How to Apply for Disability in Colorado
If you live in Colorado and are looking to file for disability benefits, you've come to the right place. In this comprehensive guide, you'll learn everything you need to know to submit a claim, including strategies for speeding up the process and boosting your chances of success.
What Disability Programs are Available in Colorado?
Social Security Disability Insurance (SSDI): If you can't work due to a disabling condition, you may qualify for SSDI. This program not only provides monthly monetary benefits but also Medicare coverage.
Supplemental Security Income (SSI): This program is for individuals with disabilities who don't have a work history but whose income and resources fall below specified limits. It's also for people 65 and older without disabilities who meet the financial criteria.
Long-term and short-term disability insurance: Some employers and private insurance companies offer policies that provide benefits to people temporarily unable to work due to illness or injury. Beneficiaries receive up to 60% of what they earned before getting sick or injured.
Veterans' disability benefits: If you're a veteran or active-duty service member with a disability connected to your military service that prevents you from working, you might be eligible for benefits through the Department of Veterans Affairs.
In this guide, we'll only discuss the first two types of disability benefits.
Eligibility Requirements for Colorado Disability Benefits
Colorado residents applying for SSDI and SSI benefits must meet specific medical and technical requirements. While the medical requirements are identical for each program, the technical criteria differ.
Medical Requirements
To qualify for federal disability benefits, you'll need to prove that you're unable to work for at least one year due to a disability or if the condition is expected to result in your death. Certain life-threatening medical conditions (known as compassionate allowances) automatically qualify for benefits. These conditions are known as compassionate allowances. Here are a few:
Acute leukemia
Adult non-Hodgkin lymphoma
Child lymphoma
Early-onset Alzheimer's disease
Esophageal cancer
Juvenile-onset Huntington disease
Lewy body dementia
Stiff person syndrome
Technical Requirements
Technical requirements are non-medical requirements applicants must meet to qualify for benefits. The technical requirements for SSDI applicants are that they must be younger than 66 and have earned enough work credits.
In 2024, you earn one credit for every $1,730 in earnings, up to a maximum of four credits per year. Generally, you need 20 credits earned in the last 10 years. You can check how many credits you've earned by creating a mySocialSecurity account on SSA.gov.
How to Apply for Disability in Colorado
Creating an Online Account
You don't have to create an online account to apply for disability benefits. However, having one makes the process so much easier. It also allows you to:
Save your application progress
Check the status of your application
Receive notifications from the Social Security Administration (SSA)
To get started, go to the SSA website. Click "Create an Account" and follow the prompts.
What You Need to Complete Your SSDI or SSI Application
Personal Information
Date of birth for both you and your spouse and where you were born
Date and where you and your spouse got married
Social Security numbers for you and your spouse
The same information for any ex-wives or husbands, as well as the dates you got married and the dates they died (if applicable)
Names of minor children and birth dates
Your bank's ABA routing transit number and your account number (if your benefits are being electronically deposited)
Medical Information
Addresses and phone numbers of hospitals and clinics where you received treatment, including dates and patient I.D. numbers
Names, addresses, and phone numbers of all physicians who treated you, including dates
A list of all medications you're taking and the physicians who prescribed them
Names and dates of all medical tests you received and who ordered them
Work Information
How much money you earned last year and this year
Names and addresses of employers for the previous year and this year
A copy of your Social Security Statement
Start and end dates of any active U.S. military service before 1968
Jobs (no more than five) you had in the 15 years before becoming disabled
Information about workers' compensation or similar benefits you filed or intend to file
Required Documentation
Birth certificate or other proof of birth
Proof of U.S. citizenship or lawful alien status if you weren't born in the US
US military discharge papers if you were a member of an armed service before 1968
W-2 forms and/or self-employment tax returns for last year
Medical evidence you already have, including medical records, doctors' reports, and recent test results that prove you have a qualifying disability
Award letters, pay stubs, or other proof of temporary or permanent workers' compensation-type benefits you received
Other Ways of Applying for SSI or SSDI Benefits
By phone: Call the agency at 1-800-772-1213 from 7 a.m. to 7 p.m. Monday through Friday. If you're deaf or hard of hearing, the number is TTY 1-800-325-0778.
