Disability Determination Process 
Disability Home 

When To Apply 
You should apply as soon as you become disabled. If you apply for Social Security , disability benefits will not begin until the sixth full month of disability. The Social Security disability waiting period begins with the first full month after the date we decide your disability began. Supplemental Security Income SSI , we pay SSI disability benefits for the first full month after the date you filed your claim, or, if later, the date you become eligible for SSI. 

How To Apply 
You can apply for Disability benefits online , or if you prefer , you can apply by calling our toll - free number , 1 - 800 - 772 - 1213. Our representatives there can make an appointment for your application to be taken over the telephone or at any convenient Social Security office. People who are deaf or hard of hearing may call our toll - free " TTY " number , 1 - 800 - 325 - 0778, between 7 a.m. and 7 p.m. on Monday through Friday. 

Some publications that will give you more information on disability benefits. 
The Disability Starter Kit will help you get ready for your disability interview or online application. Kits are available for adults and for children under age 18. The starter kits provide information about the specific documents and the information that we will request from you. The kits also provide general information about the disability programs and our decision - making process that can help take some of the mystery out of applying for disability benefits. Here are some additional publications with information on disability benefits : Disability Evaluation Under Social Security Also known as The Blue Book - Medical criteria for evaluating Social Security disability claims Social Security Disability Benefits Benefits For Children With Disabilities What You Need To Know When You Get Disability Benefits Working While Disabled...How We Can Help Medicare Receiving Your Benefits By Direct Deposit Social Security

user: How do I know if I qualify for disability benefits?

assistant: Have you read the Disability Starter Kit? It lets you know what you will need in order to qualify.

user: Yes but I need to know when I should apply. Can you help me?

assistant: You should apply as soon as you become disabled.

assistant: Have you already been officially declared to have a disability?

user: I mean, I haven't gotten a doctor to say it yet but I feel like I am.

user: ok anyway, once I get the official stuff from my doctor, how do I apply for disability?

assistant: You can apply for benefits either online, or over the phone by calling 1-800-772-1213.

user: Is there anything I can read for more information on this whole process?

assistant: Yes. The Disability Starter Kit that you received is the best place to start to get the information that you need. 

user: When I apply, how soon will I get social security money?

assistant: If you are approved, you will receive Supplemental Social Security Income (SSI) on the first full month after the date that you filed your claim, or the date you become eligible, whichever is soonest. 

user: I want to call the number to apply but I am deaf. Is there a separate number for that?

assistant: Yes, of course. The TTY number is 1-800-325-0778, and is open Monday through Friday from 7 a.m. to 7 p.m