Question of the Month: Is your Social Security disability claim affected by moving to a new state?

Are You Moving to a New State?

Social Security disability benefits programs are administered by the federal government through the Social Security Administration. Thus, since Social Security Disability Insurance (SSDI) and Supplemental Security Income (SSI) are nationwide programs, if you have filed a claim for Social Security disability benefits you will not have to resubmit your claim when you move to another state. Likewise, if you are already receiving Social Security disability benefits, moving to another state will not affect your eligibility. The approval of your benefits will carry over from one state to the next and you will not have to re-apply for benefits.

Social Security Reporting Requirements

However, when moving outside your state or even within your state, you must notify Social Security of your new address and phone number. This is part of the over-arching requirement that you notify Social Security of certain life changes. If you are receiving SSDI payments you must also report if you start or stop work and you must report any wages you earned through an employer or income received from self-employment. If you are receiving Supplemental Security Income (SSI) payments, in addition to reporting your address change, you must also report other changes. Common changes you must report to Social Security include:

• Change in income.
• Change in resources (including bank accounts, vehicles, or property).
• Change in employment (i.e., starting, stopping, or changing jobs).
• Change of persons moving in or out of the household.
• Entering or exiting a nursing home.
• Entering or exiting a correctional institution (i.e., jail or prison).
• Change in U.S. citizenship or lawful non-citizen status.
• Change in marital status.

(For a complete list of SSI reporting requirements read the Social Security’s blog post: Understanding Supplemental Security Income Reporting Responsibilities.)

Will moving prolong a disability case? 

The short answer is it depends.  If your case is at the hearing level, moving will not generally have a noticeable impact on the timing of a case.  However, if your case is pending at the initial or reconsideration levels of review, a move may prolong the review of your claim, as a new adjudicator in the new state will be assigned to your case.

Winning the disability benefits you have earned can be complex, confusing, and difficult. But you can get expert help. If you are considering applying for disability benefits or if your application for benefits has been turned down, contact our disability lawyers at Cuddigan Law for a free evaluation of your unique situation.