In-person: Visit your local SSA office. (Call first to make an appointment.)
What Happens After Applying for Disability
After applying, the SSA will:
Provide confirmation of your application either electronically or via snail mail
Review and process your application
Contact you if more information is needed
Mail its decision to you
You can expect to wait at least 7 months in Colorado before an initial decision.
What to Do if You're Turned Down
If your Social Security disability claim is denied, you have the right to appeal. You have 60 days from the date your claim was rejected to file one.
You can submit your appeal online. You can also do it over the phone by calling 1-800-772-1213 or file in person at your local Social Security office. Here are the four stages of the appeal process:
Reconsideration
The first step in the appeal process is reconsideration. This means that someone who had no part in the original decision reviews your claim. During this stage, the claims reviewer will re-examine all the evidence submitted with your application and consider any new documentation you provide.
Hearing Before an Administrative Law Judge (ALJ)
If your claim is denied at the reconsideration stage, you can request a hearing with an Administrative Law Judge (ALJ). You'll be able to make your case in person or on Zoom. Just like with the reconsideration stage, if you have additional evidence that might strengthen your case, you should provide it.
Appeals Council Review
If you disagree with the ALJ's decision, you can request a review before the Appeals Council.
The Council doesn't automatically accept every request but will review cases where they find a compelling reason to do so.
The Appeals Council will review the ALJ's decision to ensure that it was made correctly. They'll look for legal mistakes, misinterpretation of facts, or procedural issues affecting the ALJ's ruling.
Once the Appeals Council has reviewed your case, they'll do one of three things:
Uphold the ALJ's decision and deny your appeal
Reverse the ALJ's decision and rule in your favor
Remand (send back) your case to the ALJ for further review
Federal Court Review
If the Appeals Council denies your claim, you have the right to file a lawsuit in federal court. This is the last stage of the appeals process and your final opportunity to make your case.
The judge will review your claim to determine if the Council made any errors in their decision.
Tips To Make Filing More Successful
Be Thorough
Double-check your SSI or SSDI application to ensure it's complete and accurate. If you leave things out, it can cause significant processing delays. Be thorough when describing your medical conditions (including symptoms) and treatments.
List every job you had in the last five years, including part-time and volunteer work. You also need to make sure that employment dates, salary, and work responsibilities are listed, as well as any impairments that limit your ability to work.
Apply as Soon as You Become Disabled
It's essential to file for Social Security Disability benefits as soon as you become disabled because it can sometimes take months or even years for the SSA to decide. By applying right away, you won't have to wait as long to receive benefits if the agency approves your claim.
Also, if you're approved, you'll receive SSDI or SSI payments backdated to the date you applied (or even earlier, depending on your disability onset date). The sooner you apply, the quicker you can get this back pay.
Submit Documents in a Timely Manner
The SSA requires medical records, work history, and other crucial documents to evaluate your claim. Delays in providing this information can result in longer processing times or even denials. Furthermore, submitting accurate, up-to-date medical records boosts your chances of approval.
Follow Up Regularly
Follow up with the SSA after submitting your application to make sure they received it. With thousands of applications being processed monthly, some will likely slip through the cracks.
Besides, if you don't regularly check back, you might miss essential updates on your application status or requests for additional information. To follow up, call 1-800-772-1213. You can also check your status online or by visiting your local Social Security office.
Get Help from an Experienced Disability Lawyer
Filing for federal disability benefits can be a long, complex process. It can take months or even years for the SSA to make a decision on your case.
Moreover, there are many pitfalls on the road to securing benefits. For example, a single mistake on your application could cause it to be rejected, which means you'll have to refile–making the process even longer.
You have to be careful about the medical documentation you include in your application. What may appear to be compelling evidence to the average person might not convince a claims reviewer.
Because so many things could go wrong when applying for benefits, it's best to have a Social Security disability attorney help you with the process. They'll ensure that all your i's are dotted and t's are crossed in your application packet and guide you through the often-bewildering process of securing the benefits you deserve.