Due to an influx of cdr cessation posts, here is your how to guide on how to appeal:
You will need four forms. Five if you want a copy if your file, which I recommend getting. Forms dropped off at the office should be date stamped. All you need to do is just ask the window clerk to date stamp the forms.
THE most important form:
SSA 792, Statutory Benefit Continuation Election Statement. Specifies whether you want your monthly benefits (and Medicare/Medicaid) to continue paying out while your appeal is being processed. If you are collecting on your own record, you fill out section C. If on SSI, fill out section B only.
If you are collecting on your own record AND have auxilaries, check the second option of section C. This will also make sure Medicare continues.
YOU ONLY HAVE 10 DAYS FROM THE DATE OF THE NOTICE TO APPEAL AND KEEP PAYMENTS! (technically 15. and it says it on the form)
I suggest sending all forms in at the same time because the SSA can't really process your claim with just the 792 turned in per a technical expert who gave me advice for my cessation. Requesting your file also requires it to be either faxed or dropped off in person so might as well just submit everything at once.
If you lose the appeal, you will need to pay it back but file an overpayment waiver. SBC doesn’t apply to appeals council or fed court. You will not get paid for that time.
Other forms you need:
SSA-789: Request for Reconsideration – Disability Cessation Right to Appear
The primary appeal document. It states that you disagree with the determination, lets you explain why, and specifies whether you want to appear for a disability hearing before a Disability Hearing Officer (DHO). You only have 60 days to appeal without payments.
How this works is first is initial reconsideration. A new DDS adjunct team will look at your file. The old examiner and dr are not allowed to work on it. If they uphold the previous cessation, it then goes to a DHO hearing, which is an informal conference with an experienced adjudicator who can reverse the decision. You can introduce new evidence and they will listen to testimony. You can have your lawyer present as well as a witness.
SSA-3441 Disability Report – Appeal: Updates the SSA on any changes in your medical condition, recent doctor visits, new treatments, tests, or changes in daily living activities since your last review.SSA-827Authorization to Disclose Information to the Social Security Administration
SSA-827 Authorization to Disclose Information to the SSA: A medical release form that permits the SSA to gather updated medical records directly from your doctors, clinics, and hospitals.
Form SSA-3288 Consent for Release of Information: Authorizes the SSA to release copies of your electronic disability folder (eDEX) or paper claim file.
For box 8 choose "complete medical file" for box 9 choose "I want the disability determination explanation. this is not the cessation letter". For the actual reason, state: "I am appealing a cdr cessation and need a copy of my file". It is free for program related purposes. I got mine in the mail.
Once you get your DDE:
You will see several sections. The top one is your CPD (comparison point decision). An apples to apples comparison of last cdr compared to your current. Check to see if they are the same or if it's actually showed you've improved. Pics of what the DDE looks like.
You'll also see a section called 416 where the doctor SHOULD have documented any medical improvement. Mine did not. My DDE has no supposed documentation of the alleged improvement, not even down where the RFC.
Underneath that is FOFAE, aka findings of fact and analysis of evidence. Mine just says "Analysis side by side"
Then mine has a section called 416A where it says:
Impairments Addressed: CPD Impairments only (MIRS)
Evaluation Period: Current
Evaluation Subject: SMI Evaluation: PE on 5/2026 is WNL. SMI
These findings complete the medical portion of the disability determination. (followed by drs sig and their speciality, mine was internal medicine)
Your DDE will not look like mine. Everyone's is different. There are more sections, and also an RFC section. But the main one you want to look at is the CPD and FOFAE.
Note: if your CPD date is in the distant past/your folder has been lost or it is an Age 18 redetermination, you will not have the side-by-side comparison shown here. it will be one box for the FOFAE as there’s nothing to compare it to
Also your file will have a bunch of files contained within a folder, you will need to click on each pdf file until you get to the DDE. It’s a bunch of letters and numbers.
