How to Apply for SSA-16 Form: A Step-by-Step Guide

• Michael Burry
• Jul 11, 2025

The application form and process for applying for Social Security Disability Insurance or Supplemental Security Income are similar for both. A disability applicant can apply for disability insurance benefits (SSA-16) through three mediums:

• Through online channels, specifically the SSA website
• You can contact the toll-free service at 1-800-772-1213 (TTY 1-800-325-0778).
• By visiting your local Social Security office

If you are going to apply for the benefits without a lawyer, the SSA representatives may not give you legal advice, but they will provide answers to your questions.

Other Common Disability Application Forms

The filling out of the Social Security form SSA-16 is just the first step towards the Social Security Disability Benefits. The Social Security Administration (SSA) may require more paperwork about your medical condition and your capability to work. Therefore, you should be aware of the additional forms you might need to complete, which are as follows:

• Functional report (Form SSA-3373-BK): This form is for discussing how your condition limits your day-to-day activities.
• The work history report (Form SSA-3369-BK) will provide a thorough explanation of the work you've done in the past and explain why you're unqualified to perform certain tasks.
• Work activity report (Form SSA-821-BK): This form will provide details about the special accommodations you receive at work and your income.
• Third-party function report (Form SSA-3380-BK): This form will detail how your medical condition prevents you from doing work, day-to-day activities, and how it impacts your life.
• Supplemental pain questionnaire: This form's questions aim to elucidate the pain you experience and the factors that restrict your daily activities.

Consider the following checklist before applying for Social Security Disability Benefits.

• If you are under 50 years old, when you apply for the disability application, you must prove that your disability is preventing you from working.
• People over 50 must prove that they can no longer perform work that they used to in the past. The SSA's leniency towards individuals over 50 will facilitate the approval of their applications. However, there is no guarantee that your application won't face rejection.
• In your disability claim application, you must state that your disability is affecting your ability to work, that you have received a professional diagnosis, and that you are receiving medical treatment.
• The SSA will assess your work income and determine the jobs you cannot perform, as well as the impact on your ability to carry out daily tasks.

Avoid mentioning certain items in your disability application.

Before beginning the application process for Social Security Disability Benefits, it's important to understand what information you should not include in your disability application.

• How does your disability affect your family life and social life?
• Telling about your life story goes beyond the questions in the application form.
• Whether you 'deserve' benefits based on your background or on your character,

Important tips to follow while filling out your disability application

One of the objectives for your disability application is to give honest and accurate answers.

Following certain tips may ensure that your Social Security disability claim turns out to be successful. Let's review some of the tips provided by our experienced disability lawyers. The tips consist of examples that will give you clarity in your application.

1 . Maintain consistency in your answers.

The applicant must maintain consistency when answering the questions in the disability application or any other form they submit. This is because the SSA representatives may find answers that contradict each other.

For instance, let's say the applicant mentions that their dialysis is limiting their mobility, but in the next section, they claim to be able to cook for themselves easily. This could potentially raise serious concerns.

2. Be honest with your information.

Never mention extra information in your application, as it may raise red flags for you until it is genuinely required by the SSA to understand an issue. It may sound unrealistic, but the SSA only needs to review whether you are eligible for the disability, are following the rules, or not.

For instance, you could say: "I was unable to attend family functions for 5 years." Instead, you could state, "I am unable to stand in a particular position for more than 20 minutes." It will make you sound more honest and concise.

3. Do not try to exaggerate.

Always make it a point to not state anything in your application that is not true. State actual facts, and be mindful while stating them.

Example: Instead of exaggerating your pain by stating that it's a 10/10 on all days, you could describe it as an 8/10 on some days and a 6/10 on other days.

4. State accurate, up-to-date, and additional relevant information

Ensure that your application always has the latest information and correct contact information. If you need to submit any additional information, you must submit it within 10 days. If you wait more than that, you may also receive an SSDI denial letter.

Example: If the SSA representative tries to reach out to your doctor using the contact number you provided in the application, they must respond. Along with this, your financial information must also be accurate.

5. Try to list all the disability conditions preventing you from working.

You must list all the disability conditions that prevent you from doing work or engaging in day-to-day activities. Some conditions may automatically qualify you for disability.

For example, if you suffer from mild anxiety, high cholesterol, and diabetes, you should explain how these conditions are affecting your ability to work and engage in other activities.

How do you answer each question on the form SSA-16 individually?

There are 25 questions in the form SSA-16 that we will be helping you with 25 questions on the form SSA 16. Let’s start it.

Questions 1-3: Basic contact information

In these three questions, you are required to provide basic contact information that will facilitate communication between you and the SSA. You need to mention three essential things: your name, your Social Security number (SSN), and your preferred language with which you are comfortable writing and speaking.

Questions 4-7: Demographic information

These three questions are intended for the SSA to learn more about your identity. Therefore, you must maintain accuracy while answering these questions. If you answer with inaccuracy may cause the denial of your disability application. Here are some of the questions you need to answer:

• When and where were you born?
• Are you a resident of the United States?
• If you are a foreigner, did you enter the country lawfully?
• If your birth name differs from your current name, please provide it.
• If you have used other SSN numbers, please provide them.

Question 8: When your condition begins to prevent you from doing work?

In this question, you need to mention the first day when you were unable to perform your job as you did in the past. In addition, please provide the cause of your injury. If you are struggling with a chronic condition, you need to follow some important tips to answer the complex question.

• When did your symptoms begin to prevent you from working?
• What is the date when it happened?
• Did you face difficulty while doing your job?
• When did you leave your job?

In case you do not remember the exact date, you can mention the month. However, make sure that your response aligns with the rest of the responses on the form.

Question 9: Have you ever worked in the railroad industry?

