What is a Social Security Disability Award Letter?

A Social Security disability award letter is also referred to as a verification letter that you can use a proof that you are receiving disability benefits. You may need this letter to prove that you are unable to work at the moment and are relying on Social Security benefits, or for whatever purpose it may serve you.

You can request a disability benefit verification letter online by logging in to you My Social Security account. If you have completed your Social Security disability application online, this is the same account that you used to log in to complete your application. The award or verification letter is also called a “budget letter” or sometimes, a “proof of income letter”. You can log in to your account using this link – https://www.ssa.gov/signin.

Only the recipient of the Social Security disability benefits can request a Social Security disability award letter. You may not request it for someone else even if it’s for a spouse or child. If you don’t have an online account, you can call the Social Security office at 1-800-772-1213.

Who Receives a Social Security Disability Award Letter?

To receive a Social Security disability award letter, you must first be eligible for Social Security disability benefits and have applied for it and have been approved. If you are not sure if your condition qualifies as a disability, this is the SSA’s definition of disability, found here – https://www.ssa.gov/planners/disability/dqualify4.html.

Once you apply for disability benefits, the SSA will assess your condition and decide if your application is approved and here is how they do it – https://www.ssa.gov/planners/disability/dqualify5.html.

Where Can You Use the Award Letter?

You can use your disability award letter or benefits letter, also called proof of income letter for various purposes. When you apply for a loan or mortgage, the bank will request a proof of income from you. The award letter stating that you are receiving Social Security disability benefits will serve as your proof of income.

If you want to apply for assisted housing or other benefits from your state, it can also serve as proof that you have limited source of income and therefore, need the assistance. For those who need coverage for Medicare health insurance, this document will also be helpful. Other purposes you may use it for include retirement status and age.

You have the option to select which information will be included in your Social Security disability award letter or which ones should be left out.

What If You Still Haven’t Received a Feedback?

For those who have applied for Social Security disability benefits and are still waiting for an answer, you can request instead a benefit verification letter which states that your claim is still pending. This is already proof that you have applied for disability benefits.

Note that this is different from a Social Security Statement which gives you the estimates of your future disability benefits. You can find more information about Social Security statement here – https://www.ssa.gov/myaccount/statement.html.