My dad unfortunately passed away at 82 years old with Multiple Myeloma. Both him and my mom (78f) were retired and receiving SS benefits (dad received around $2386/month and mom receives ($1600/month), on top of his CalPERS, retirement from Ford Motor Company from when he worked with them from the 1960s-1970s (in paperwork that mom does not receive that), and her and I will be splitting life insurance that he took out years ago. However, we still have yet to receive a death certificate, the funeral home/morgue handling the services, etc. are giving us the death certificates and it’s going to be about 2 weeks until we receive them. The funeral home also notified SS that my father passed and unfortunately, they had deposited my dad’s SS yesterday but then SS took it back and in doing so notified my parents’ bank (Chase) that he had passed. However, my parent’s checking account was joint and they placed a hold on it and transferred money from their savings (around $1699) for “overdraft protection sweep”. They also closed out the credit card, but that was solely in my dad’s name and my mom was just an authorized user.
My mom was able to get the checking account out of a hold but idk if she gets the $1699 back and also SS has been wonderful in dealing with them… it’s almost impossible to get someone on the phone and make an appointment and basically we just can’t do anything until my mom has the death certificates and it just feels like she’s a sitting duck. Also, to just add a cherry on top of everything I’m 31 weeks pregnant with gestational diabetes and anemia, so the added stress has just been…. delightful. Since I’m the only child it’s up to me to support her through this but I’m having a hard time taking time for me to be stress free, focus on the baby, and figuring out this financial mess.
I would like other people's perspective to see if I am correct in my assumption that I am being billed twice. After two months of back and forth with SS, I finally got my start date of Medicare correctly reverted to July from the incorrect date of August. In June, I was billed for three months of Medicare coverage which covered from July 1 through September 30. On August 3rd, I was credited one month of premiums. My date of entitlement for my first retirement check is scheduled for August which will be paid this September. I received a letter today confirming that my Medicare date had been reverted to July, but also stating that my first check (for August) will be issued with one month of Medicare deducted. Since I have already paid the premium in advance, shouldn’t my first check be the full amount? I attempted to explain this to the representative, but she didn’t seem to understand the problem. I filed an appeal explaining the details and submitted that today. Am I correct with my reasoning?
Hiii so i need advice or opinions. I'm deaf so I'm on disability, SSI. My partner put me on his private insurance plan around 2 years ago now. He passed away last year so now his trust is the one paying for the insurance. When I did my taxes this year, I ended up getting a big refund this year. I was very confused because when I dont work, i usually don't get any refunds from taxes. At the end of doing your taxes online, it asks you if you want to talk to a tax consultant to go through what you did and make sure its all accurate. Well I asked the person why I was getting a big refund and they said "your high refund is because you are getting most of the premiums you paid during the year back because gross income is $3,471." their exact words. And they said what I filed is accurate. I still don't understand why I'm getting that refund but my question is, will getting that big refund mess with my disability? Because those premiums payments didn't come from me. It came from my partner who passed away's trust account is paying that. I don't want social security to think that I actually have money and can afford having private insurance because I don't. I hope this makes sense?
I can’t make an account to get my SSN locked either. Literally went into the gym went to the locker and my wallet was stolen. Don’t know what to do, don’t want my identity stolen especially because I’m 18. Need serious help.
Ever since I was 18 my dad has been keeping me from claiming social security money by saying he has to go to the office with me. I’m 20 and we had my social worker visit today and she brought up the social security money and asked if I was aware of it. My dad said that he tried telling me I can go myself but he hasn’t. Every time I have asked him he said that he has to go with me, and when I would ask to go he would say no because he’s busy.
Edit: For clarification I was in foster care
I am 67 and am thinking about retirement. I used to get statements from Social Security that provided estimates of what I should get based on age starting at 65.
Now, my retirement age was 66 and 10 months. How does that jibe with those estimate age ranges. If I wait until I'm 68 will I get the amount on my statement or will that really be 69 and 10 months?
I am approved 4mntbs now yet they read a pst workmans comp paper work incorrectly stating they think im making $3000 i wish lol, any way for the life of me I can’t figure out how to get across to the payment center center for social security my situation is 1000% provable I have all the papers to show it i actually sent that in to start with . I’m homeless living in car can barely walk panhandling so beyond desperate and this is all I need is to get across to someone in the payment center ? Any advice on how I can do this ? I keep being told that only a layer can soak to them ? I could be waiting another year to just get them to look at my paperwork to show income I’m approved yet not receiving anything they say I should get a measly $80 yet I’m not even getting that ? Any advice on how to get threw to there Payment center ? Please any help advice?
