Atticus offers free, high-quality disability advice for Americans who can't work. Our team of Stanford and Harvard trained lawyers has a combined 15+ years of legal experience, and have helped over 10,000 Americans apply for disability benefits.
Why trust us?In 2022, approximately 50,000 New Hampshire residents received disability benefits through the Social Security Administration (SSA). Even though the application process may seem intimidating, they’re proof that you can successfully complete the application and win benefits.
To help, this guide will explain who is eligible for benefits, how the disability application process works, and the monthly benefit payments you may receive.
There are no New Hampshire state disability benefits, but you can apply for federal disability benefits if you don’t already have a private insurance policy. If you live in New Hampshire, you may be able to qualify for one of the following programs:
The most likely programs you’ll qualify for if you’re a New Hampshire resident with disabilities are SSDI or SSI, so the remainder of this guide will focus on helping you apply for those programs. Our guide to the types of disability benefits can help you learn more about the other programs.
Skip the reading. See which benefits you qualify for in 2 minutes or less. Take the quiz.To qualify for disability benefits, you’ll have to meet two sets of SSA criteria. The first is the medical criteria, which are the same for both SSDI and SSI. The second is the technical criteria, which are program-specific.
SSDI and SSI share two distinct medical requirements: You must have a disability or medical condition that prevents you from working and will impact you for at least a year. As proof, the SSA will require medical documentation from your healthcare providers.
You can also use the SSA’s compassionate allowance list to more quickly qualify for benefits if you have a severe or terminal condition.
Your age also plays a role since the SSA has more lenient rules for applicants over the age of 50. If you’re at least 50, you only need to prove that you can’t keep doing the kinds of work you already do. If you’re under age 50, the SSA needs proof that your condition prevents you from doing any type of work — even if you retrain.
To qualify for SSDI, you must meet two basic criteria:
To qualify for SSI, you must meet the income and asset limits:
The SSA maintains a list of qualifying health conditions for which they frequently award disability benefits. But don’t worry if your condition is not on that list. As long as your condition keeps you from working and will do so for at least a year, you can win benefits.
According to recent SSA data, the New Hampshirites who currently receive disability benefits have the following conditions:
For New Hampshire disability recipients who have a mental health condition, these are the most common:
To apply, start with the main SSI and SSDI application. You’ll also need to complete some supplementary forms, like the work history report, which details your work experience, and the function report, which explains how your condition affects your daily life.
You may get requests from the SSA for more forms or medical information as they review your application. You can complete these forms yourself, or you can work with a disability lawyer to fill out the application.
If you need help applying for someone else, you can also use our guides to applying for disability on behalf of a child or applying for a loved one.
To prepare your application, set aside plenty of time. It can easily take one to two hours to complete the application, plus the time you need to gather necessary medical documents and records. A lawyer can make the process simpler, but there are some steps you should know:
You have three options for submitting your application:
Many applicants like the idea of applying online, but applying in person can be a great option if you choose to apply on your own. SSA employees can answer questions you have and explain what the application questions are asking. However, only a lawyer can give you personalized legal advice, which includes whether or not your answers are strong and which details you should include or exclude.
To get help with the application, consider working with a lawyer. They can make your responses stronger, complete the application for you, communicate with the SSA, and appear for any court hearings. A good lawyer also won’t charge you anything until after you win benefits, meaning you get the help you need right now without having to worry about another bill yet.
We at Atticus are a law firm, which means we can provide advice on filling out your application and finding the right lawyer for your case. To get help today, fill out our free 2-minute disability benefits quiz.
After you apply, The SSA will review your application to confirm that you meet the technical requirements for SSDI or SSI. Your state’s Disability Determination Services (DDS) will work to verify that you’re eligible medically.
As part of this process, you may need to do a phone interview with the SSA or visit a DDS doctor for a quick consultative exam.
This may all sound simple, but the wait for a decision is six months on average, as of early 2023.
Most applicants should expect to go through a few rounds of denial and appeal before receiving a final decision from the SSA. Your chances of success do increase after a few appeals though.
The SSA rejects 70% of initial applications. Applicants can then file for reconsideration, but the SSA rejects 90% of those reviews. If that happens, you can appeal to request a disability hearing in front of an administrative law judge (ALJ).
Many applicants are nervous about a hearing, but appearing in front of a judge actually offers the best chance of success for most people. In 2022, more than half of the applicants who made their case in front of a judge won benefits.
People who work with a lawyer at the hearing stage are also three times more likely to win. Learn more about the chances of winning your disability appeal.
As of March 2023, the average New Hampshire applicant waited a little over two years — 28 months to be exact — from the time they applied until the time they were approved. This is slightly longer than the average wait in the United States.
Most applicants experience long wait times because they go through multiple rounds of appeal. The average wait time for each round in New Hampshire is:
It’s important to note, though, that wait times vary by hearing office. Your actual wait time will come down to which hearing office oversees your application. There is only one hearing office in New Hampshire, and its wait time is below.
Hearing office
Wait time for a hearing
Unfortunately, you can’t speed up the process. Your best option is to avoid delays. Submit your application as soon as you’re ready, then contact the SSA immediately. You can prevent processing delays by staying on top of requests from the SSA.
Your lawyer can also move your application along by following up with the SSA and managing your appeals.
On the bright side, you will be compensated for the wait. Your first disability check will include back pay benefits, which cover the amount of benefits you would’ve received if you’d been approved earlier instead of having to appeal and wait.
In New Hampshire, disability benefit amounts vary from recipient to recipient. Your check size will vary based on your work history (for SSDI) and your income history (for SSI). You can also receive benefits from SSDI and SSI at the same time.
We'll use the Social Security Administration's formula to estimate your monthly benefit.
