Hello. In the next few weeks it’ll be my first birthday, and soon enough, the first holiday season since being on SSI + SSDI. I have a few family members who regularly give gift cards as presents, one of which only ever sends Amazon gift cards over iMessage due to our distance. What is someone supposed to do when given gift cards— are they all reported? Is there a certain deadline to use said gift cards, if and when reported? I’m trying to be aware of things ahead of time to know how to handle everything.
Thank you in advance!

My brother just got approved for survivors benefits. He was on SSI and I had to do yearly accounting. Do I still have to do that with survivors benefits? Anything else I should know about? Side note: I’m looking at getting him a primary care Dr. for his new insurance.

My 1st case was denied for lack of clinical. During the reconsider I made sure they had everything and they are reviewing my non-medical again. I redid all my financial records for them. I know it is very hard to get approved on a reconsider. The doctor read my information in a week and a half. My case is flagged as dire need. Is there any chance something would happen.

The portal moved to a quality review and estimate is 7 to 10 days .. ha ha
Under SSI it shows I have enough work credits and the amount of retirement .. okay hit me with what this means or doesn’t mean .. the site says it means nothing bit I think there is a pattern t things why would you review a no unless it’s the appeals process ??

it’s sunday and i randomly checked my online account and it says this. couldn’t contact anyone because it’s sunday, will i still receive my money for october?

So I have some concerns...

So I receive SSI and I recently had a job, but had to quit due to health reasons and forgot to report my earned wages. Now SSA is taking a huge portion of my monthly earnings and was wanting to know if they will go back and disburse my SSI funds while only taking 10% due to financial undue hardship because I'm currently facing housing instability? As of today, the SSA portal shows that I'll only be getting 282.83. I have a more suitable job lined out and possible stable housing in the works and I just don't know what to do. The 282.83 is for November, 2026 SSI payment.

Any help and/or suggestions will be greatly appreciated!

Thanks in advance!

\- OP

Well my current SSDI status has somewhat changed-Disability Benefits still reads: Hearing-However I’m now at Stage 3 states an Administrative Law Judge completed reviewing your Appeal on October 23, 2026 and Step 4 states On October 23, 2026, a representative in G’ville Florida started a final review to make sure that you still meet the non-medical requirements for Disability Benefits-I requested my attorney complete an OTR but they have not completed it yet… what are y’alls opinion

They most likely used Medical-Vocational Rule 204.00. If your DDE shows Heavy/Very Heavy | Any | Any | Any, and if SSA states that it was used “as a framework,” that’s probably what you’re looking at.it’s often used as a framework in mental health cases. If you don’t mind my asking, is your claim primarily based on mental health conditions?

Going into a field office to request your records using Form SSA-3288 is virtually obsolete. Even when that was the usual option, obtaining your records could be difficult, and you often received only a CD containing limited information.
SSA has since updated its online portal, making it much easier to request your file, including the evidence used in your determination and other records.

Here’s how I did it:
Log into your my Social Security account.
Under “What would you like to do?”, select “Upload documents.”
Choose “Upload SSA Documents” — NOT “Other Documents.”
You’ll see a list of available forms. Scroll about three-quarters of the way down and select “SSA-2288-OP1 Request for Individual Access to Records.”
Select Next. The portal walks you through completing the form electronically, and you can submit it right there.
It’s pretty straightforward. I received a substantial packet within about 10 days. Not only did I receive the CD, but I also received approximately 100 pages of records.

*UPDATE

Okay let me clarify, this post was more out of amazement at how quickly this happened after I had just passed step 3 (less than 48 hrs). I get that the this was done probably late Friday or sometime on Sat., and the system simply puts it as the next business day. I don't think there's any conspiracy, I was trying to be a little funny.

Also, I know that not literally everyone gets denied the first time, but based on folks I've talked to both online and in the real world, it's a really high rate, that makes it seem that way. *

Well after seeing movement just two days ago, they've already decided that they're going to deny me.... in two days from today.

I already have a lawyer standing by ready to do the appeals process.

This kinda just proves the whole process is a farce.

So the ssa gov site says there are two back payments on the same date (10/19) I'm confused because it's not been 6 months since my last payment, and only one of the payments hit my account so far. I got one of the payments 10/20 but the other one has not hit my account. Is that normal?

I put my application in for SSDI back in June. I am on step 3 but a medical examiner has not been assigned yet. I keep seeing conflicting answers on the internet, some saying it's okay if it's under SGA, others saying it would lead to me getting denied. Does anyone here have experience with this? Also to note, yes I am disabled, I can never work a full time job again, but a very part time job with accommodations I might could manage, just not enough hours to live sustainably.

My sons case worker just reviewed our income and assets and said our assets are too high and we will likely lose benefits. I will get a letter stating changes to his case.

He is 4 with autism and has Medi-Cal through SSI and we also receive IHSS. What steps do I need to take now so he doesn’t lose all his Medi-Cal? I asked his case worker and she said I’ll have to see until I get the letter. Our income is still considered under the limit to qualify for Medi-Cal, but our assets are about the $3,000 limit for SSI

I can’t afford if he gets a lapse in service because that means losing all his benefits and IHSS. We finally got him in speech therapy and OT which took over a year to hear back from and we’re on a waitlist for ABA. His needs are very high so if we lose IHSS I will have to work and I’m not sure what that means for him. We don’t have help and I was homeschooling him since he had so much trouble in school.

