TECHNICAL DENIAL FROM THE SSA – CAN YOU APPEAL?

DID YOU RECEIVE A TECHNICAL DENIAL FROM THE SSA?

The Social Security Administration (SSA) mails out thousands of technical denials every day to those who apply for disability benefits. If you receive a denial, then it is important to understand what kind of denial it is, so you know whether or not you can appeal.

Most denials the SSA sends are not technical denials. Instead, they are medical denials.

For example, if the SSA’s letter to you sates they are denying your claim for medical reasons, then you did NOT receive a technical denial. You received a medical denial. Therefore, you should appeal. Appeals are due within 60 days from the date on the denial letter.

A technical denial, by contrast, is a denial based on being ineligible for reasons that are not medical. That means the SSA is denying your claim for benefits because they find you do not meet the legal or financial requirements for SSDI or SSI. It also means the SSA did not review your medical evidence.

A technical denial occurs for many reasons which this article discusses below. If you receive a technical denial, then you might be able to appeal. But, the majority of technical denials mean that you simply don’t qualify for benefits. Therefore, filing an appeal won’t help.

WHAT ARE THE REASONS FOR A TECHNICAL DENIAL?

REASON #1: YOU ARE WORKING OVER THE SGA LIMIT

Almost half of the people who apply for Social Security Disability Insurance (SSDI) benefits receive a technical denial. The main reason for the denial is they are working. There is a common misconception among many people who apply for benefits that they can work and still be eligible for benefits. That is simply not true. If you are working, you will receive a technical denial and you cannot appeal the denial.

Let’s examine the reasons for a technical denial based on working.

The SSA defines work as earning over the substantial gainful activity (SGA) level. The SGA limit in 2024 is $1,550 per month for both SSDI and SSI claims. In 2025, the SGA limit is $1620 per month. However, in 2025, the SGA limit is $2700 per month for those who are blind.

Therefore, if you are earning above the SGA limit per month, even by one dollar, you are simply not eligible for disability benefits. If your gross earnings are above the SGA limit, then the SSA will deny your claim for benefits without even looking at your medical evidence. To be eligible for disability benefits, your medical condition must prevent you from working for 12 months or more. That means you cannot earn above $1620 per month (before taxes are taking out) or you will receive a technical denial.

Many people think that their take home amount is what the SSA looks at to define work. But that is not true either. The SSA looks at your gross income or your entire paycheck amount before taxes are taken out. That is the amount of money that will determine whether or not you are working at the SGA level.

REASON #2: THE SSA CAN’T CONTACT YOU, SO THEY DENY YOUR CLAIM

The SSA will usually try to contact you after you file an application for SSD benefits. If they can’t find you, then they will deny your claim. There are many forms that you need to complete for the SSA. One of the forms is, for example, the Work History Form. If the SSA doesn’t like something you wrote on your Work History form, then they will reach out to you. They may have questions. Or, they may want you to redo the form.

If they can’t get ahold of you, then they will deny your case. Therefore, it is very important for you to give the SSA accurate contact information. They need your cell phone number and your address. Additionally, they need your email.

It is up to you to notify the SSA if you move and change your address. If your contact information changes, then you must inform the SSA. Call them. Write to them. Send them your new contact information. Then, send the same information to your SSD law firm! We don’t want to lose track of you either.

Similarly, if the SSA requests forms or paperwork from you, then you need to respond quickly. If you need more time to respond to their questions, then ask them for an extension. Failure to submit anything they ask for will result in a technical denial of your claim for benefits.

REASON #3:  YOU DON’T HAVE ENOUGH WORK CREDITS TO QUALIFY FOR SSDI BENEFITS

One of the most common reason the SSA issues technical denials of SSDI applications is because the person who applies for benefits does not have enough work credits to qualify for benefits. In order to be eligible for SSDI benefits (not SSI benefits), you must have earned “work credits.” In 2025, the amount of earnings required for a quarter of coverage is $1810. Therefore, in the first quarter of 2025 (the first 3 months of the year), if you earn $1810, then you will have one quarter of coverage.

To qualify for SSDI, you generally need to have earned between 20 and 40 work credits. Additionally, at least five of those credits need to be earned within the last 10 years before becoming disabled. This is SSA’s 20/40 rule.

If you are working, then you can earn up to four work credits in a year. However, the number of work credits you need to qualify for SSDI benefits depends on your age. The older you are, the more work credits you need.

For example, if you’re 52 years old, you need to have worked at least 7 years (and earned 28 work credits) at a job that pays taxes into the Social Security system. But if you are younger, such as 30 years old, then you only need 8 work credits to qualify. That means you would only need to work for 2 years and you could apply for SSDI benefits.

