SSA (Social Security Administration) · United States

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Form SSA-561-U2: Request for Reconsideration

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JustFill helps you fill out the SSA-561 reconsideration request — it does NOT submit your appeal to SSA or decide your claim. You file the completed form with the Social Security Administration yourself, and SSA alone reviews the determination.JustFill is not affiliated with SSA (Social Security Administration). This is an independent third-party tool to help you complete Form SSA-561. Always download the current blank form from the official source and verify your completed copy before signing or submitting. Official Form SSA-561 from SSA (Social Security Administration)

Quick answer

Form SSA-561-U2, Request for Reconsideration, is the Social Security Administration form used to appeal an SSA determination you disagree with — a denied claim, an overpayment, or a benefit reduction. The claimant or their representative completes and files it with SSA, generally within 60 days of the decision. With JustFill you upload the blank SSA-561 PDF, the AI detects each field, and you fill and download it free online.

Form
Form SSA-561
Issued by
SSA (Social Security Administration)
Country
United States
Cost to fill
Free

What is Form SSA-561?

Form SSA-561-U2 is the Request for Reconsideration, the form that starts the first level of the Social Security appeals process. If SSA denied your retirement, disability, SSI, or Medicare-related claim — or decided you were overpaid or reduced your payments — this form asks SSA to take a fresh look at that determination. The form itself is short: you identify yourself (name, SSN, claim number), name the issue being appealed, and explain in your own words why the determination is wrong. A contact block collects your address, phone, and date (the claimant signature is optional on the current edition), with a parallel column for your representative. SSI and Special Veterans Benefits (SVB) appellants also pick one of three ways to appeal: case review, informal conference, or formal conference. The rest is completed by the Social Security office. The current edition is Form SSA-561 (08-2025), OMB 0960-0622. With JustFill, the AI detects each field on the PDF so you can type or dictate your reasons and finish without Adobe Acrobat.

Download the Form SSA-561 form PDF — free

The official Form SSA-561-U2 PDF is free to download from Social Security at ssa.gov/forms/ssa-561.html. Open the blank PDF in JustFill to type the issue you are appealing and your reasons for disagreeing, then download the completed form to take or mail to your local Social Security office.

Get the official Form SSA-561 PDF from SSA (Social Security Administration)

Who fills out Form SSA-561?

  • A claimant appealing a denied Social Security retirement, SSDI, or SSI claim — reconsideration is the first appeal step
  • Someone disputing an overpayment determination who believes the decision or the amount is wrong
  • A beneficiary whose payments SSA is reducing, suspending, or stopping
  • SSI or Special Veterans Benefits (SVB) recipients choosing a case review, informal conference, or formal conference
  • A disability attorney, advocate, or appointed representative preparing the reconsideration on a claimant's behalf

Field-by-field breakdown

What each section of Form SSA-561 asks for. JustFill’s AI will detect these fields automatically when you upload the PDF — review the breakdown below so you know what to enter.

Claimant identification

Name of claimant, claimant SSN, and the claim number if it differs from the SSN.

Issue being appealed

Which determination you are appealing — specify retirement, disability, hospital or medical, SSI, SVB, overpayment, etc.

My reasons are

The heart of the form: why you disagree with SSA's determination. Be specific — reference the notice, dates, amounts, or medical facts.

Contact information — claimant

Optional claimant signature, mailing address, city, state, ZIP code, telephone number, and date.

Contact information — representative

Name, mailing address, phone, and date for your representative, if you have one.

SSI/SVB — three ways to appeal

For SSI or SVB reconsiderations only: check one box — case review, informal conference, or formal conference.

SSA use only

Timeliness, field office development, and Goldberg Kelly boxes the Social Security office completes — leave these blank.

Common mistakes to avoid

  • 1Missing the 60-day deadline — file within 60 days of receiving the decision notice, or attach an explanation showing good cause for the delay.
  • 2Writing vague reasons like "I disagree" — the reasons section should say specifically what is wrong: dates, amounts, or medical evidence SSA overlooked.
  • 3Skipping the appeal-method checkbox on SSI or SVB cases — you must pick case review, informal conference, or formal conference.
  • 4Forgetting Form SSA-827 (Authorization to Disclose Information) when appealing a medical decision — SSA asks for it alongside the SSA-561.
  • 5Using SSA-561 when SSA is stopping disability payments for medical improvement — that appeal uses Form SSA-789 instead.

How JustFill helps you complete Form SSA-561

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Frequently asked questions

To ask SSA to take a fresh look at a determination you disagree with — a denied retirement, disability, or SSI claim, an overpayment, or a reduced or stopped benefit. Reconsideration is the first level of the Social Security appeals process.
Generally 60 days from the date you receive the decision notice. If you file late, attach an explanation for the delay — SSA can accept a late request if you show good cause.
Take or mail the completed original to your local Social Security office (use the office locator at ssa.gov) and keep a copy. From outside the US, you can file it with the Veterans Affairs Regional Office in Manila or any US Foreign Service post.
No. Appealing a Social Security decision is free, and the SSA-561 PDF is a free public form. Filling it online with JustFill is free too.
Yes. SSA accepts online reconsideration requests for both medical and non-medical decisions at ssa.gov. Use the paper SSA-561 if you prefer to file with your local office or SSA asked you to submit the form.
If you are appealing a medical decision, also submit Form SSA-827 so SSA can collect your medical records. If SSA said your disability payments will stop because of medical improvement, use Form SSA-789 instead of SSA-561.

Official source: Form SSA-561 on SSA (Social Security Administration)’s website

JustFill is an independent product and is not affiliated with, endorsed by, or sponsored by SSA (Social Security Administration) or any government agency. Always verify your completed form on the official version before signing or submitting.