SSI Appeal After Age 18 in Nevada

Your child's SSI was denied at the age-18 redetermination, and the clock is already running. The Social Security Administration gives you 60 days from receiving the denial notice to file a written appeal. If you want continued payments during the appeal, request them in writing and file within 10 days of receiving the notice.

Why SSI Denials Happen at 18

The age-18 redetermination applies adult disability standards to your child for the first time. Childhood SSI uses a functional severity test that considers how the disability limits daily activities for a child. The adult standard is different: the SSA asks whether the individual can perform any substantial gainful activity in the national economy, defined as earning above $1,690 per month in 2026.

Nevada's Disability Determination Services handles the medical review. Examiners assess whether your child's impairment — or combination of impairments — prevents them from doing any type of work, not just the work they've been trained for. Many families lose here because the evidence package doesn't address the adult standard directly.

The 60-Day Appeal Timeline

The denial letter includes a date. You have 60 days from the date you receive the notice to file a Request for Reconsideration. For a disability cessation, SSA identifies Form SSA-789; follow the instructions in your notice. If you want payments to continue while the appeal is processed, request continued payments in writing and file within 10 days of receiving the notice. Missing that 10-day window means payments may not continue during the appeal, even if the appeal ultimately succeeds.

File the request through your local SSA field office or online through your my Social Security account, following the instructions in the notice.

What to Include in the Reconsideration

The reconsideration goes to a different examiner at Nevada Disability Determination Services. Submit everything the first examiner didn't have:

• Updated medical records from specialists, therapists, and primary care since the last submission
• Functional capacity statements from treating physicians describing specific limitations — lifting capacity, standing tolerance, ability to follow multi-step instructions
• Psychological evaluations if your child has an intellectual disability, autism, or mental health conditions
• IEP transition assessments and teacher statements documenting classroom accommodations and functional performance
• Third-party function reports from family members or caregivers describing daily living limitations

The strongest appeals connect medical evidence to the adult five-step sequential evaluation process the SSA uses. The examiner needs to see that your child cannot sustain competitive employment — not just that they have a diagnosis.

If Reconsideration Fails: Administrative Hearing

If the reconsideration is also denied, you can request a hearing before an Administrative Law Judge within 60 days of receiving the reconsideration denial. Follow the denial notice for filing instructions; hearings may be conducted by video.

At the hearing stage, consider contacting a qualified disability attorney or legal aid provider. NDALC's current intake guidance lists Social Security applications and appeals among requests it does not handle, so contact it to confirm whether it can provide a referral or another current resource. Contact NDALC at (702) 257-8150 in Las Vegas or (775) 333-7878 in Reno.

Protecting Medicaid During the Appeal

Nevada is an SSI Criteria State, which means Medicaid is not automatically linked to your SSI status the way it is in most other states. If SSI benefits stop during the appeal, contact the Division of Welfare and Supportive Services through the Access Nevada portal to confirm your child's Medicaid status. Your child may still qualify under a different Medicaid category even while SSI is suspended.

An SSI denial also does not affect eligibility for ADSD developmental services or the HCBS IDD Waiver — those programs have separate clinical criteria.

Planning Ahead

The appeal process can take months at the reconsideration stage and a year or more if it reaches an ALJ hearing. During that time, continue collecting medical evidence and document any changes in your child's condition.

Our Nevada SSI at 18 & Adult Disability Benefits Guide includes a redetermination evidence checklist and appeal timeline tracker so you can organize your documentation from day one.

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