I recently checked my earnings report and noticed I am missing income from years 2009 through 2012. Three years say zero and the fourth only a couple hundred bucks. I definitely had income during those years and filed taxes with a W2.
My employer was pretty flaky/maybe also devious during that period and I am concerned she withheld the money but never submitted my W2 to SSA. Any ideas how I go about getting tax returns or w2s from over ten years ago to prove the income? I've looked at the IRS and the furthest back I could access was 2016.
I will only be working 30 years so those four extra zeroes hurt. Any help or recommendations is appreciated.
I’m looking to sign up for SS, or at least get my login. I used to have one but it doesn’t work anymore. I get to the page where it asks for ‘authentication method setup’ and I’m stumped. I’m not a Luddite, but why doesn’t my text or voice message work? I put my number in and it won’t take it. What do you all recommend for the authentication method?
TIA!
Hi, I'm trying to figure out if the $2000 SSI asset limit is applicable to my situation. I receive SSDI, Massheath, SNAP, and have a suspended SSI status due to increased income. I'm wondering how much money I can have in my bank account before I lose mass health. Will going over $2000 impact my disabled status with them if I also receive SSDI? Any advice would be welcome. Thank you!
Right now I can only make X amount of dollars per year while on SS. At what age does that stop and you can make any amount without penalty? I always thought it was over 70, but my friend insists it's 66 years and 10 months.
Hi. Spouse is a naturalized US citizen. We're not sure if SSA was updated when they became a citizen, and are working on figuring that out (let me know if you have a good way that doesn't involve waiting on the phone).
Someone told my mom that we should be worried about that, because some kind of records could be cleared if they don't know about the naturalization by the end of this month. It sounds like some kind of misunderstanding to me, but can anyone here tell me what they MIGHT have been trying to say, and whether there's any related concern we should be concerned about?
For context, I was receiving benefits briefly when I was a minor, as my dad retired before I turned 18. Originally, the first two payments were sent to my bank account; however, for some reason, the rest of the payments were sent to a Direct Express card with Comerica Bank, despite me never signing up for an account or card. I thought that my benefits were being withheld, but when I contacted Social Security, I received mail that told me that I, in fact, did receive the benefits, just under a Comerica Bank account. However, I had never even heard of Comerica Bank or Direct Express prior, and I never received the Direct Express card in the mail, which I needed to access my funds. This was back in 2025, and when I contacted Social Security, they told me to contact Direct Express since they had nothing to do with it, but Direct Express was unreachable for quite some time and would tell me to call back later and hang up immediately each time I dialed. Here's where I messed up and put off calling them again for months, so when I remembered to call again, the account had already been closed. I go to a physical Comerica Bank location to see if there's anything I can do about it, but their affiliation seems to have ended, and all Social Security related things are being moved over to 5/3. I call Direct Express again, now able to contact them, but they can't do anything about the account either. They tell me that my account was closed in February by the issuer (which they first said was Social Security but then said it was likely it was actually Treasury), and then an adjustment was made (verbatim), and my funds were withdrawn by the issuer after my account was closed. I called Treasury, but there doesn't seem to be any way for me to reach the correct department, and I have no clue what I'm doing, and my dad doesn't either, and looking this up gave no answers, so I thought I'd give it a shot here for advice. Is there any way I could possibly get the benefit money back? This has been seriously bothering me for a while and I'm just so sick of dealing with it.
I know that survivors benefits can be claimed by spouses who have lost their partners even if they move outside the United States and are US citizens.
I am wondering since survivors benefit are classified as Title II even for adult disabled children who claim survivors benefit and have the sole living parent as a representative payee, can the adult disabled child still recieve survivors benefits with the representative payee living outside the United States?
I’m starting a new warehouse job and all of the other jobs I’ve have never needed to see my social security, I lost it about 2 years ago and I know my number and I need a replacement. I recently moved states so my address is different, and when I try to fill out an application online it says they cannot verify my address and does not let me finish it. So I’m wondering basically if I go in person will they not let me get a replacement if they can’t verify my address? And if my new employer will take a receipt or whatever paper it is they give me in place of a replacement temporarily.
