Whats involved in appealing Social Security decisions, and is it worth it?
If your application for benefits is denied or you are receiving less than you believe you deserve, you can appeal. There are four stages of the appeal process, and you must go through one before you can move to the next. At the first stage, reconsideration, your claim is reviewed by someone other than the person who made the initial decision regarding your benefits. This persons decision is based on the material in your file when the original decision was made, plus any new evidence you would like to submit. Unless you are appealing a Social Security decision to terminate your disability benefits, you do not have a right to meet face-to-face with the person making the decision, although you can request to do so. A decision can take up to two or three months. If the decision goes against you, you have 65 days from the date on the written notice to appeal to the next level. A copy of the Request for Reconsideration form in PDF format is available from the Social Security Administrations