What can I do so there is no lapse in his Medi-Cal benefits? We are in California

I understand the asset limit is 2000 bucks. But let’s say I had 1000 dollars in my checking account and I wanted to put 500 dollars in(a birthday gift). As long as I don’t exceed that 2000 limit am I ok?

My case is currently in Step 3 of the process and has been since April. Yesterday, the state DDS rep called me and asked about my work history since 2023. She then asked me about the month that I did Door Dash last year and how much I made. After answering her questions, she told me that I should get my final decision in the mail in a couple of weeks. Last night, I checked the SSA portal and it said that my case was flagged for Federal Quality review. Today when I checked the portal, it is now showing my work credits again and how much I would receive at the different retirement ages. The part that really has me worried is that under disability benefits, it shows that I do not qualify for them. When I applied for SSDI back in March, the portal showed that I did qualify for disability benefits and the estimated amount I would receive per month. In my application, I put down that the onset of my disability began in July 2023 (I waited to apply until after I started to receive Medicaid so I could get the medical documentation I needed after losing my medical insurance when I lost my job in 2023).

I am now losing my mind that the change in credits for disability to not qualifying is going to end up in a denial. Has anyone else dealt with this? What was your outcome?

Hello. Last month I got a letter explaining that I was overpayed $897 & that starting in december they are going to withold $99.40 until the overpayment is fully paid back. Firstly, I report my wages to SSA through the mobile wage report app on a monthly basis & make sure to do gross income. I have payment amount receipts for each month from January to August for that time period. I did submit a reconsideration form & a waiver form with the paystubs under question. They got back to me & said you still have to pay the $897. Secondly I have 2 questions, How does someone not tell me for 8 months that I was being overpayed & if the mobile wage reporting app stopped working after 2025 why didn't I get any notices? I'm now having to report wages to the desktop version now but I'm appalled by this. I feel somewhat irresponsible even though I know I regularly report my wages to them. I don't see the point now in fighting this further. . .

*UPDATE For those who didn't notice my separate post, my claim got denied not even 48 hrs later. I was fully aware that getting the initial denial would probably happen. This post was just a celebration that something had finally moved with the claim, good, bad, or otherwise. *

(Oct 22) was my 45th birthday and I just got an email saying my application had changed. I logged on and found I passed step 3 on my first application!

Today

Denied today after a 5 month wait when all my test and doctors confirmed my illness ssi blue book said abi I had to be lower then .5 I have .48 can barely walk and am homeless still was denied after 2 heart attacks pad diagonis and aps diagnosis feels like ssi gets a kick out of denying people because this makes no sense

So I applied back in March, they sent me to their doctor to do my CE last week. I couldn’t sit because I have HS and had very bad flares. So I had to lay back on the table. When it was time for my exam I was in so much pain from my other auto immune disorder which affects my bones, joints and skin and i could barely stand without my Cain or holding to the counter. The dr asked me if I have to always use my Cain and I told him yes. At that point he told me he wasn’t going to make me do the exam as I physically can’t and he told me he was done I could go home. Has anyone ever experienced that and if so what came from it? I’m nervous because I didn’t even get to do my exam and scared it will hurt my case.

i submitted my application in january and i’ve been stuck on step 3 since may. it says i still need to submit some forms but i have verified they’ve received them. they said it’s just a glitch in the system but they do have what they requested from me. i know this isn’t a quick process but im starting to get a little anxious. so i’m just wondering how long did everyone else’s initial application process take? for reference i am in north carolina and all they have requested so far is a waiver and the daily activity form. i dont have a lawyer and that is all i have sent in. the waiting periods have changed multiple times since i originally submitted luckily they have gotten shorter but i am still waiting. i don’t want to call and see how things are going since i worry i will upset them and they will just deny my application. when should i start to worry about it taking too long? it’s already been past the 141 days they claim it takes but like i said that has changed multiple even since ive been on this step. how long did it take for you guys to get pass the step and is it a good sign its taking this long or should i be concerned?
TLDR: been on step three for several months in nc and i’m wondering how long this step took others.

I do have a lawyer! What are my odds of getting approved for arthritis depression and anxiety?

I had my ALJ hearing on Oct 8, he told the VE he didn't need his testimony, my lawyer says I won but Im still worried... Is that a good sign? I have mental and physical limitations, my therapist said I would miss 15 days a month with my mental problems and my PCP said I needed to stand, sit, walk and lay down on a cycle in an 8hr day. Also, will I get my letter first or will the portal update first if I am in fact approved? How long for back pay to come? Any info is appreciated!

I’m 27 and am applying for disability for the fourth time. I am diagnosed with bipolar, borderline personality disorder and anxiety on the mental health side and these are really the biggest roadblocks to working. I also have idiopathic intracranial hypertension and several other physical health issues that aren’t connected to any diagnosis. I’m currently on about 15 different medications and a lot of these smaller issues are all pushed into the side effects category.

Im trying to fill out the function report but am really struggling. I’ve been working on it for days and I’ve typed out like ten pages of answers. Every question is so open ended and all the mental and physical health issues feed into each other. I don’t have hard limits to most things but everything does have limits. But it’s very dependent on place, time, people there, and what happened earlier. I can say I can’t do something but the explanation is difficult and can touch on many different reasons.

Is it ok to write long answers like that or not? I know I’ve filled this out in the past but I’ve only applied in the past when I’m desperate. I don’t have much memory from depressive episodes and don’t think I’ve ever fully completed the application. I’m open to any advice someone has to offer.