When you receive a letter from the Social Security Administration labeled “Notice of Award,” it means your application for Social Security benefits has been approved. Receiving a Social Security award letter marks a good day for many Oklahoma households.
Social Security award letters can be 20 pages of dates, financial figures, and legal language; consequently, not everyone reads these letters word for word. But if you expect to receive Social Security benefits, you need to understand what a Social Security award letter is telling you. Failing to respond appropriately to information in your Social Security award letter could be costly.
If the letter indicates that you will not receive the full SSDI or SSI benefit you are entitled to, we can assist you in appealing the Social Security benefits decision and seeking the full entitlement you are due.
Contact our respected Social Security disability law firm in Oklahoma City today to discuss your case with our highly experienced attorneys during a free consultation. We can answer all your questions about your award letter and Social Security disability benefits.
What Information is in a Social Security Award Letter?
A Social Security award letter is a document sent by the Social Security Administration (SSA) to individuals who have been approved to receive Social Security benefits. The SSA refers to it as a “benefit verification letter.”
A Social Security award letter will state the:
- Type of benefit you are to receive (e.g., retirement, disability, supplemental security income).
- Date you became eligible for benefits
- Date your benefits will begin
- Date you can expect your payment each month
- Amount of your monthly benefit
- Amount of any past-due benefits you are owed and when they will be paid
- Date to expect a continuing disability review, which is required when awarded disability benefits.
What Is the Importance of a Social Security Award Letter?
In addition to explaining your benefit, your Social Security award letter will also explain how to claim your benefits, which could involve setting up a direct deposit account. The letter will explain how to file an appeal if you believe you are entitled to a higher benefit amount than what you have been awarded.
Your Social Security award letter also serves as proof of income, should you need it for tax purposes, loan applications, housing assistance, or other related purposes.
When Will You Receive the Award Letter?
Typically, you would receive an award notification within one to three months after being found eligible for Social Security disability benefits. However, the SSA continually works with a backlog of claims and staffing shortages, prolonging the disability process for claimants.
Occasionally, a benefits applicant receives their first payment before receiving the award notification. Regardless, an award letter will eventually be issued to you if you are to receive Social Security benefits.
What if I Lose My Social Security Benefits Award Letter?
Keep your Social Security award letter in a safe place, along with other important documents. If you lose it, you should replace it.
If you need a copy of your Social Security award letter, you can download a PDF by going online at: www.ssa.gov > Manage Social Security benefits > Get benefit verification letter .
To obtain a Social Security benefits award letter online, you will need a “my Social Security account.” Follow the instructions at “Get benefit verification letter” to establish or sign in to your account.
Everyone who expects to receive benefits should have a “My Social Security” account for secure access to their Social Security information and to contact the Social Security Administration.
You can also request a copy of your Social Security benefits letter by phoning 800-772-1213 (or 800-325-0778 for TTY assistance). This is automated assistance available 24 hours a day, 7 days a week in English and Spanish. When you are asked, “How can I help you today?” say “proof of income.”
What to Do if You Disagree With the Award Letter
You have the right to appeal a benefits award decision from the Social Security Administration that you think is incorrect. Before proceeding, it could be helpful to have an experienced disability benefits lawyer review your application and discuss whether it is appropriate to appeal a Social Security benefits decision. If it is, an attorney from Ryan Bisher Ryan & Simons can handle the appeal on your behalf.
An initial appeal is commonly referred to as an “administrative review.” It requires you to provide additional facts and records about your disabling condition and ask the SSA’s Disability Determination Services to decide your case again. Your case will be assigned to a claims examiner who was not involved in the initial review, and they will render a decision.
You have 60 days to ask for reconsideration after you have received a Social Security benefits award letter (or a denial of benefits).
If an administrative review does not go your way, you can request a hearing before an administrative law judge. This is a legal proceeding at which you will be expected to present evidence supporting your claim for additional benefits.
You will need an experienced Social Security disability attorney to represent you during a hearing before an administrative law judge. Experienced professionals from the Social Security Administration will present their case against your appeal.
Should your second appeal fail, two additional levels of review could be possible if your appeal was based on an incorrect interpretation or application of the law in your case.
Contact the SSDI/SSI Lawyers at Ryan Bisher Ryan & Simons Today
Obtaining Social Security disability benefits is a complex and often lengthy process. Our Social Security disability claim appeals attorneys at Ryan Bisher Ryan & Simons know what it takes to meet the Social Security Administration’s strict definition of disabled and what information is required to obtain benefits in an appeal.
Contact us online or by phone to review your disability claim and discuss how we can help you appeal inadequate or denied disability benefits.
We are Ryan Bisher Ryan & Simons, a legal firm that, for decades, has been fighting for the rights of hardworking Oklahoma residents. Our mission is to hold the powerful accountable.
