SSA Adult Disability Report Form Tips That Prevent Denials
A denial can start with something as small as a missing date or a vague sentence. The Adult Disability Report (Form SSA-3368) is where many strong cases lose traction because the answers don’t show clear work limits.
Think of this form like a map. If key roads are blank or the directions don’t match, the claims examiner can’t get where they need to go, even if your condition is real.
Below are practical ways to fill out the Adult Disability Report so it supports your claim instead of quietly undercutting it.
Answer like SSA is looking for work limits, not labels
The Adult Disability Report isn’t a place to “prove” you have a diagnosis. SSA assumes you have symptoms, then asks a tougher question: how do those symptoms stop you from doing full-time work, day after day?
Disability Determination Services (DDS) uses the SSA-3368 to sort out things like the right onset date, work activity issues, and what medical evidence they still need. SSA’s own operations guidance explains this purpose in detail in SSA’s POMS instructions for completing the SSA-3368.
So, when you describe a condition, connect it to function. A short, honest link is often stronger than a long story.
A diagnosis tells SSA what you have. Functional limits tell SSA why you can’t work.
Put the “so what” in your symptom descriptions
Avoid listing conditions like a medical chart. Instead, write in plain language and tie symptoms to work tasks. For example:
- “Migraines” becomes “Migraines 3 to 4 times a week, light and sound sensitivity, I have to lie down in a dark room for 2 hours.”
- “Anxiety” becomes “Panic in crowds, I can’t stay on task, I miss appointments, and I avoid phone calls.”
Also, list every condition that affects you, even if one seems minor. SSA can consider the combined effect of impairments, especially when pain, fatigue, medication side effects, and mental health overlap.
Be careful with work and earnings details in 2026
If you’re still working at all, explain exactly what changed. Reduced hours, lighter duties, extra breaks, and missed days matter. SSA also compares your report to earnings records and to basic work rules like Substantial Gainful Activity (SGA). As of February 2026, the non-blind SGA amount is $1,690 per month, so small differences can affect how SSA views your work attempt.
If you tried to work and couldn’t keep it up, describe it as an unsuccessful work attempt, with dates and the reason it failed. Don’t assume SSA will “figure it out” from wages alone.
Make your Adult Disability Report match your medical file (and fill the gaps)
Many denials don’t come from a bad condition. They come from a thin paper trail or answers that don’t line up with treatment records. Consistency builds trust. Inconsistency creates delays, extra exams, or denials.
List providers like an investigator would
In the doctors, clinics, and hospitals sections, include:
- The full provider or facility name (not just “ER” or “Walk-in”)
- Address or location, if you know it
- First visit date, last visit date, and upcoming appointments
- What the provider treated (back pain, depression, diabetes complications, etc.)
- Tests and imaging (MRI dates, X-rays, EMG, labs)
If you run out of space, use the Remarks section. “See Remarks for more doctors” is better than leaving someone off.
SSA publishes worksheets that help you gather this information before you start. Use the Adult Disability Starter Kit to organize providers, medications, and job details.
Don’t minimize meds and side effects
A common trap is writing “medication helps” without saying what still happens. If you have ongoing symptoms despite treatment, say so. If medication causes fatigue, brain fog, nausea, or dizziness, include that too. Side effects can be a major part of why someone can’t sustain full-time work.
Use clear examples, not broad claims
Vague answers sound harmless, but they rarely move a case forward. Here’s the difference:
| Form response style | Example | Why it matters |
|---|---|---|
| Too vague | “I can’t stand long.” | SSA can’t measure it or apply it to jobs. |
| Specific and usable | “I can stand 10 minutes, then I need to sit 20 minutes because of burning pain and numbness.” | This ties symptoms to a work limit. |
If you want more form-by-form guidance, Avard Law Offices has a practical walkthrough on how to complete Social Security forms that explains why small wording choices can affect how SSA reads your abilities.
Work history and daily activities: describe your real day without over-selling it
SSA uses your Adult Disability Report to compare your past work to what you can still do now. That comparison often turns on details you might not think matter.
Describe past jobs like SSA has never seen them before
When you list jobs, don’t rely on job titles. Two people with the same title can have very different demands. Include the physical and mental parts of the work, because SSA evaluates both.
For each job in the relevant period, aim to include:
- How many hours per day you stood, walked, or sat
- Typical lifting and carrying (and the heaviest you lifted)
- Reaching, bending, kneeling, climbing, and hand use
- Pace and stress (deadlines, multitasking, customer conflict)
- Supervision, training others, or decision-making
If your condition forced you to change the job before you stopped, explain it. Maybe you moved from full-time to part-time, stopped driving, switched to easier tasks, or needed reminders. Those changes show decline over time, which supports your onset date.
Handle daily activities the right way
This section causes problems because people answer it like a character reference. The goal isn’t to look “tough.” It’s to be accurate and complete.
If you can do an activity, add the limiting details:
- Do you need breaks?
- Do you need help?
- How long does it take now?
- What happens after you do it (pain flare, swelling, needing to lie down)?
- Do you avoid it most days?
Cooking a simple meal isn’t the same as working eight hours. Grocery shopping once a week with help isn’t the same as standing at a register all day. Explain the difference in plain terms.
Also, don’t ignore mental limits. Trouble focusing, needing prompts, missing appointments, or isolating from others can be as work-limiting as back pain.
Use SSA’s checklist before you submit
Before you hit submit online or turn the form in, cross-check what you wrote against SSA’s recommended prep list. The SSA checklist for the online adult disability application helps you confirm you didn’t miss contact details, dates, medications, and work information.
One last reminder: if you don’t know an exact date, don’t guess. Use “approx.” and explain briefly in Remarks.
Conclusion
A well-written Adult Disability Report makes your case easier to approve because it gives DDS clear, consistent facts. Focus on functional limits, match your medical history, and describe work and daily activities with realistic detail. When your answers tell the same story as your records, denials become less likely. If you’re unsure how to phrase something, get help before you submit, because fixing a weak form often takes longer than doing it right the first time.