Direct answer
SSDI denial reasons — the full list
The most common SSDI denial reasons are earnings above SGA, insufficient medical severity, missing or thin medical records, a condition not expected to last 12 months, failure to follow prescribed treatment, missed deadlines or forms, or a finding the claimant can still perform past or other work.
Most denials are evidence-driven, not identity-driven — they can be reversed on appeal when the missing evidence is added.
Sourced from ssa.gov — see citations below.
Technical denials
Earnings above Substantial Gainful Activity, insufficient work credits, or missing forms and deadlines produce technical denials that are usually about paperwork, not medicine.
Medical denials
Records that do not document severity, longitudinal treatment gaps, a condition not expected to last 12 months, or failure to follow prescribed treatment without good cause.
Vocational denials
SSA finds a residual functional capacity that allows past work or, under the Grid Rules, other work given age, education, and skills.
Why the appeal matters
Most winnable claims are lost at the initial level for evidence reasons — the record can be built and won at reconsideration or the ALJ hearing.
Topics
Sources
Every figure and rule on this page is drawn from official SSA publications. Verify at the links below.
- SSA — How You Qualify for Disability (ssa.gov)
- SSA — The Appeals Process (ssa.gov)
- SSA — Substantial Gainful Activity (ssa.gov)