In the United States, if you suddenly become disabled, you can count on governmental support. Social Security Administration (or SSA shortly) is responsible for that among other governmental institutions.
SSA offers various benefits for those who become disabled or blind, regardless of their age. Also, people older than 65 and veterans who have retired from the army can get their support. Among the two common types of benefits are the Supplemental Security Income (SSI) and Special Veterans Benefits (SVB).
Unfortunately, SSA has to deal with plenty of cases when disabled or senior people ask for help. Sometimes, the government refuses to support applicants, and some people consider the Administration’s decisions unfair or may feel a lack of support. If you feel like disagreeing with these decisions and are willing to ask for a reconsideration, there is a specific legal record you can submit: Form SSA-561-U2.
In this form, claimers insert their personal info along with the thoroughly explained reasons why they ask to re-count their benefits. It is a versatile document that you can use if you want to challenge the decision on your benefits as a veteran, disability payments, or any other perks that the Administration is responsible for.
The benefits you get are counted based on your assets, income sources, and work situation. As always, there are some disabled people who are in a catastrophic financial position, suffering from poverty and depression by all means, while others are having a more or less stable situation and the ability to gain profit despite their health problems. Generally, there are limits to governmental financial support: for example, the maximum amount of SSI for an individual is around 800 US dollars, and for couples is 1200 US dollars.
If you face difficulties and have come to an understanding that the support you receive from the government is not enough, maybe it is time to appeal and ask for changes. The Form SSA-561-U2 is a handy template that you can file to solve your problem.
Other SSA Forms
You will find even more fillable SSA forms accessible with our tool. Just below, we selected a number of the more popular PDFs included in this category. Also, keep in mind that you can easily upload, fill out, and edit any PDF at FormsPal.
You can either fill the form out by yourself or ask a representative to complete the process for you. It can be whoever you want: your spouse or any other family member, one of your close friends, your lawyer, or an agent hired specifically for this task. SSA and other governmental offices understand that each claimer has a different situation, so there is an opportunity to fill out the template with your representative’s help.
It does not matter if it is you or your legal representative who creates the record; both of you may feel confused once you see the form template for the first time. We have provided thorough instructions below to avoid complications and get the best result in one take.
Every legal document creation in the United States begins with seeking a valid template. Since you are already on our website, try using our form-building software right here to generate the Form SSA-561-U2 immediately. Nowadays, it is unnecessary to go through a time-consuming procedure of looking for templates on the official public authorities’ websites.
After you have obtained the template, you may proceed to the guidance below.
Write Your Name, SSN, and Claim Number
On the first page’s top, there are three blank fields for a claimer to insert their name, social security number (or SSN), and claim number (only if it does not coincide with a claimer’s SSN). Write all of these in the designated boxes.
Name the Issue
Next, you should specify what you are filling this form out. You must write the main reason and then accompany it with details. Among the main reasons are a lack of SSI, medical or financial support, or SVB; problems with a retirement plan, overpayment, and others.
By filling out the lines below, you state that you disagree with the SSA decisions and ask to reconsider. Explain the reasons here.
Pick a Suitable Option
In the next step, you have to define a way to appeal. There are three options: case review (all cases), informal conference (cases with certain exceptions), and a formal conference (again, some exceptions exist). Read each option’s description carefully and mark the relevant box with a tick.
Besides the listed exceptions, these ways are different because, in some cases, you will have to meet a decision-maker for your reconsideration in person.
Add Your Contact Info
Here, you have a chart split into two halves. In the one on the left, you have to leave your signature (it is an optional field) and indicate your mailing address below. Then, write your phone number so social services can reach you and insert the current date in the field nearby.
On the right-hand side, your representative who helps you complete the form (if you have any) may add their data. The required info is the same: mailing address, phone number, and the current date.
Do Not Fill Out the Following Section
Below phone numbers and dates, you will see a warning written in bold: the form’s next part is for the SSA use and completion, not yours. Leave all fields here blank and scroll to the template’s second page, where you can see a list of initial decisions made by SSA that could have affected your benefits or payments.
On this page, there is nothing to fill out. Read the notes to determine what decisions services may use against applicants and go to the third page.
Copy the Information from the First Page
The third page’s completion will be easy because you have already done Page 1 and the content here is the same. It is a copy that will be given to you after SSA representatives fill their sections out.
Enter your name, SSN, claim number; mark a suitable option among three; sign, add your address and phone number and date the form. If you have a representative, they may complete their section in the chart.
Again, below this chart, you will see a section that SSA workers will complete. Do not write anything in there.
Read the Additional Information
The form’s last page contains info about the people who can help you with the form completion and additional records you might need to submit. Also, it offers you to read the privacy act statement according to which public authorities can collect and process applicants’ personal information.
After you finish working on your document, you need to deliver it to the Social Security Administration office in your area. You can find the address of your office on the official SSA website. It is possible to either send the document by regular mail or have an appointment and go to the office.
Also, there is a third option: you can apply online. In this case, the process will be a bit different. You can consult the SSA office’s website to find out how to send your claim online.
Once your document has been processed, you will receive a copy of it with specific marks made by the SSA workers informing you of their decision. There is no fixed term within which you will get a response, but eventually, it will arrive.
