Basic Info About Your PERC Appointment or SSI Redetermination Phone Interview
If you’re newly approved for disability benefits, your SSI interview’s probably called a “PERC” (which stands for Pre-effectuation Review Contract). If you were approved for SSI 1-6 years ago, you may get called in for your “SSI Redetermination” appointment. Regardless of what they call it, you’ll have to answer the exact same SSI interview questions every time. The SSA agent will ask you questions about your financial status to confirm you’re actually eligible for SSI.
First, you should know that your PERC is not a mere formality. The SSA uses the information you provide at your SSI interview to confirm that you’re financially eligible for benefits. Second, how you answer these SSI questions can also determine how much money you get every month. So preparing for your SSI interview is an important step in getting paid the most benefits you qualify for each month.
What Documents Should I Bring to My SSI Interview/PERC Appointment?
It’s important to treat your PERC exactly like a job interview. Come prepared and bring any documents you think you’ll need with you. Since this particular interview confirms your income and resources are low enough, bring all documents below that apply:
Keep in mind that coming unprepared will only delay your SSI benefits. The SSA will not approve your next SSI payment without proof your income and assets are within the current limits. Not bringing important documents to your appointment could slow the entire process down. If that happens, you’ll have to schedule a second PERC/SSI interview and show up with all your documents in tow.
What Social Security Interview Questions Will They Ask You?
The SSA will ask several questions about your current finances, living situation and lifestyle during your SSI interview. What they won’t ask about is your disability, doctor, medical treatments or how bad your symptoms are right now. This SSI interview is strictly to determine if your finances qualify you for monthly benefits.
Here are some standard Social Security disability interview questions they may ask you:
They may ask you other questions as well, but most will be similar to the ones we listed above.
What candidates say about the interview process at SSI
Commonly asked questions, as reported by candidates
What advice do candidates give for interviewing at SSI
How to Handle an SSI Interview
When First Applying – If you apply in person at your local office, they will probably ask you these questions while you are there. If you apply online or through a lawyer, after you submit your application, you may be contacted for an SSI interview. It may happen a few weeks after you first apply, or it may not happen until after you are approved.
If you are feeling anxious before your interview, it may help you to try to feel compassion or understanding for your Social Security worker. Handling SSI interviews is not always the most fun job in the world. The person doing your interview may have to deal all day long with people who are either upset at them or frightened of them. Plus an endless amount of bureaucracy and paperwork.
If you recently applied for disability or recently got approved, and you received a letter for an upcoming phone appointment, the answer is probably yes. Very likely this is an SSI interview. The letter might also say “Supplemental Security Income” or “PERC” or “Pre-effectuation Review Contact”. It might say they are checking if you meet the “non-medical” or “non-disability” requirements.
Jake applies for his child and gets turned down because he had been saving money for his child’s college. The next day, Jake opens an ABLE account for his child and places the college savings in the account. Jake requests a new SSI interview and brings copies of the ABLE account statements. The SSI worker excludes the ABLE account and Jake’s son gets approved.
If you are a parent of a minor child who is disabled, when your child turns 18, the SSI rules for rent, food and utilities will start to apply. For example: Suzy lives with her parents. When she turns 18, she begins using her SSI to pay her parent’s rent for the room she is living in. She also pays for her own food and her part of the utilities. Her SSI check is not reduced.
Get a Free Case Evaluation Today
FREE DISABILITY BENEFITS EVALUATION
Do you qualify?>
- Yes
- No
- Yes
- No
A major topic during your SSI interview will be work. You’ll have to present information about all of the jobs you’ve held in the last 15 years as well as the skills that they each involved. The examiners will think about your employability before arriving at a decision. You may not receive benefits if they believe you could return to your most recent position or secure a different kind of job.
Also, does your spouse work? And do you have sources of income other than a salary? People’s income can include gifts from family members, rent payments, pensions, workers’ compensation payments and various types of government benefits. By the way, if you do receive government benefits right now, bring records of them if you can.
If you’re asked to document your assets, remember that an asset is basically anything of value that you possess. Your list of personal assets could include petty cash, bank savings, retirement savings, pieces of art, antique items, stocks, bonds and other investments.
You’re allowed to exclude from your asset inventory your primary residence and one of your vehicles. But all of your other residences, real estate holdings and vehicles, if any, must be accounted for.
Understandably, you’ll need to respond to queries about your physical condition. Which medical tests have you undergone? What medications are you currently taking?
You’ll also be required to give the name of every treating physician you have. A treating physician is a doctor you’ve been seeing for a while, a professional who knows your medical situation well. Ahead of time, consult your electronic medical records. (You can call your doctor’s office if you need help accessing them.) With those records, make a list of every place where you’ve received treatment since you were first disabled. Then, during your interview, have on hand:
Go back as far in time as you can. That way, you can get the most disability back pay possible. What’s more, go in for at least one medical appointment within 90 days of your interview. That’s because some of your medical information must be current.
The investigator handling your case will use all of this information to independently verify your claims.
