Should I describe my best days or worst days on the SSA-3373?

Neither extreme — describe your typical day and your bad days. If your condition fluctuates, note that explicitly. Write something like 'On bad days, which occur 3-4 times per week, I cannot get out of bed.' SSA wants an accurate picture of your functional limitations, not your best-case scenario. Downplaying your limitations is the most common and damaging mistake applicants make on this form.

What if my answers seem inconsistent with what my doctor has said?

Consistency between your SSA-3373 and your medical records is critical. Before completing the form, review your recent medical records and doctor visit notes. Your answers should align with what you've reported to your doctors. If your records say you reported 7/10 pain to your doctor, don't write that you have mild discomfort on the form. SSA will compare the two directly.

Can someone help me fill out the SSA-3373?

Yes. A family member, caregiver, or disability advocate can help you complete the form — but the answers must reflect your own experience and limitations, not theirs. If you use a representative, they can guide you on how to accurately describe your functional limitations without understating or overstating them.

What is the SSA-3373-BK (Adult Function Report)?

The SSA-3373-BK is the official form number for the Adult Function Report — the same document referred to simply as the SSA-3373 or Function Report. There is also a similar form, the SSA-787, completed by a third party (caregiver or family member) about your daily activities. SSA may send both forms.

SSA-3373 Function Report: How to Complete It and Why It Matters

What Is the SSA-3373?

The SSA-3373, officially called the Adult Function Report (form SSA-3373-BK), is a questionnaire SSA uses to understand how your disability affects your daily life and functional abilities. It's not about your diagnosis — it's about what you can and cannot do as a result of your condition.

SSA sends this form to most SSDI and SSI applicants shortly after you file. It takes 1–2 hours to complete carefully, and your answers directly influence how disability examiners assess your Residual Functional Capacity (RFC) — the core determination of whether you can work.

💡 Why it matters: The SSA-3373 is essentially your own testimony about your disability. SSA compares your answers to your medical records, doctor notes, and what you've reported to providers. Inconsistencies — in either direction — can sink your claim.

What the SSA-3373 Asks

The form covers eight main areas of daily functioning:

Daily activities: How do you spend a typical day? What can you do from waking up to bedtime?
Personal care: Can you dress, bathe, groom, and use the toilet independently? Do you need help or reminders?
Meal preparation: Can you cook? What kinds of meals? How long does it take? Do you need modifications?
Household chores: Can you do laundry, clean, yard work? How long before you need to stop? Do you need help?
Getting around: Do you drive? Take public transit? Can you go out alone? How far can you walk?
Shopping and finances: Can you shop, handle money, pay bills, count change?
Social activities: Do you spend time with others? Have hobbies? Attend church, clubs, events?
Physical and mental abilities: Lifting limits, standing/walking tolerance, sitting limits, concentration, memory, following instructions, handling stress and changes in routine

The Most Important Rule: Be Honest About Your Worst Days

The single most common and damaging mistake on the SSA-3373 is understating limitations. Most people instinctively try to sound capable and independent — it feels uncomfortable to admit you struggle with basic tasks. But SSA needs to know the reality of your disability, not your best-case scenario.

If your condition fluctuates — good days and bad days — describe that explicitly. Write: "On bad days, which occur 3–4 times per week, I cannot get out of bed before noon and cannot prepare meals or care for myself." That context is critical. If you just describe your good days, SSA may conclude you function normally most of the time.

⚠️ Don't be a hero on paper. If you write that you can cook full meals, do laundry, garden, and drive — SSA will use those statements to argue you can work. Only write what you can actually do, accounting for pain, fatigue, rest breaks, and how long recovery takes afterward.

Section-by-Section Tips

Daily Activities

Walk SSA through a real day. Include how long tasks take, how often you rest, how the activity affects you afterward. Don't skip the negatives — if getting dressed takes 20 minutes and exhausts you, say that.

Personal Care

If you have difficulty with any aspect of personal care — bathing due to mobility limitations, dressing due to pain or fatigue, grooming — describe it. Note whether you need assistive devices, grab bars, shower chairs, or help from another person.

Physical Limitations

The lifting, standing, walking, and sitting questions are crucial because SSA uses them to assign your exertional level (sedentary, light, medium, heavy). Be specific: don't say "I can't lift much" — say "I can lift no more than 5 pounds and cannot carry items while walking more than 50 feet." Don't round up to optimistic numbers.

Concentration and Memory

Mental functional limitations — difficulty concentrating, forgetting instructions, needing reminders, trouble with stress or change — are just as important as physical ones. Many successful claims are won on mental RFC limitations. Don't minimize cognitive or emotional symptoms.

Social Functioning

If you've withdrawn from social activities, stopped hobbies, or have difficulty being around people, describe that. Social isolation and difficulty maintaining relationships are evidence of mental impairment that SSA considers.

Consistency Is Everything

Before submitting your SSA-3373, cross-reference your answers against:

What you've reported to your doctors in recent visits
Your medical records (pain levels, functional notes, activity restrictions)
Your work history report (SSA-3369) if applicable

SSA disability examiners are trained to spot inconsistencies. If your doctor's notes say you reported severe back pain preventing you from sitting more than 15 minutes, but your function report says you can sit for 2 hours, SSA will question both your credibility and your medical records.

The Third-Party Function Report (SSA-787)

SSA may also send a separate form — the SSA-787 — to someone who knows you well (a caregiver, family member, or friend). This third-party perspective corroborates or contradicts your own SSA-3373. If someone close to you can attest to your limitations, they should complete the SSA-787 thoroughly and honestly — it can significantly strengthen your claim.