Apply for Benefits
You can apply for Supplemental Security Income (SSI):
- At your local Social Security office, or
- By calling Social Security at 1-800-772-1213 or 1-800-325-0778 (TTY).
You can start your application online, but you must complete it by phone or in person.
Note: If you are approved, you get SSI benefits for the entire time since the date you applied. That’s why you should apply as soon as you can. If you don’t have everything ready for your application, that’s OK — you can still apply and send any missing information as quickly as possible.
Note: Due to COVID-19, there may be limits on in-person services. Contact your agency by phone to ask about this.
Getting Your Application Ready
When you apply for SSI, you need to give Social Security:
- Basic facts, like your name, date of birth, and address
Note: You don’t need to have a fixed address. If you’re homeless or don’t have a fixed address, you can still get SSI. Read Social Security’s Spotlight on Homelessness.
Bring:
- Identification, like your driver’s license, state ID, or passport
- Birth certificate
- Proof of U.S. citizenship if you were born outside the U.S., like naturalization papers or your U.S. passport. If you are not a U.S. citizen, you must be a qualified alien who meets certain conditions. For more details, contact your local Social Security office.
- Social Security Number
- Documentation of your medical condition
Bring:
- Names, addresses, and phone numbers of doctors, therapists, hospitals, clinics, and others who have treated you
- Prescriptions and results of medical tests
- Documentation explaining how your medical condition affects your daily life
Be ready to:
- Sign forms so Social Security can get copies of your medical records
- Fill out forms about how your disability affects your daily life
- Give Social Security permission to contact your employer, friends, or family to learn how your disability affects you
- Documentation of your income
Bring:
- A list of the types of jobs you’ve done for the past 15 years
- Copies of recent tax records or W-2 forms
- Information about other benefits you get
- School records, if you’re under 22
- Documentation of your resources
Bring:
- Copies of bank statements
Be ready to:
- Answer questions and give proof about any savings, retirement accounts, stocks, bonds, real estate, or other resources that you own
Social Security provides a detailed checklist of the information you need to complete the application process.
Apply for Other Benefits While Your SSI Application Is Reviewed
The SSI application can take four months or longer. While you wait for your SSI benefits to begin, apply for other benefits, like:
- Medicaid, free health coverage for people with low to moderate income. If you get SSI benefits, you automatically get Medicaid coverage. However, you should apply for it separately if you don't get SSI benefits yet so that you have coverage until SSI begins. Learn more in DB101’s How Health Benefits Work article.
- NJ SNAP (formerly Food Stamps), a monthly benefit for people with low income that helps pay for food. Learn more about NJ SNAP.
- WorkFirst New Jersey, a monthly payment for families with children that also helps parents find work. Learn more about WorkFirst New Jersey.
- General Assistance (GA), a monthly cash benefit for people without children. Learn more about GA.
- Emergency cash assistance and housing, if you need them.
You can apply for these benefits at your county Board of Social Services by mail or in person. You can also apply online using:
- The NJ FamilyCare online application for Medicaid.
- The New Jersey OneApp for other programs, including NJ SNAP, WorkFirst New Jersey, GA, and emergency help.
Note: NJ Helps can help you figure out which state benefits might help you.