REASON #4:  YOUR DATE LAST INSURED EXPIRES

The SSA may send you a technical denial if your date last insured expires and you don’t have any medical records prior to the expiration date.

If you stop paying FICA taxes into the SSD system, then at some point, your insurance with the program expires. The only way the expiration date moves into the future is if you go back to work.

The date your insurance expires is your “date last insured or DLI.” The exact requirement for how recently you need to have worked depends on your age when you become disabled.

For example, the SSA calculates your DLI based on how many quarters of coverage you earn during your working life. They also look at when you stopped working and your age. The method for calculating this date is termed the “20/40” test.

The SSA will look at your earnings record and count back 20 covered quarters. Then, the SSA will count forward 40 quarters (both covered and uncovered). For a person who works full time, the DLI is approximately five years after they stop working.

The DLI only applies to the applications for SSDI benefits. It does not apply to applications for SSI benefits.

If you receive a technical denial because of your DLI, then you might be able to appeal the denial if you have medical evidence. You must provide medical records that prove you were disabled before your DLI expired.

REASON #5:  YOUR INCOME AND ASSETS EXCEED THE FINANCIAL LIMITS FOR SSI

Almost a quarter of the people who apply for Supplemental Security Income (SSI) benefits receive technical denials.

Supplemental Security Income (SSI) is a needs based benefit program. You do not need to have a work history to receive SSI benefits. However, to be eligible for SSI benefits, you must be disabled and not exceed SSA’s income and asset limits.

If you applied for SSI benefits and the SSA sent you a technical denial, then it is likely the SSA found your income and assets exceed the financial limits.

The income limit for the SSI program is based on the “federal benefit rate” (FBR). In 2024, the SSI FBR is $943 per month for individuals and $1,415 for couples. For 2025, the SSI FBR is $967 per month for an individual and $1,450 per month for couples. The FBR increases annually if there is a Social Security cost of living increase.

You can also receive a technical denial for being “over resource.” This occurs if the SSA determines that you and your household exceed the SSI asset limit. You can’t qualify for SSI if you have more than $2,000 in assets ($3,000 for married couples). However, the asset limit does not count your home and one vehicle. You can learn whether your income qualifies you for SSI benefits on the SSA’s website.

REASON #6: YOU DO NOT QUALIFY FOR BENEFITS BASED ON CITIZENSHIP OR IMMIGRATION STATUS

Your citizenship or immigration status is a critical factor in your claim for benefits. Both SSDI and SSI programs are available to US citizens and certain categories of eligible immigrants. But failure to meet the status can result in a technical denial of your claim.

To qualify, you must provide proof of your US citizenship or legal immigration status. Eligible noncitizens may include lawful permanent residents (green card holders), refugees, asylees, or those with specific authorized work status. However, not all immigration statuses qualify. Failing to meet the status requirement will result in an automatic denial of your disability application.

Additionally, US citizens and eligible immigrants can face technical denials if they leave the country for extended periods. For SSI benefits, individuals are generally ineligible if they are outside the United States for more than 30 consecutive days. For SSDI benefits, eligibility can depend on the specific country of residence, as SSDI payments are not available in certain nations, such as North Korea and Cuba.

Understanding the legal requirements related to your citizenship or immigration status is essential to avoid unnecessary technical denials. If you have questions about how your legal status impacts your eligibility for benefits, then consult a Social Security attorney.

REASON #7:  INELIGIBILITY DUE TO INCARCERATION OR CERTAIN FELONIES

You can receive a technical denial if you are incarcerated or have certain felony convictions. While a felony conviction itself doesn’t automatically keep you from receiving benefits, the circumstances surrounding your conviction may lead to a technical denial.

If you’re serving time in prison or jail, you are not eligible to receive Social Security disability benefits. This is true even if the SSA finds you medically disabled. Similarly, if you are living in a state run halfway house after incarceration, then you are still not eligible to receive benefits until you stop living there.

Additionally, the SSA has specific rules regarding people who are:

• Fleeing prosecution or imprisonment for a felony: If there is an outstanding warrant for your arrest due to a felony charge or violation of parole, you may not qualify for benefits.
• Currently incarcerated: Individuals serving time for a criminal conviction are not eligible for SSDI or SSI benefits during their incarceration. This applies even if you were already getting benefits before going to prison or jail. The SSA will suspend your payments. They can only resume after your release.
• Guilty of certain felonies: Certain convictions may disqualify you from getting Social Security benefits. For example, if your disability directly results from committing a felony (sustaining an injury during the act of a crime), then the SSA may deny your application.

