1. What Is a Technical Denial?

A technical denial occurs when the Social Security Administration (SSA) rejects your disability application without evaluating your medical condition. This means your claim does not meet the non-medical eligibility requirements for SSDI or SSI benefits. SSA reviews technical eligibility first before sending your file for medical evaluation.

2. Common Reasons for Technical Denials in Michigan

There are several common reasons SSA issues a technical denial:

Insufficient Work Credits for SSDI

For SSDI, you must have worked long enough and recently enough to be insured under Social Security rules. Generally, this means you need 40 work credits total, with at least 20 earned in the last 10 years before becoming disabled. Younger workers may qualify with fewer credits depending on their age. If you do not have enough work credits, SSA cannot consider your medical eligibility and will issue a technical denial.

Excess Income or Assets for SSI

For SSI, your claim can be technically denied if your countable income exceeds the SSI federal benefit rate ($943 per month in 2024 for an individual) or your countable assets exceed $2,000 for an individual or $3,000 for a couple. Your primary home and one vehicle are excluded from these asset limits.

Continuing to Work Above SGA Level

If you are working at the time of application and earning more than Substantial Gainful Activity (SGA) limits ($1,550 per month for non-blind individuals in 2024), SSA will issue a technical denial because you are not considered disabled under their rules.

Previous Denials Without Appeal

If you reapply after a prior denial without appealing, and there is no change in your work or medical situation, SSA may technically deny your claim as a duplicate application.

Incorrect Filing
Submitting an incomplete application or filing for a program you are not eligible for (such as SSDI when you have no work history) may also result in a technical denial.

3. How Does SSA Notify You of a Technical Denial?

SSA will send you a denial notice explaining the specific technical reason for your denial. Unlike medical denials, technical denials do not include detailed medical evidence summaries because your health was never evaluated.

4. Can You Appeal a Technical Denial?

You can appeal a technical denial within 60 days of the notice, but appeals are generally successful only if:

• You can prove SSA made an error in determining your income, assets, or work credits, or
• Your circumstances have changed, such as a drop in income or updated work history information that meets SSDI requirements.

If you do not meet basic non-medical eligibility, reapplying without changes will result in repeated technical denials.

5. How to Avoid Technical Denials in Michigan

To reduce your risk of technical denial:

• For SSDI, confirm you have enough work credits before applying by reviewing your Social Security Statement online at SSA.gov.
• For SSI, review your income and asset totals to ensure they are within limits before filing.
• Avoid working above SGA levels at the time of application if claiming disability based on inability to work.
• Submit complete and accurate applications with full income, asset, and work history disclosures to avoid processing rejections.

6. What to Do If You Receive a Technical Denial

If you are technically denied:

1. Review the denial notice carefully to understand the exact reason for your denial.
2. Determine if it was issued in error, such as incorrect calculation of work credits or income.
3. File an appeal within 60 days if you believe the denial was incorrect, providing updated financial or work documentation.
4. If ineligible for SSDI due to work credits, consider applying for SSI if your income and assets are within limits.
5. Consult with a disability attorney to evaluate eligibility and appeal options before reapplying.