MISTAKE: WAITING TOO LONG TO APPEAL

The Social Security Administration (SSA) denies most disability claims. There is a complicated system set up to correct wrong decisions. However, many applicants wait too long to appeal and miss the mandated deadline. Once the deadline is missed, you must start all over from the beginning. This delays your potential payment for months (usually a year or more). It also causes you to lose thousands of dollars in potential back pay money that can never be recovered, even with a new application.

THE DEADLINE TO APPEAL A DENIED CLAIM IS 60 DAYS, MANDATED BY FEDERAL LAW.

It's important to understand that claims are not usually won by filing an application. Claims are won by appealing denied applications--taking them up a notch or two on the federal review system. Appeals are more often won than applications.

It costs you nothing ($0) to file an appeal. You can hire the best Social Security attorney with no upfront cost and get an agreement to pay a fee only if you win--and only if you collect past due payments. Otherwise, there's no attorney fee or cost. All attorneys or advocates offer this arrangement.

The 60 day deadline starts 5 days after the date of denial. You can't miss the deadline by even one day!

The best way to appeal is to call an attorney-advocate who is experienced in Social Security disability and understands the process. But your appeal must be timely filed (within the 60-day window allowed by law).