Effective Dates: 09/19/2023 - Present Previous | Next

TN 20 (09-23)

GN 03101.125 iAppeals - General and Title II Instructions

A. Introduction to the iAppeals process

iAppeals is a Social Security Online Internet Service that allows claimants to electronically file a reconsideration or hearing request on a Title II (TII), Title XVI (TXVI), or concurrent TII and TXVI initial disability determination. This section includes general information about the iAppeals process. For information specific to TXVI, see SI 04005.035.

iAppeals includes the following appeal forms:

  • •

    i561 (Request for Reconsideration),

  • •

    i501 (Request for Hearing By Administrative Law Judge), and

  • •

    i3441 (Disability Report – Appeal).

Note: As of June 16, 2018, the i520, the equivalent of the paper form HA-520 (Request for Review of Hearing Decision/Order), is available in iAppeals. Claimants may use the i520 to request Appeals Council review of a disability or non-medical hearing decision.

The following individuals may access iAppeals to file an appeal on behalf of a claimant:

  • •

    claimant,

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    third party (family, friend), and

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    appointed representative (attorney or non-attorney).

    An appointed representative is also a third party. An appointed representative has the affirmative duty to use iAppeals if they expect to receive direct payment for a particular case. For information about an appointed representative’s affirmative duty to use iAppeals, see GN 03970.010.

In the following instructions, the term internet user (IU) refers to the claimant, third party, or appointed representative who uses iAppeals to file an appeal request for the claimant. To electronically file an appeal request, the IU must complete the i561 or i501, and i3441 (appeal forms) and submit all of the appeal forms, at one time, to us. The IU may complete and submit the appeal forms in one session. The IU may also start the appeal forms in one session and then use their iAppeals reentry number to complete and submit the appeal forms in a later session(s).

B. Requirements for using iAppeals

The claimant must meet the following requirements in order to use iAppeals:

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    the claimant filed a claim for disability benefits;

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    the claimant received a Notice of Disapproved Claim or Notice of Reconsideration concerning their claim for disability benefits;

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    the claimant disagrees with the initial or reconsideration determination;

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    the technician used the Electronic Disability Collect System (EDCS) to process the claimant’s claim for disability benefits; and

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    the claimant is not barred from using the Social Security Administration’s (SSA) Internet Services due to blocked access or special indicator codes on the numident.

If the claimant does not meet the requirements, iAppeals tells the IU to take one of the following actions to file an appeal:

  • •

    contact the local field office (FO) or the 800 number to obtain, complete, and submit the paper SSA-561 or HA-501 and SSA-3441 (appeal forms); or

  • •

    complete and submit the Internet portable document format (PDF) version of the appeal forms available on SSA’s Internet site at: http://www.ssa.gov/forms/.

C. IU’s iAppeals experience

iAppeals is on SSA’s Internet site at: www.socialsecurity.gov/disability/appeal. The IU accesses iAppeals and enters the following information about the claimant:

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    Name,

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    Social Security Number, and

  • •

    Date of Birth.

iAppeals then completes a check to determine whether the claimant may use iAppeals. If the claimant’s information passes the check, iAppeals takes the following actions:

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    determines the appeal level and as appropriate, presents the i561 or i501 to the IU; and

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    issues an iAppeals reentry number that the IU prints or saves. The IU may also choose to receive the reentry number by email.

The IU may complete and submit the appeal forms in the same session or use the reentry number to complete and submit the appeal forms in a later session(s). Whether the IU completes the appeal forms in one session or multiple sessions, the IU must submit all of the appeal forms at one time in order to file the appeal request with us. The IU must complete and submit the appeal forms within the appeal period, which is 60 days plus 5 days from the date on the initial or reconsideration determination notice. For information about the appeal period and an extension of time to file an appeal, see GN 03101.010 and GN 03101.020 respectively. If an IU does not complete and submit the appeal forms within 65 days of the date that iAppeals issues the reentry number, the IU will need to restart the process.

When the IU completes all of the appeal forms, iAppeals provides the opportunity to review, update, and print the information provided on the appeal forms. Before submitting the appeal forms, adult claimant IU’s may electronically sign the Form SSA-827 (Authorization to Disclose Information to SSA). We give all IUs the opportunity to attach evidence files. Once the IU reviews the information, the IU submits the appeal forms; the SSA-827 if applicable; and evidence files if any. The IU cannot use iAppeals to make any other updates once they submit the appeal forms to us. The IU must submit any other updates by mail, telephone, or in-person.

After the IU submits the appeal forms, they receive the following pages.

1. Receipt page

The receipt page has the submission date, time, and a summary of the information provided on the appeal forms. The IU prints or saves the receipt for their records.

