Examiners assume you can work.
Disability examiners begin from the assumption of effective functioning. A summary that describes a condition does not disprove it. One that documents what a person could not do, on a date, witnessed by someone, does.
What most summaries say
He has significant difficulty concentrating.
Tier 7 · bare assertion, not evidence
What the examiner can use
I asked him to count backward from 100 by sevens. He said 100, 93, 86, 79, 72, then stopped and said that's as far as I go.
Tier 2 · administered task performance
40–60 hrs
to prepare one application
2 of 4
functional areas must show marked limitation
10–12 pp
single-spaced, per report
This workspace helps you compose the functional report and then audits it, asking one question of each of the four areas of mental functioning: do we have evidence, or do we have adjectives?
THE SAME MAN, DOCUMENTED TWO WAYS
Same client. Same conditions. Different documentation.
Both narratives describe one man with schizoaffective disorder. Nothing about him differs between them. Only one would survive an examiner who begins from the assumption that he functions.
assertion-based
0 of 4
1. Understand, remember, or apply information
Unsupported2. Interact with others
Unsupported3. Concentrate, persist, or maintain pace
Unsupported4. Adapt or manage oneself
Unsupportedevidence-based
4 of 4
1. Understand, remember, or apply information
Documented2. Interact with others
Documented3. Concentrate, persist, or maintain pace
Documented4. Adapt or manage oneself
Documented“He has significant difficulty concentrating and struggles to stay on task.”
Bare assertion, no instance or consequence
“He has a hard time getting along with others and often isolates.”
Bare assertion, no specific example
“His memory is poor and he sometimes forgets appointments.”
Bare assertion, no dated instance of missed appointment
“He has trouble managing his daily activities and personal care.”
Bare assertion, no specific task or consequence
“He becomes easily overwhelmed by stress.”
Bare assertion, no dated example or consequence
“His symptoms make it difficult for him to maintain employment.”
Bare assertion about work capacity, no job loss details
“He would not be able to sustain full-time work.”
Conclusory statement, not grounded in evidence
Tier 1 · Third-party documentary record
“On 2/9/26 he was removed from the program.”
“The program's closing progress report rated him deficient in attention to task, competitive work rate, following oral instructions, and response to supervisory feedback.”
“Program staff documented an incident in which he struck a packing carton repeatedly and other participants reported feeling unsafe.”
Tier 2 · Administered task performance
“I asked Mr. Tolliver to count backward from 100 by sevens. He said '100, 93, 86, 79, 72' while counting on his fingers, then stopped and said 'that's as far as I go.'”
“I gave him a three-step instruction: fold the paper in half, place it on the table, and tell me the day of the week. He folded the paper and stopped.”
Tier 3 · Dated witnessed observation
“He arrived at our second appointment wearing the same clothing as the first, with visible soil on his hands.”
“He rubbed soap into his hands without water and said he had washed.”
Tier 4 · Verbatim quote demonstrating impairment
“Mr. Tolliver told me: 'I keep the money separate because of the birds. They know when it's counted. I had an invention for that, back before the trials started.' He spoke for approximately fifteen minutes without pause and did not return to the original question.”
Tier 5 · Collateral interview
“His sister, contacted 3/6/26 with his permission, stated that he has not maintained an apartment since 2019”
“His sister, contacted 3/6/26 with his permission, stated that... she has found him on three occasions having not eaten for more than two days.”
History is judged for coherence, not for evidence. Examiners are required to accept an applicant's account of their own life. This panel only marks where the story has a hole the writer should fill.
“Ray Tolliver is a 47-year-old man with a history of schizoaffective disorder.”
When was schizoaffective disorder first diagnosed or when did symptoms begin? What is the course of illness from onset to present?
“His sister, contacted 3/6/26 with his permission, stated that he has not maintained an apartment since 2019”
What happened between having an apartment and losing housing in 2019? Where has he been living since then?
“He was enrolled in a supported work training program from November 2025 to February 2026.”
What is his employment history prior to this program? When did he last work in competitive employment?
Absence of a record is not a weakness in the application. These prompts ask the writer to say, in their own words, why documentation does not exist.
Schizoaffective disorder treatment history
This narrative mentions a history of schizoaffective disorder but includes no treatment records, diagnostic evaluations, or hospitalizations. Has Mr. Tolliver received mental health treatment, and if so, are records available? If not, please explain what barriers prevented treatment: lack of insurance, inability to follow through on referrals, homelessness, or other factors.
Medical care for self-care deficits
The narrative describes significant self-care impairments including extended periods without eating and hygiene deficits. Has Mr. Tolliver been evaluated or treated for these issues, and if not, why not? Was medical care inaccessible or did symptoms prevent him from seeking help?
Audit Your Own Draft
Paste a functional or medical summary. The auditor will map each evidence item to one of the four SSA areas and classify it by the seven-tier ladder.