Many applications for disability benefits are denied not because the person does not deserve them, but because the application doesn’t provide all of the proper information. Small paperwork mistakes can make a huge difference.

This also causes some people to give up. They get rejected and assume there’s nothing they can do, when the reality is that they just got rejected over a typo or one critical piece of information they forgot to write down.

To help you avoid this, here are a few examples of things you’ll need to list when applying:

• Your date of birth.
• Your place of birth.
• Your Social Security number.
• The same information regarding children and your spouse.
• When and where you were married.
• Banking information, including a routing number.
• Specific information about your medical condition.
• What medications you’re taking.
• What tests you had done.
• The names and contact information for the doctors who ordered those tests or prescribed that medication.
• Dates of treatment.
• Names of medical centers.
• Patient ID numbers.
• Names and contact information for any other medical professionals who work with you.
• Your recent income, both for the past year and the current year.
• Jobs you worked in before the disability. List up to five jobs over 15 years.
• Current contact information for your employer.
• Exactly what benefits you’re hoping to get and the reason you’re filing.

Please note that this is not a comprehensive list. It is just a good place to get started so that you can begin to gather documents and information. Before applying, be sure you know all of the legal requirements and exactly what information you’ll need.

Source: Social Security Administration, “Disability Benefits,” accessed Jan. 05, 2018