Denied? Your appeal roadmap

Social Security's SSI appeals page lists four levels: reconsideration, a hearing with an administrative law judge, Appeals Council review, and federal court. You appeal in writing within 60 days after the date you receive the notice. Social Security assumes you received it five days after the date on the notice, unless you show you got it later. The notice tells you how to appeal.

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For reconsideration of a disability or non-medical decision, the SSI page says the online path is the Appeal a Decision page. Choose the disability request or the non-medical request, matching the letter. You can also mail or fax Form SSA-561 to your local office. A medical disability cessation can use Form SSA-789, or a letter.

A hearing request can be filed online, or with Form HA-501. New evidence for a disability hearing should be in no later than five business days before the hearing. Social Security says it will send the hearing notice at least 75 days before the hearing. If you cannot attend, contact the hearing office in writing as soon as you can, and not later than five days before the hearing or 30 days after you receive the notice, whichever is earlier.

If you disagree with the judge, the Appeals Council request can be filed online, or with Form HA-520 mailed to the Office of Appellate Operations, 6401 Security Blvd, Baltimore, MD 21235-6401, or faxed to 1-833-509-0817. That request is also due 60 days after you receive the hearing decision. The same five-day receipt assumption applies.

Federal court is a civil case filed within 60 days after you receive the Appeals Council notice. Social Security says it cannot help you file in court.

Use the form your letter names. We are not telling you which packet fits a case we have not seen.

Do not assume they always do. The SSI page says a non-medical appeal filed within 60 days of receipt may let payments continue or be restarted until a decision. It also says that asking within 10 days can keep a current payment going, and that asking after 10 days but within 60 days may mean a temporary drop until the appeal is entered. For a medical decision that disability has ended, you must ask in writing for benefits to continue within 10 days of receiving the notice. Read the notice. It says whether continuation applies.

You may appoint a representative. Disability Rights California and Disability Rights Texas are protection and advocacy agencies. They decide whether they can help. This roadmap is not a hearing office and it does not list waiting times.