you were diagnosed with fibromyalgia while you were still employed. You received treatment for the disorder and were able to continue working without much trouble, but over time the condition got worse and caused you to begin missing a lot of work. Because cognitive difficulties (“fibro fog”) are common symptoms of fibromyalgia, you might not remember exactly when the absences began. Friends might help you jog your memory by recalling times when they had to come pick you up early from work, or your previous supervisor might be able to review HR records that showed when you began using more sick time or PTO.

Another source of information that can help you establish your onset date is your medical records. Hospital intake and discharge records are solid evidence of an onset date if you had to stop working after surgery, for example. Objective medical imaging (such as an X-ray, MRI, or CT) scan or lab work showing abnormal results can also help, especially if you have a degenerative condition like disc disease in your spine. You can use clinical progress notes from your doctor’s visits to establish your onset as well. For example, if you start seeing a psychiatrist to manage symptoms of anxiety, your intake form for that provider can be your onset date.

Giving Social Security the Details of Your Disability

Form SSA-16 isn’t the main document that you’ll use to describe how your medical condition limits your activities of daily living. You’ll also need to submit Form SSA-3368-BK, the Adult Disability Report, and Form SSA-3373, the Function Report, which asks you detailed questions about how your impairment affects your ability to function on the job. If you apply for SSDI online, these reports are now part of the electronic disability application tool. But if you file a paper application, you’ll need to submit these additional forms with your Form SSA-16.

Both forms give you some blank space to explain how your condition limits your ability to work. There’s only room for a paragraph or two, which many people don’t find to be enough to really make a strong case. Fortunately, you can also submit a disability statement using Form SSA-795, Statement of Claimant or Other Person. This optional form gives you plenty of additional space to explain, in your own words, why you can't work.

Whether you explain your disability using a paper form or through the online application, it’s important that the information you provide is accurate. Don't exaggerate your conditions, but do be thorough. Here are a few key tips to help you complete the forms usefully.

Describe Your Medical Condition in Detail

Make sure your answers are detailed enough to describe all of your illnesses or conditions. Be sure to include specifics about how each affects your ability to work. For example, don’t just write, "I can't work because of my bad back." That’s not enough detail. Instead, say something like, "I have degenerative disc disease, and it’s gotten so severe that I have trouble standing more than 30 minutes at a time and have great difficulty walking up stairs." In other words, it's important to include not just your diagnosis but what functional limitations your condition causes.

Include All Your Impairments

It's important that you list all of the conditions that limit your ability to work, not just those that you think are the most serious. You need to include all your impairments because Social Security must consider their combined effect on your residual functional capacity. That can significantly increase your chances of qualifying for disability.

Be sure to list all mental conditions as well—if you have spondylosis and depression, for example, you’ll want to explain how both conditions affect your ability to work. And don’t downplay the effects of any of your symptoms. People tend to minimize their struggles, especially mental health issues that, unfortunately, often still carry a stigma. But those limitations can be the determining factor that results in Social Security awarding you benefits.

Common Mistakes to Avoid on Form SSA-16

When filling out Form SSA-16, it can be easy to overlook certain questions. Try not to leave any fields blank or questions unanswered, however. If you come across a question that doesn’t apply to you, just write “none” or “not applicable (N/A)” in the space provided.

Contact information errors are another area where applicants can make basic mistakes that have an outsized impact on how quickly your claim is processed. Social Security needs to obtain your doctors’ records in order to see if you meet the medical definition of disability, so it’s important to double check that the contact information you’ve provided is correct. If you can’t remember the location or dates of a hospital stay or other inpatient treatment, try to estimate as close as you can. A quick internet search can be useful if you’re trying to find the provider’s contact information and you have a general idea of where they’re located.

Finally, don’t miss your opportunity to file for SSI benefits at the same time. Question 20 on Form SSA-16 asks you if you intend to file for any other public disability benefits, including Supplemental Security Income. While many people use the terms SSDI and SSI interchangeably, they are different disability programs with separate eligibility requirements. (SSDI eligibility is based on your work history, while SSI is a needs-based benefit.) Checking “yes” on this box lets Social Security process a concurrent application for both SSDI and SSI.

What Else Do You Need to Include In Your SSDI Application?

Whether you apply online or use the paper Form SSA-16, you’ll need to provide Social Security with certain documents to prove you’re eligible to file for disability. You’ll need some, if not all, of the following:

• your birth certificate or other proof of birth
• proof of U.S. citizenship or lawful alien status
• U.S. military discharge paper(s), if you had military service before 1968
• W-2 forms or self-employment tax returns for the last year or two, and
• information about any workers’ compensation benefits you’ve received.

While you can provide photocopies of medical documents, W-2 forms, and self-employment tax returns, you’ll need to provide an original of most other documents, such as your birth certificate. (Social Security will return these originals to you.)

Don’t delay filing your SSDI application because of missing documents. Social Security will help you gather anything you’re missing. The agency will, with your permission, request your medical records, but you should share any medical documents you already have in your possession.

What Happens After I Submit Form SSA-16?

When you submit your form, your local Social Security field office will check to see whether you meet the non-medical requirements to receive SSDI benefits. If you haven’t been earning above the substantial gainful activity amount and you have enough work credits to be eligible for SSDI, your application will be transferred to your state’s Disability Determination Services (DDS) office for medical review.

Claims examiners and medical consultants at DDS will make the initial determination about whether you’re disabled. If you receive a denial letter following the initial review, you have 60 days to appeal the denial.

Getting Help With the Application

You can get free help filling out the application from the Social Security Administration. Call 800-772-1213 (TTY: 800-325-0778) between 8:00 a.m. and 7:00 p.m., Monday through Friday, to speak with a representative or arrange an in-person visit at your local Social Security field office. You may also be able to hire a nonattorney disability advocate to help you fill out the form. (Many disability attorneys don't want to get involved until you've been denied disability benefits and you want to file an appeal.) Learn more about filing for Social Security disability.