You do not have to reapply for SSDI every year, but Social Security will review your case periodically
Once you are approved for Social Security Disability Insurance (SSDI), you keep your benefits as long as your medical condition remains severe enough to prevent substantial work. You do not submit a new process annually. However, Social Security conducts reviews at intervals to confirm that your condition still meets the program's definition of disability. These reviews happen on a schedule set by Social Security, not on your request.
The timing and frequency of reviews depend on how likely your condition is to improve. Someone with a condition expected to improve gets reviewed more often than someone with a permanent condition. Social Security will tell you in writing when your review is scheduled and what information they need from you.
Key Takeaways
- SSDI does not require annual reapplication; you keep your benefits unless Social Security initiates a review or your circumstances change substantially.
- Social Security schedules reviews based on the likelihood your medical condition will improve, ranging from every one to seven years.
- You will receive a notice in the mail telling you when your review is due and what medical records or documents to submit.
- If your condition improves enough that you can work, you must report this to Social Security, or your benefits may be stopped without warning.
- You can request a review early if your condition has worsened since your approval, though this is not common.
How Social Security schedules your review
Social Security places each SSDI recipient into one of three review categories based on medical judgment about whether the condition is likely to improve. The three categories are: medical improvement expected, medical improvement possible, and medical improvement not expected.
If medical improvement is expected, Social Security typically reviews your case every one to three years. If improvement is possible but not expected, reviews usually happen every three to seven years. If improvement is not expected—such as with severe arthritis or permanent spinal injury—reviews may happen only every seven years or longer, or may not happen at all during your working years.
You will not know which category you are in unless you ask, but you will know when a review is coming because Social Security mails you a notice. The notice will arrive several months before the review date and will explain what documents or medical records you need to send back.
What happens during a continuing disability review
A continuing disability review (CDR) is Social Security's formal check to see whether you still meet the disability definition. During a CDR, Social Security asks you to report any changes in your medical condition, any work you have done, and any treatments or medications you are taking. You submit medical records from your doctors, and Social Security may request updated reports directly from your healthcare providers.
Social Security then compares your current medical condition to the definition of disability. If your condition has improved enough that you could do substantial work—defined as earning more than a certain monthly amount, which changes each year—your benefits may stop. If your condition remains disabling, your benefits continue and you receive a notice saying so.
The review process usually takes several months. During that time, your benefits continue. If Social Security decides your condition no longer meets the disability definition, you will receive a notice explaining the decision and your right to request reconsideration.
What you must report to Social Security between reviews
Even though you do not reapply every year, you are responsible for telling Social Security about certain changes. If you start working and earn more than the monthly substantial gainful activity amount, you must report this. If your medical condition improves significantly, you should report it. If you begin a new treatment that substantially reduces your symptoms, Social Security should know.
You do not have to report minor changes or temporary improvements. But if you hide work income or a major improvement in your condition, Social Security may discover it during a review and stop your benefits retroactively, meaning you may owe back money.
You can report changes by calling Social Security at 1-800-772-1213, by visiting your local Social Security office, or by logging into your account at ssa.gov. Keep records of any work you do and any income you earn, because Social Security will ask for proof.
What to do if you receive a review notice
When Social Security mails you a continuing disability review notice, read it carefully and note the important date for returning documents. The notice will list what you need to send: usually a form called the SSA-455-BK (the Continuing Disability Review report), medical records from your doctors, and sometimes employment records if you have worked.
Gather your medical records as soon as you receive the notice. Contact your doctors' offices and ask them to send records covering the time period Social Security specifies. If you have worked, collect pay stubs or a letter from your employer showing your earnings and job duties. Submit everything before the important date.
If you cannot meet the important date, call Social Security and ask for an extension. Do not ignore the notice. If you do not respond, Social Security may stop your benefits without reviewing your medical condition, and you will have to appeal to get them restored.
When your benefits stop during a review
If Social Security decides during a review that your condition no longer meets the disability definition, they will send you a notice explaining the decision. This notice will tell you the date your benefits end—usually the last day of the month in which the decision is made—and will explain your right to request reconsideration within 10 days.
If you disagree with the decision, you can request reconsideration, which means Social Security will review the case again. You can also request a hearing before an administrative law judge. During the appeal process, your benefits usually continue while you wait for a decision, so you will not lose income when ready.
If your benefits stop and you later become disabled again, you do not have to reapply from scratch. You can file a new process, and Social Security will consider your prior approval history.
Work incentives that affect your benefits but not your status
SSDI includes work incentives that let you test your ability to work without losing benefits right away. The most common is the trial work period, which lets you work and earn any amount for nine months without affecting your benefits. After the trial work period ends, there is an extended may be able to access period during which you can work and earn up to the substantial gainful activity amount without losing benefits.
These work incentives do not change whether you are considered disabled. You remain on the SSDI rolls and continue to receive benefits during these periods. However, if you earn above the substantial gainful activity amount for a sustained period after the extended may be able to access period ends, Social Security may initiate a review to determine whether you are still disabled.
Frequently Asked Questions
What if my condition got worse since I was approved?
You can contact Social Security and ask them to conduct a review early. While this is not common, Social Security will consider a request if you have medical evidence that your condition has significantly worsened. Call 1-800-772-1213 or visit your local office with recent medical records.
Can Social Security stop my benefits without telling me?
Social Security must send you a notice before stopping your benefits, except in rare cases such as if you fail to respond to a continuing disability review notice. If you receive a notice, respond to it. If your benefits stop unexpectedly, contact Social Security when ready to find out why.
How long does a continuing disability review take?
Most reviews take two to four months from the time you submit your documents. Complex cases or cases requiring additional medical evidence may take longer. Your benefits continue during the review, so you will not lose income while waiting for a decision.
Do I have to tell Social Security if I move?
Yes. If you move, report your new address to Social Security so they can send you review notices and other important mail. You can update your address by calling 1-800-772-1213, visiting ssa.gov, or going to your local Social Security office in person.
What happens if I work and do not report it?
If Social Security discovers unreported work income during a review, they may stop your benefits and ask you to repay benefits you received while working above the limit. This is why keeping records of all work and income is important, even if you think the amount is small.