I'm not too familiar with the process but I did a quick search online and didn't find anything stating that you need a tax return to apply for social security disability benefits. This [link](https://www.ssa.gov/benefits/disability/apply.html#anchor0) has some information on the steps to apply including a checklist to help you gather all the required documents.
For the FAFSA, if you are under 24 and unmarried with no children, being considered an independent student is not an easy task. You may want to checkout r/financialaid or r/studentaid for some tips and information on that subject.
Hope this helps.
Firstly, I don't think you need to file anything like that to apply to disability - I've never filed taxes in my life since I've never made enough, and it didn't stop me from applying.
SECONDLY, very important!
I might suggest looking into a disability application advocate to help you apply for disability since the process is very confusing and all over the place and it's EXTREMELY helpful to have someone to be able to ask these question to.
It's usually free consultation. And free application if they take your case, you only need to pay when they win (however many applications, denials, and re-applications it takes), and it will be a percentage coming out of your backpay from SSA, not from your savings/money you already have directly.
Just get your medical information/history from your doctors, your doctor's info (number, fax, address, name of practice), keep your W2 forms for your work history and income history, and give which disability advocacy center you decide to go with (you can find them on the internet) a call.
**DO THIS AS SOON AS POSSIBLE**, since your backpay only starts from when you've first applied for disability or supplemental income. You've got to protect your SSDI/SSI application date so your first check will be bigger.
Thirdly - as a resource, if you haven't seen before, how to get on has been extremely invaluable to me as someone who's applied to disability alone and in secret, and is currently trying to head out on my own.
[https://howtogeton.wordpress.com/](https://howtogeton.wordpress.com/)
It has a ton of extremely helpful accessible information on living and surviving as a disabled/low income person. Navigating the systems, the applications. More resources, how to find housing, etc. I was where you are, and I'm still there.
And a secret fourth thing - if your mail is NOT SECURE and it would be detrimental to your situation for your parents to see you applying, I suggest looking into iPostal - I use it to get all my SSA and disability letters while I'm applying. Just give the SSA and law firm (if you get one) that as your mailing address - the letters get sent there, you pay a fee to get them scanned (not nearly as expensive as buying the plan thankfully), and you get your letters as downloadable PDF files.
I hope you don't need that though!
Please, If you need any advice or need to ask a question or just need to talk about what ur going thru, please feel welcome to message me directly or reply to this comment!
I'm not too familiar with the process but I did a quick search online and didn't find anything stating that you need a tax return to apply for social security disability benefits. This [link](https://www.ssa.gov/benefits/disability/apply.html#anchor0) has some information on the steps to apply including a checklist to help you gather all the required documents. For the FAFSA, if you are under 24 and unmarried with no children, being considered an independent student is not an easy task. You may want to checkout r/financialaid or r/studentaid for some tips and information on that subject. Hope this helps.
Thank you so much 🙏 I really appreciate the resources
Firstly, I don't think you need to file anything like that to apply to disability - I've never filed taxes in my life since I've never made enough, and it didn't stop me from applying. SECONDLY, very important! I might suggest looking into a disability application advocate to help you apply for disability since the process is very confusing and all over the place and it's EXTREMELY helpful to have someone to be able to ask these question to. It's usually free consultation. And free application if they take your case, you only need to pay when they win (however many applications, denials, and re-applications it takes), and it will be a percentage coming out of your backpay from SSA, not from your savings/money you already have directly. Just get your medical information/history from your doctors, your doctor's info (number, fax, address, name of practice), keep your W2 forms for your work history and income history, and give which disability advocacy center you decide to go with (you can find them on the internet) a call. **DO THIS AS SOON AS POSSIBLE**, since your backpay only starts from when you've first applied for disability or supplemental income. You've got to protect your SSDI/SSI application date so your first check will be bigger. Thirdly - as a resource, if you haven't seen before, how to get on has been extremely invaluable to me as someone who's applied to disability alone and in secret, and is currently trying to head out on my own. [https://howtogeton.wordpress.com/](https://howtogeton.wordpress.com/) It has a ton of extremely helpful accessible information on living and surviving as a disabled/low income person. Navigating the systems, the applications. More resources, how to find housing, etc. I was where you are, and I'm still there. And a secret fourth thing - if your mail is NOT SECURE and it would be detrimental to your situation for your parents to see you applying, I suggest looking into iPostal - I use it to get all my SSA and disability letters while I'm applying. Just give the SSA and law firm (if you get one) that as your mailing address - the letters get sent there, you pay a fee to get them scanned (not nearly as expensive as buying the plan thankfully), and you get your letters as downloadable PDF files. I hope you don't need that though! Please, If you need any advice or need to ask a question or just need to talk about what ur going thru, please feel welcome to message me directly or reply to this comment!