There will be a checkbox to answer this question. If your spouse or ex-spouse worked in the railroad industry, you can say yes.

Question 10: Are there any foreign Social Security credits?

If you have made contributions to the Social Security programs in the US, you can verify your eligibility. However, if you have worked in any other country and have paid their taxes, then you may not consider it because it is only for the US.

Question 11: Do you qualify for a pension or annuity, not covered by Social Security, based on your work after 1956?

If you are receiving or anticipate receiving payment for your work, you can select "yes". You can only include work that was done after 1956. Along with this, you also mention the year and month when your pension or annuity payment started or is expected to begin.

Question 12: Marriage

In this question, you must include all of your marriage history, status, and other details, such as how long you were married, when it ended, and any dependent children from your marriage.

We ask these questions to confirm if any of your past partners are providing you with benefits. You will be eligible for the benefits under the following conditions:

• Your marriage lasted over a decade.
• Your marriage ended when your spouse died.
• You had to care for a dependent child after the marriage ended.

Question 13: Children who can get disability benefits

When your disability claim is approved, your children will also benefit from your application. However, this benefit is only applicable to children who are

• Under 18 years
• Handicapped
• Disabled
• They are either 18 or 19 years old, but they continue to attend secondary school full-time.

Apart from these, no other children will qualify for the benefits.

Question 14: Social Security eligibility

There are two components to this query:

• 14a. Have you held positions where you were required to pay social security taxes?
• 14b mentions the period between 1978 and this year when you did not have income, which required you to pay Social Security taxes.

Question 15: Give a brief work history.

You must mention the names of employers with whom you have worked either this year or the previous year. Don't include any positions you held prior to the previous year. In addition to these, please specify the start and end dates of your employment. If you haven't left, feel free to indicate "not ended."

Question 16: Self-employment

There are two parts to this question.

• Part A: You must answer yes or no to whether you have been self-employed this year or last year.
• Part B: Type of self-employment business you have worked in, if any.

There is a checkbox in which you must indicate whether you earned $400 from self-employment or more.

Question 17: Income

This question has two parts:

• Part A: Last year's total income
• Part B: This year's total income

You must include income from self-employment and any wages you earned from another employer. It will determine whether you are eligible for SSDI or SSI for the SSA.

Question 18: Are you still unable to work?

This question will help the SSA determine whether your disability is affecting your ability to work. If you are unable to do the work, you can fill out the detailed work history form and notify the SSA.

Question 19: Work Injuries

You can answer with Yes or No. Do you know if a work injury caused the disability or not, and if it's long-term or not? (Know more about what medical conditions qualify for long-term disability.)

Question 20: Blindness.

It is one of the yes-or-no questions. Yes, you can check if you are blind or have low vision; whether you have contacts or glasses does not matter. However, the SSA will approve your disability if you meet the eligibility requirements for blindness.

For the SSA to classify you as low vision or blind, you must have 20 or 200 or less in your better eye, as determined by using a correcting lens. However, if you correct your poor vision, the SSA will not consider it a disability. If you're unsure about your eligibility, you can even ask your doctor for an option. (Learn more about what happens when you see a disability doctor)

Question 21: Are you filing for other disability benefits?

In this particular question, you need to mention whether you are applying for any other disability programs apart from Social Security Disability Insurance (SSDI). If you are applying for another program or planning to apply for one soon, you must check the Yes box.

You can mention other programs you are applying for.

• Veterans Administration Benefits
• Workers compensation
• Black lung benefits

In case you are applying for any other program that is not mentioned in the form, you can check other programs in the form.

If you want to apply for the Supplemental Security Income program, you need to check yes in 21a and 21b. If the claimant wants to apply for both, they can do so.

Question 22: Other sources of income

In this question, the SSA will ask if you receive income from an employer apart from self-employment wages or regular wages.

• 22a is the payment you have already received.
• 22b is for any pay you expect to receive.

Answer yes and write the payment amounts. You must list all the benefit programs from which you have received payments on page 5.

Questions 23-24: Caregiving

These two questions address whether you need to care for any dependent parents or children in the year when you had no income. These answers must be sufficient to assist the SSA in assessing your day-to-day activities as well as your ability to work. If you don't want to care for your dependents or are struggling, apply honestly.

Question 25: Are you eligible for your caregiver's benefits?

The final questions on the SSA-16 form will ask whether you will be eligible for benefits through a caregiver or not. You must provide the SSA with a comprehensive explanation about your caregiver and indicate whether your benefits are decreasing or increasing as a result. Check “yes” if this is applicable to you. You can then mention the name of the caregiver along with the Social Security number on page 5 in the Remarks section.

Need help with the disability benefits? Talk to an attorney

It entirely depends on whether you need help from an attorney for your disability benefits or not. However, when you do so, the complex disability application process will become easier.

A Social Security Disability Attorney will help you fill out the disability forms, and the likelihood of winning the case will also increase. It is because applying for disability benefits is a legal process. Furthermore, you have the option to seek legal assistance if your initial application fails. They will file your appeal and provide guidance on how to proceed further.

FAQs detailing the process of applying for the SSA-16 form

1. Where can you submit your disability application?

You can submit it online, over the phone, or at your local SSA office. In case you are working without legal help, you need to go to the SSA office and ask questions before submitting the form.

2. When should you apply for disability?

It is always advisable to apply for the SSDI or SSI disability benefits as soon as possible. Waiting too long may affect your eligibility for the disability.

3. How do I apply for disability?

You can apply for a disability by downloading the SSA-16 form. Then you need to gather all the medical records and government records.

4. How do I get 100% disability?

To receive a 100% disability, you must provide evidence that supports your condition in relation to your service. You can provide testimony from family, co-workers, and friends, as well as medical documentation that will demonstrate the severity of your disability.