Fill Out SSA Form SSA-561 Online
Request for Reconsideration
Social Security Administration
Appeals an initial determination on a Social Security or SSI claim by requesting reconsideration.
Reviewed July 2026
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Form SSA-561, Request for Reconsideration, is how you start an appeal when you disagree with an initial determination from the Social Security Administration. Reconsideration means a full, fresh review of your case by someone who took no part in the original decision.
You can fill out Form SSA-561 in the Universal PDF editor, stating clearly which decision you disagree with and why, then download the finished PDF to sign and file. Deadlines are short, so prepare the form as soon as you receive a decision you plan to appeal.
What is Form SSA-561 used for
Reconsideration is the first of four appeal levels in most SSA cases, followed by a hearing, Appeals Council review, and federal court. The form covers determinations on retirement, survivors, and disability benefits, SSI, and many other issues such as overpayments.
For SSI cases, the form lets you choose how the reconsideration is conducted: a case review of the file, an informal conference where you can speak with the decision maker, or a formal conference with witnesses for certain non-medical issues.
Who files Form SSA-561
Any claimant, or their appointed representative, who received an initial determination they disagree with can file. You generally have 60 days from the date you receive the decision notice to request reconsideration, and the SSA assumes you received the notice five days after the date printed on it.
If you miss the deadline, you can ask the SSA to accept a late appeal by showing good cause, but do not count on an extension.
How to fill out Form SSA-561
Keep your explanation factual and specific. You do not need legal language; you need to identify the decision and say why it is wrong.
- Enter your name, Social Security number, and the claim number if the decision involves someone else's record
- Identify the type of claim, such as retirement, disability, or SSI
- In the disagreement section, describe the determination you are appealing and the reasons you believe it is incorrect
- For SSI appeals, select case review, informal conference, or formal conference where the form offers the choice
- Sign and date the form, and include your representative's information if you have appointed one
How to submit it
File the form with any Social Security office by mail or in person, or file the appeal online through the SSA website for many case types, including medical disability denials. If your appeal involves a medical disability decision, the SSA will also ask for updated disability and medical release forms, typically the SSA-3441 and SSA-827, so the reviewer has current evidence.
Keep proof of the date you filed. If your appeal concerns stopping benefits you already receive, ask the SSA about the short window for requesting that payments continue during the appeal.
Frequently asked questions
Generally 60 days from when you receive the initial determination notice, and the SSA presumes you received it five days after the date on the letter. Late requests need a good-cause explanation.
Reconsideration is the first appeal step: a new reviewer re-examines your file. If reconsideration is denied, the next step is requesting a hearing before an administrative law judge, which uses a different form.
Usually yes. Medical disability reconsiderations typically require a Disability Report - Appeal (SSA-3441) and a new medical release (SSA-827) along with the SSA-561, so the SSA can gather updated records.
Many appeals, especially disability denials, can be filed on the SSA website. The paper SSA-561 remains available for any case and is common for non-medical issues like overpayments.
If the decision reduces or stops benefits you already receive, you may be able to keep payments during the appeal, but only if you ask within a short window after the notice. Contact the SSA promptly to request continuation.
A reviewer who was not involved in the first decision looks at all the evidence, including anything new you submit, and issues a written reconsideration determination with instructions for further appeal if you still disagree.
Related forms
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