Understanding Supplemental Security Income Documents You May Need When You Apply -- 2024 Edition

DOCUMENTS YOU MAY NEED WHEN YOU APPLY FOR SUPPLEMENTAL SECURITY INCOME (SSI)


You may not need all of the following documents. Sometimes one document can substitute for another. The lists are not all–inclusive. We will tell you what you need and what other documents are acceptable. We may be able to help you get them if you are having trouble.

SOCIAL SECURITY CARD OR NUMBER

You will need to apply for a Social Security number if you do not have one. If you need one, a number will be assigned at the time Social Security entitles you to SSI benefits.

PROOF OF AGE

    small blue balla public birth record recorded before age 5; or

    small blue balla religious birth record recorded before age 5; or

    small blue ballother documents showing your age or date of birth.

NOTEIf you already proved your age when you applied for Social Security benefits, you do not need to prove it again for SSI.

CITIZENSHIP OR NONCITIZEN STATUS RECORD

If you are a citizen, examples of documents you may need are:

    small blue and black arrow birth certificate showing you were born in the United States; or

    small blue and black arrow religious record of birth or baptism showing your place of birth in the United States; or

    small blue and black arrownaturalization certificate; or

    small blue and black arrowU.S. passport or passport card; or

    small blue and black arrowcertificate of citizenship.

If you are a noncitizen, examples of documents you may need are:

    small blue and black arrowa current immigration document; for example, an I-551 (Permanent Resident Card); or

    small blue and black arrowI–94 (Arrival/Departure Record).

If you are a noncitizen who has served in the U.S. Armed Forces, you may need your military discharge paper (form DD–214).

PROOF OF INCOME

If you have income, you may need to provide the following:

    small blue ballearned Income – payroll stubs, or if self–employed,  a tax return for the last tax year;

    small blue ballunearned Income – any records you have (for example, award letters, bank statements, court orders, receipts) showing how much you receive, how often, and the source of the payment; and

    small blue ballwork Expenses – see information under SSI WORK INCENTIVES for more information

PROOF OF RESOURCES

    small blue ballbank statements for all checking and savings accounts;

    small blue balldeed or tax appraisal statement for all property you own besides the house you live in;

    small blue balllife or disability insurance policies;

    small blue ballburial contracts, burial plots, etc.;

    small blue ballcertificates of deposit, stocks, mutual funds, or bonds;

    small blue balltitles or registrations for vehicles like cars, trucks, motorcycles, boats, campers, etc.

PROOF OF LIVING ARRANGEMENTS

    small blue balllease or rent receipt;

    small blue ballnames, dates of births, medical assistance cards, or Social Security numbers for all household members;

    small blue balldeed or property tax bill; and

    small blue ballinformation about household costs for rent, mortgage, food, and utilities.

MEDICAL SOURCES (IF YOU ARE FILING AS BLIND OR DISABLED)

    small blue ballNames, addresses, and telephone numbers of doctors, hospitals and other providers of medical services to you and the approximate dates you were treated.

    small blue ballNames of the prescription and non-prescription medications that you take.

    small blue ballMedical reports, if you have them.

WORK HISTORY

    small blue ballJob titles.

    small blue ballType of business.

    small blue ballNames of employers.

    small blue ballDates worked.

    small blue ballHours worked per day and hours worked per week.

    small blue ballDays worked per week, and rates of pay for work you did in the 15 years before you became unable to work because of your illnesses, injuries, or conditions.

    small blue ballDescription of job duties for the type of work you performed.

DISABILITY STARTER KITS

If you are applying for SSI disability benefits, the Disability Starter Kits available on our website at www.ssa.gov will help you get ready for your disability interview or online application. Kits are available for adults and for children under age 18. Both the Adult Disability Starter Kit and the Child Disability Starter Kit are available in Spanish.

The starter kits provide information about the specific documents and the information that we will request from you. The kits also provide general information about the disability programs and our decision-making process.

Each Disability Starter Kit contains a:

  • Fact sheet that answers questions most people ask about applying for disability benefits.
  • Checklist of documents and information we will request, and
  • Worksheet to help you gather and organization the information you will need.

THINGS TO REMEMBER

    small blue ballDo not wait to apply. If you think you may be eligible for SSI, you should contact us right away. The earliest we will pay SSI is the month after the filing date of your application, or the month after you first meet all the eligibility requirements, whichever is later. We may use the date you contact us as the filing date. If you do not have all of the things we need, we will give you time to provide them.

    small blue ballWe need to see the original documents. If you do not have an original document, we can accept a certified copy from the office that issued the original document. We do not accept photocopies. We will return the original documents to you.

    small blue ballTry to keep a copy of things you send us. Keep track of the dates you send information to us, or talk to us, as well as the name of the Social Security employee with whom you spoke.

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