Library & Tools

Highlighted below are some of the ways peers from around the country have incorporated their lived expertise into their SOAR work.

This article explains how you can promote SOAR with your Social Security Administration (SSA) Office of Hearings Operations (OHO) office to help ease their backlog and workload issues, while at the same time, improving access to expedited decisions for SOAR applicants.

When you are preparing to appeal a denial of disability benefits, the first thing you should do is request the case file so that you can review key components of the file and decision! 

It is important to find out whether someone has a pending initial claim or is waiting for a reconsideration or an appeals hearing before starting a new application.

The Social Security Administration (SSA) keeps all new disability files in electronic format. Applicants and authorized representatives have the right to obtain relevant application information on a CD-ROM. When you are preparing to appeal a denial of disability benefits, you should request the case file so that you can review key components of the file and decision.

Learn more about the impact of Unemployment Insurance and Economic Impact (Stimulus) Payments on SSI/SSDI benefits.

Here are some FAQs about Continuing Disability Reviews (CDR).

SSI/SSDI overpayments may cause undue hardship for beneficiaries who are experiencing or at-risk for homelessness. This article provides tips for avoiding overpayments and steps to follow in the overpayment appeal/waiver process.

Online access to applicants’ electronic folders or eFolders (EFs) is now available for Appointed Representatives with ALJ hearing and Appeals Council level cases.

Read our Q&A with a SOAR case worker from New York who has an appeals success story!