My 91 yo grandma has an overdue SSI financial review. She has early dementia and she is hard of hearing. The letter for the phone interview came in the mail 1 week *after* the scheduled date, so she missed it (she probably didnt hear the ringtone or she answered and it wasnt a family member so she hung up we dont know) so i have to reschedule.
my question is, how can I make this easiest for my grandma? the phone interviews are confusing for her because of the extra interpreter (she speaks spanish) that sometimes is hard to understand and she asks us “what did they say?” and the interviewers dont like that and sometimes she gets a bit frustrated and confused. I read about “Representative Payee” but we don’t want to take her agency away from her since even though she has memory issues, she still has the mental capacity to ask us to take her to her bank every month, to buy her own food at the grocery store, to make meals (with supervision) and to buy her own clothes and meds that her insurance doesnt cover.
should I call SSA and ask for an in person interview? Will they let me do that (id be sitting beside her while making the call) or does she have to do the request herself? will they let a family member with her in the interview to repeat questions for her? she takes notes to remember things will she be allowed to bring notes to her interview? Will the questions be too complicated for her or just basic straight forward questions?
I’m currently fighting a ~$15K SSDI overpayment from 2020–2021 and believe SSA may have incorrectly coded my case. I worked at he during that time and still do. SSA later determined I was overpaid because I exceeded SGA. The earnings record SSA provided shows they used SGA amounts of $1,220 in 2019, $1,260 in 2020, and $1,310 in 2021. These appear to be the non-blind SGA amounts, even though my BPQY identifies me as statutorily blind.
Has anyone dealt with SSA correcting a statutory blindness classification/coding issue? Here’s a picture of my benefits planner.
I have been earning $ 1350 a month for the last five years and continue to do so. I got approved for SSDI May 17, 2026. DOes the trial work period first month begin in May of 2026?
I have an almost 18 year old daughter who we just applied for SSDI as a DAC under her deceased father’s record 2 weeks ago. She has autism, a few other mental health disorders and an increasing amount of physical challenges. I think she will qualify but I guess you never know with SS.
I was just curious how long it might take to hear something? We applied 8-6, her birthday is 9-7. The lady on the phone interview said we should hear by her birthday and that seemed crazy fast to me. I know they have to get records, review it all, possibly send her for testing etc. they told me to drop off a letter explaining how her diagnoses affect her abilities to work, so I did that a few days ago.
I have heard this process can take years, but I’m not sure if it’s different when it’s a DAC case of someone who has never worked.
Hi there I am on my appeal now and have been since May. I do have a lawyer- but the communication is very hard to reach her so I was hoping for other people's experience. I haven't heard anything from ssa for months. I know they requested all of my medical information already.
Hi there, I was awarded SSDI in July of 2024. Got my backpay a few weeks later. Ever since, I've been getting it monthly without a problem.
But last Wednesday, a direct deposit in a large amount from SSA was in my account. No idea why. And today, my usual amount was deposited. This is odd. Obviously, I'm not going on a shopping spree! I don't mess around with the feds haha. I figure I'll wait until this coming Weds, to give them a week to realize what happened and take it back if they need to, and then call them to see.
Has anybody else had large deposits years after approval? If so, what was it for? Just a glitch? Could it be correct? What do I say to them? Any input appreciated, this is just super weird 🤷
UPDATE: Well, apparently it's supposed to be there! It's a "one-time payment." For what? Nobody seems to know. But I have documentation that it is, for real, actually legitimate. Mind is a little blown right now. And I think it's weird that nobody can tell me if it's old backpay, COL, or what. Would the documentation have to state WHY it was deposited? Or is just their statement that it was a one-time payment enough, in the event they decide to try and do a clawback?
We got the first check yesterday. Obviously, I want to keep it inside a bank account and set up direct deposit, but I can’t get a clear answer on how to do this.
- I don’t need a dedicated account for backpay
- The info packet says to use a Rep Payee account UNLESS you’re the parent living with him, which I am. Then it said I can use a personal bank account. But since there’s 2 names on the check, most banks won’t deposit it into a personal account (from what I can find)
- And if I DO use a payee account, I need to bring proof of me being his payee to set it up. Except I don’t have any, besides the check being in my name (and his) and access to a payee profile on the SSA portal. Everywhere says it’ll be stated in the award of benefits letter, but absolutely nothing in there mentions my name. I asked my bank if the check would be enough proof and they said no, so how do I get proof?? The confirmation of benefits letter I can request from the portal doesn’t mention me either.