2. Coversheet page

The coversheet has the date, the claimant’s and IU’s contact information, and the local FO address. iAppeals bases the local FO address on the zip code of the claimant’s mailing address. When necessary, the IU may print and use the coversheet to submit the following documents or forms:

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    Evidence (medical records and other information),

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    SSA-827 (Authorization to Disclose Information to SSA),

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    SSA-3881 (Questionnaire for Children Claiming SSI Benefits),

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    SSA-1696 (Claimant's Appointment of Representative), and

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    HA-4608 (Waiver of Your Right to Personal Appearance before an Administrative Law Judge).

Once an IU submits the appeal forms, they cannot submit another iAppeals on the same decision. However, the IU can submit another appeal request through iAppeals for a new determination.

D. FO procedures for processing appeal requests submitted through iAppeals

Technicians may view the iAppeals screens on SSA’s Intranet ApPages.

1. How iAppeals assigns appeal requests

iAppeals adds appeal requests to the Internet Disability workload management information (WMI) list as follows:

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    TII only and TII only Canadian appeal requests to the Internet Disability WMI of the FO that serves the zip code of the claimant’s mailing address. Appeal requests with a Canadian address go to the FO associated with the first three characters of the claimant’s mailing address postal code (see GN 01715.320B),

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    other foreign TII only appeal requests to the Office of International Operations Internet Disability WMI TII, and

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    all TII and TXVI Concurrent and TXVI only appeal requests to the Internet Disability WMI based on the claimant’s preferred office.

2. Identify appeal requests on the Internet Disability WMI

iAppeals does not automatically assign appeal requests to individual technicians. Managers and technicians must view the Internet Disability WMI - Internet Appeals list. To obtain a list of appeals, access the Internet Disability WMI– FO Listing Menu and request a list per the instructions in MS 02801.002. An appeal remains on the list until a technician propagates the appeal information into the appropriate system.

3. Import and process TII appeal requests

The following are instructions to import and process TII appeal request submitted through iAppeals. Use the instructions in SI 04005.035B to process TXVI appeal request submitted through iAppeals.

  1. a. 

    Within five business days of the submit date that appears on the FO’s Internet Disability WMI listing take the following action(s):

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      import the i561 and i3441, or

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      import the i501 and i3441.

      Import the iAppeals appeal request into the Modernized Claim System (MCS) by opening an appeal event per TII Appeals Screens MS 03510.001 through MS 03510.008. Most of the information from the i561 or i501 propagates to MCS. However, technicians must enter information such as the good cause for late filing statement and other fields. See DI 81010.137 when the IU submits documents through the iAppeals attachment utility.

  2. b. 

    Review the information and contact the claimant to resolve any discrepancies. MCS alerts a technician when the contact information in iAppeals is different than what is in MCS.

  3. c. 

    Develop other issues and good cause for late filing of the appeal when necessary. Use MCS to document development of these issues.

  4. d. 

    Use the EDCS to transfer the appeal request to the Disability Determination Services (DDS) or servicing hearing office (HO) as appropriate. Transfer a hearing request to servicing HO within five business days of the submit date on the FO’s Internet Disability WMI listing. Mail a copy of the appeal request to the claimant after loading it into the Online Retrieval System (ORS).

  5. e. 

    If an IU also lists a non-medical issue as a reason for appeal, process the appeal request for it too.

E. Appeal references

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    DI 12005.005 Processing a Reconsideration Request for a Medically Denied Initial Disability Claim

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    DI 12010.001 Request for Administrative Law Judge (ALJ) Hearing

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    DI 12010.005 Development of Administrative Law Judge (ALJ) Hearing Cases

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    DI 81010.137 Receiving Documents Submitted through iAppeals

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    DI 81007.055 Receiving the i3441 (Disability Appeal – iAppeals)

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    GN 00904.030 Determining Resident Office

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    GN 03101.010 The Time Limit for Filing Administrative Appeals

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    GN 03101.020 Good Cause for Extending the Time Limit to File an Appeal

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    GN 03102.100 The Reconsideration Process

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    GN 03102.300 Field Office (FO) Reconsideration Development of Request for Reconsideration

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    GN 03103.010 The Hearing Process

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    GN 03103.040 Determining Servicing Hearing Office (HO)

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    GN 03970.010 Rules of Conduct and Standards of Responsibility for Representatives

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    SI 04005.035 iAppeals TXVI

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    MS 02503.001 through MS 02503.006 iAppeals CICS Query/Print Facility

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    MS 02801.001 through MS 02801.016 Internet Disability WMI

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    MS 03508.001 through MS 03508.011 Development Screens for TII Claims and Appeals

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    MS 03510.001 through MS 03510.008 TII Appeal Screens

To Link to this section - Use this URL:
http://policy.ssa.gov/poms.nsf/lnx/0203101125
GN 03101.125 - iAppeals - General and Title II Instructions - 09/19/2023
Batch run: 10/08/2024
Rev:09/19/2023