Finally, SSD benefits are not retroactive for the period of your incarceration. While you may be able to reinstate benefits after release, you will need to meet all other eligibility criteria at that time.

REASON #8: FULL RETIREMENT AGE ISSUES

Although your age does not affect your eligibility for SSI benefits, the SSA will deny an SSDI application which is filed more than 12 months after you reach full retirement age. This is because SSDI is supposed to provide benefits when you disability keeps you from working before you qualify for retirement benefits. Once you reach full retirement age, you are automatically eligible for retirement benefits, which replace SSDI benefits.

The SSA will also deny your claim if it is based on a disability that started five months (or less) before full retirement age. SSDI’s five month waiting period means you wouldn’t receive disability benefits until after you were eligible for full retirement benefits. For example, if you reach FRA at age 67 and your disability begins at 66 years and 10 months, then you would receive a technical denial. In this scenario, the five month waiting period would overlap with your retirement benefits. Thus, you would not qualify for SSDI benefits.

CAN YOU APPEAL A TECHNICAL DENIAL?

You cannot appeal most technical denials. Simply because in most cases an appeal won’t change anything.

For instance, if you don’t have enough work credits to qualify for SSDI benefits, then you simply cannot appeal that finding. Of course, if the SSA has made a mistake or lacks information about some of your earnings, then you should appeal. But if they are correct, you can’t appeal a fact.

If you receive a technical denial that states you did not submit certain paperwork, then you can appeal. You would file the appeal and then submit the paperwork. Therefore, you are curing the mistake and your claim for benefits can proceed.

There are other reasons for which you can file an appeal. These include instances when:

• Social Security made an error about your income or assets
• The technical denial was due to a paperwork error, or
• The denial is based on a missing document.

In all SSA denials, you must appeal within 60 days of the date on the technical denial letter.

OUR LEGAL TEAM WINS SSD BENEFITS

If you need help with a technical denial, then call us. In the last 30 years, we have won over 20,000 SSD cases for our clients. Additionally, we have won over $100 million in ongoing and past due SSDI benefits.

It is hard to win Social Security disability cases, even if you have the work credits. Also, the medical evidence requirements and listing rules are more difficult to meet. Those who go to the SSA hearing without a lawyer are not usually successful in winning benefits.

If you know you won’t be able to work more than 12 months, then file for SSD benefits. Also, do it right away. Don’t wait, thinking you might get better soon. If you do get better, then you can withdraw the application.

Meanwhile, if treatment doesn’t work, then you have at least started the process. SSD benefits are available to you if you start an application on Social Security’s website.

Remember, to win benefits you must first file an application. Many people believe that the SSA will pay them back to the time their disability began. However, that is not true. Because benefits are tied to the date of your application.

SSDI and SSI benefits are not tied to the date that you got sick. SSDI benefits can only go back in time one year prior to the application date. And, they can only go back as long as you were not working due to your medical condition. SSI benefits begin on the date that you file an application. So, there is no time to wait. Every day you wait is a day you lose money.

LEARN ABOUT OUR SOCIAL SECURITY LAW FIRM 

If you have questions about a technical denial, then contact us.

Our SSD law firm can help you apply for benefits. Also, we can help you appeal a technical denial from the SSA. Likewise, we can represent you in court when the time comes.  If necessary, we can also appeal your case to the Appeals Council. Additionally, we can file an appeal in Federal Court. We can represent you no matter where you live, whether it be Utah, Nevada, Colorado, Idaho, or California.

Also, we bring over 60 years of legal experience to your case. For instance, Dianna Cannon has been helping her clients win benefits for over thirty years. Brett Bunkall and Andria Summers also have many years of legal experience. You can learn more on our About Us page. Together, we have won over 20,000 Social Security cases.

Our law firm offers a free review of your benefits. However, we don’t take the case of every person who calls our office. We only accept the cases where the client has a severe medical condition that prevents them from working. Call today. We can often tell you over the phone if we can help you with your SSD benefits.

WE CAN HELP YOU UNDERSTAND A TECHNICAL DENIAL

Technical denials can be difficult to understand. If you need help and are unable to call, then contact us another way. We represent clients in Utah, Nevada, Idaho, California, Colorado, Washington, and Arizona. You can find out information about SSD benefits in different states. For example, review information on your state:

• California SSD benefit information
• Colorado SSD benefit information
• Idaho SSD and SSI benefit information
• Nevada SSD and SSI benefit information
• Utah SSD benefit information

Also, we can help you file your application for benefits on Social Security’s website. Contact our law firm. Hire us to be your legal team. We work hard for our clients. Hire the best disability attorneys to help you if you receive a technical denial. Hire us. Because we have the legal experience you need to win your SSD benefits.