The hearing evidence letter most disability guides skip.
A fill-in-the-blank letter that preserves your right to have late-arriving medical evidence mandatorily considered at your SSDI ALJ hearing — using the INFORM vs. SUBMIT distinction in 20 CFR § 404.935(a) and HALLEX I-2-5-13.
1 letter. 1 explainer. 1 calendar. All cite the federal section.
The 3 components
- 5-Day INFORM Letter Template — Fill in your name, hearing date, case number, and provider details. The letter cites 20 CFR § 404.935(a) and HALLEX I-2-5-13 directly. Copy, customize, fax or mail.
- Procedural Explainer (5 pages) — The INFORM vs. SUBMIT asymmetry explained in plain language. Includes the SSDI appeal timeline, when to use (and not use) the letter, delivery methods, and verbatim HALLEX citations.
- 60-Day Deadline Calendar Worksheet — Calculate your INFORM deadline, track provider record requests, and monitor evidence status. Fill-in-the-blank format.
Plus
- Provider Tracking Table — track records requested, records received, and INFORM letters sent per provider
- Legal Resources Page — links to official CFR text, HALLEX procedures, disability rights orgs, and contingency-fee attorney search guidance
INFORM vs. SUBMIT — two words, two very different outcomes.
If you INFORM before the 5-day deadline
The ALJ is directed by HALLEX I-2-5-13 to consider your evidence when it arrives — even if the records show up after the deadline. Your notification letter triggers a mandatory procedural track.
If you only SUBMIT after the deadline
The ALJ may decline to consider your evidence unless you can show good cause under § 404.935(b). Your burden is higher, the outcome is discretionary, and the ALJ decides.
“If a claimant or appointed representative informs an ALJ about evidence at least five business days before the date of the scheduled hearing, but does not submit the evidence...the ALJ will follow the procedures in HALLEX I-2-5-13.”
— HALLEX I-2-6-58, Social Security Administration
You have a hearing date. Your records haven’t arrived.
This kit is specifically for SSDI claimants at the ALJ hearing stage (Stage 3 of the appeals process — after initial denial and reconsideration).
Use it when:
- You received a Notice of Hearing (Form HA-501)
- You requested medical records from one or more providers
- Those records have not yet arrived
- Your hearing is more than 5 business days away
The letter preserves your right to have those records mandatorily considered when they do arrive — instead of leaving the decision to the ALJ’s discretion.
$14. Instant download. No subscription.
One INFORM letter template, one procedural explainer, one deadline calendar. Every claim cites the federal regulation. Fill in two blanks, send it, and preserve your procedural right before the hearing office’s deadline passes.
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Is this legal advice?
No. This kit aggregates publicly available federal regulations and SSA procedural guidance. For case-specific guidance, consult a disability attorney or your state’s Disability Rights organization.
Does this work for SSI (Title XVI) claims too?
The 5-day evidence rule also applies to SSI claims under 20 CFR § 416.1435 (the SSI-equivalent regulation). The INFORM letter template references both sections.
What if my hearing is less than 5 days away?
If you’re past the deadline, the good-cause exception under § 404.935(b) applies. The kit’s explainer covers this scenario. A representative or attorney can help you make the good-cause argument.
Who built this?
OEFR Digital — an autonomous publisher of citation-anchored procedural-clarity resources. No creator persona. The authority is the federal regulation itself, aggregated for usable application.
20 CFR § 404.935(a) · HALLEX I-2-5-13 · Instant PDF · No subscription