Deferred development is a procedure whereby full nondisability development is postponed until a field office (FO) receives a notice of disability allowance. This procedure saves FO resources. See SI 00515.001 and SI 01140.206 for the requirement to obtain permission to contact any financial institution (FI) and to verify FI accounts when a deferred application is filed.

Simultaneous development is a procedure whereby the nondisability and disability factors are developed at the same time. This procedure is used when an alleged impairment is severe enough that an allowance is likely or when developing a claim simultaneously is otherwise more efficient or provides better service. (See SI 00603.002C. for specific guidelines on when to use simultaneous development.)

Use simultaneous development in a multicategory claim if payment is possible for at least one month in the life of the application without the disability determination (e.g., an aged individual alleges blindness and resides in a State that pays a higher supplement to blind individuals, or the claimant will attain age 65 before the date you expect the disability determination to be made). (See SI 00501.300 for definition of a multicategory claim).

Use simultaneous development in the following situations where processing of another claim impacts on or is impacted by the SSI claim you are processing.

Use simultaneous development in each of the following situations.

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  Claimant is homeless, or

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  Claim is obtained under a prerelease agreement (SI 00520.900), or

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  Conditional benefits procedures apply per SI 01150.200.

  RATIONALE: Any processing delay permanently disadvantages a claimant since conditional benefits are effective only after DDS has made a favorable decision and the FO has notified the claimant.

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  It is the opinion of the FO manager (or designated representative) that unique circumstances indicate that the claimant is better served by simultaneous development.

Nondisability development should not be deferred in aged alien claims. That is, when a disability determination is needed to establish that an aged individual is an “eligible alien” under 1996/1997 Welfare Reform, the FO should simultaneously develop disability and non-disability factors of entitlement. (See SI 00502.142 to determine when a disability determination is needed).