Vermont and Social Security Disability Benefits
ALL STATE DATA UPDATED FOR 2024!
Everyone’s experience applying for Social Security Disability benefits will be unique. Part of this is because everyone’s individual medical and work history is different. But, potential applicants should also know that each state – like Vermont – has its own story to tell in terms of social security disability benefit approval rates at each stage of the process, as well as waiting times at the hearing stage.
Why is State-by-State Information Important?
Specialized disability advocates (like us here at Citizens Disability) and Vermont social security disability attorneys know all too well how important it is to understand that every state is different. It’s very helpful to know what the trends are, how long the wait times are from office to office, and what the different rates of approvals are.
Citizens Disability takes a data-driven approach to helping our clients. We want to make sure that we’re giving our clients the best possible advice at every step in the application process. We also work very hard to present the best possible case for each of our clients. Bringing together data from a wide variety of sources – including data like this, which comes from the Social Security Administration – allows us to make smart decisions when we present cases for our clients.
Finally, this information can be very helpful to applicants. Applying for social security benefits is likely a new experience for most applicants, and having an idea of what they can expect from the process can help them be engaged and involved participants with their advocates.
While your own journey may be different than the trends you see here, these tables and charts can help you understand what, on average, you can expect.
You will also find location and contact information for all the offices in Vermont below.
Applying for Social Security Disability Benefits in Vermont – What You Need To Know
There are generally three stages in the application process for Social Security Disability benefits: initial application, reconsideration, and the hearing. In this table, you can see how Vermont compares to the national average (all states in America) when it comes to approval rates at each of those stages.
| Initial Application (L1) | Reconsideration (L2) | Hearing (L3) | |
|---|---|---|---|
Initial Application (L1)
47.7%
|
Reconsideration (L2)
22.2%
|
Hearing (L3)
0.0%
|
|
Initial Application (L1)
39.5%
|
Reconsideration (L2)
15.1%
|
Hearing (L3)
57.7%
|
|
Initial Application (L1)
8.2%
|
Reconsideration (L2)
7.1%
|
Hearing (L3)
-57.7%
|
As the table shows, Vermont is well ahead of the national averages for approvals at the Initial Application and at the Reconsideration level. This has been consistent for a number of years. Note that Vermont doesn’t have any offices that handle Hearings (the third level of the application process). Hearings conducted for applicants from Vermont are typically scheduled and conducted by Judges working in the Manchester office in New Hampshire.
Vermont Initial Application Approval Over Time
| Initial Application Approval Rate | 2024 | 2023 | 2022 | 2021 | 2020 | 2019 | 2018 | 2017 | 2016 | 2015 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
Initial Application Approval Rate
Vermont
|
2024
47.7%
|
2023
48.8%
|
2022
46.2%
|
2021
45.0%
|
2020
44.6%
|
2019
47.0%
|
2018
45.2%
|
2017
45.4%
|
2016
43.3%
|
2015
42.9%
|
Initial Application Approval Rate
National Average
|
2024
39.5%
|
2023
38.9%
|
2022
38.8%
|
2021
37.7%
|
2020
38.3%
|
2019
37.6%
|
2018
35.3%
|
2017
34.4%
|
2016
33.5%
|
2015
32.8%
|
As the table and the below chart show, Vermont’s approval rates have been higher than the national average of Initial Applications going back a number of years. In 2024, Vermont ranked 4th in the nation in terms of percentage approval of Initial Applications. Approval rates have been gently climbing in Vermont for several years, but the chances of being approved at the Initial Application level in Vermont is still less than 50-50. If you are thinking of applying for SSDI, don’t worry – there are multiple stages to the application process.
Vermont Reconsideration Approval Over Time
| Reconsideration Approval Rate | 2024 | 2023 | 2022 | 2021 | 2020 | 2019 | 2018 | 2017 | 2016 | 2015 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
Reconsideration Approval Rate
Vermont
|
2024
22.2%
|
2023
15.5%
|
2022
16.8%
|
2021
15.9%
|
2020
13.7%
|
2019
17.5%
|
2018
21.4%
|
2017
16.8%
|
2016
14.0%
|
2015
14.8%
|
Reconsideration Approval Rate
National Average
|
2024
15.1%
|
2023
15.5%
|
2022
15.0%
|
2021
13.2%
|
2020
13.6%
|
2019
13.4%
|
2018
12.4%
|
2017
12.9%
|
2016
12.6%
|
2015
11.7%
|
As the table and the below chart indicate, Vermont has consistently been ahead of the national average when it comes to Approvals at the Reconsideration level. In 2024, Vermont ranked 1st in the nation for highest percentage of approvals at Reconsideration. However, as you can see the chances of winning approval at Reconsideration are not particularly high. That is why many applicants must continue in the next level, the Hearing.
Vermont Hearings Approval Over Time
As noted above, the Social Security Administration does not have any Office of Hearing Operations locations in Vermont. All hearings are generally conducted and scheduled by judges in the Manchester office, in New Hampshire.
List of Social Security Administration Field Offices in Vermont
Note that these are field offices, which offer a variety of services of the Social Security Administration, but do not generally conduct Hearings. Hearings for applicants in Vermont are generally conducted by the Manchester in New Hampshire.
| Office Name | Location | Address | City | State | Phone Number |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
Office Name
BURLINGTON VT
|
Location
SUITE 107
|
Address
128 LAKESIDE AVE
|
City
BURLINGTON
|
State
VT
|
Phone Number
(877) 840-5776
|
Office Name
RUTLAND VT
|
Location
|
Address
246 WEST ST
|
City
RUTLAND
|
State
VT
|
Phone Number
(866) 690-1944
|
Office Name
MONTPELIER VT
|
Location
|
Address
33 SCHOOL ST
|
City
MONTPELIER
|
State
VT
|
Phone Number
(877) 505-4542
|
Swipe left & right to see the whole table
All data on this page is current as of July, 2024.
More Important Information about The Application Process
Linda Cosme formerly served as a Member of the Appeals Council (AC) for the Social Security Administration (SSA), and Program Expert for the Social Security Administration and Disability Quality Branch (DQB). Ms. Cosme also served as a Quality Assurance (QA) Reviewer, Initial Disability Examiner, Reconsideration Disability Examiner, and Continuing Disability Examiner (CDR) for the Disability Determination Services (DDS). She is admitted to practice law in Arizona, Georgia, and the United States Ninth Circuit Court of Appeals.
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