What is a third party function report and who should fill it out

Last updated 2026-07-10

What exactly is a third party function report?

Form SSA-787 is a written questionnaire the Social Security Administration sends to someone in your life who can describe how your condition affects you day to day. SSA reads it next to your own Function Report (Form SSA-3373) to build a picture of how you actually function, beyond what your medical records say on paper. ^[1]

The form asks about your daily routine, whether you need help with personal care, how you handle household tasks, how far you can walk before stopping, whether you can follow instructions, and how you get along with other people. It runs about eight pages. Most people take 30 to 90 minutes to fill it out honestly.

This is not a trap or a gotcha. SSA uses third party reports to back up what you've described in your own paperwork. If the two accounts line up and both show real limits, that consistency helps you. If they conflict in ways that look coached, adjudicators notice.

Third party function reports fall into what SSA calls "non-medical evidence" of functional capacity. The agency's Program Operations Manual System (POMS) at DI 22505.015 puts these statements in that category and says they get weighed alongside medical evidence, not tossed aside. ^[2]

Who should fill out the third party function report?

SSA asks you to name someone who knows you personally and sees you often, ideally every day. The best choice is a person who has watched you try (and struggle) to do ordinary things: get dressed, cook a meal, sit through a TV show, drive somewhere, hold a conversation. ^[1]

Common good choices:

Relationship	Why they work well
Spouse or domestic partner	Sees you every day, including bad days
Adult child living with you	Witnesses your full daily routine
Parent (if you live with them)	Same as above
Sibling or close friend who visits often	Can describe change over time
Neighbor or caregiver who assists you	Has specific, task-level observations

People to avoid: anyone with a financial stake in your claim winning, coworkers who only see you at your best, or someone who barely knows you and will write vague generalities. Vague generalities waste the form.

SSA says the third party should be someone who knows you, not a medical professional who has treated you. Doctors and therapists have their own forms. This one is for the lay observation of daily limits. ^[2]

If no one in your life qualifies, tell your SSA case worker. They can sometimes take a statement from a social worker or case manager who sees you regularly, though that's less common.

One practical note. You do not get to write the form yourself and have someone sign it. The third party should answer in their own words. A disability examiner can tell when answers are scripted.

How does the third party function report affect your disability decision?

SSA adjudicators have to consider third party statements as part of the record. They can't just ignore them. Under 20 C.F.R. § 404.1513(a)(4) and the parallel SSI regulation at 20 C.F.R. § 416.913(a)(4), "non-medical sources" such as family members and friends count as sources of evidence about your symptoms and limits. ^[3]

The report matters most in two situations. First, when your medical records are thin, a consistent and detailed third party account can fill gaps and show that your limits are real and ongoing. Second, when your condition involves symptoms that are hard to measure, like chronic pain, fatigue, or mental health conditions, a witness's account of how those symptoms actually play out carries real evidentiary weight.

What adjudicators want is specificity. "She can't do anything" is useless. "She tried to wash three dishes and had to sit down for 20 minutes because her hands were shaking and her back pain rated a 7 out of 10" is what moves the needle. The more specific the third party is about time, frequency, and what actually happens, the more useful the form becomes.

A 2022 Government Accountability Office review of SSA disability decisions examined how examiners and judges use different kinds of evidence, though SSA does not publish approval rates broken down by individual form type. ^[4]

If you're applying for social security disability for a mental health condition, this form can be one of the strongest pieces of non-medical evidence in your file.

What questions does Form SSA-787 actually ask?

The form has several sections, and most people do better handing it to a third party once they know what's coming. Here's what SSA asks: ^[1]

About the third party: Their name, relationship to you, how often they see you, and how they know you.

About your daily activities: What does a typical day look like? Does the person help you with personal care like bathing, dressing, or using the toilet? Can you make your own meals, and if so, what kind and how long does it take?

About household tasks: Can you do laundry, yard work, cleaning, home repairs? If not, what stops you?

About getting around: Do you drive? Use public transportation? Go out alone?

About social functioning: Do you spend time with others? Have trouble getting along with people? Has your behavior or mood changed since the illness or injury started?

About concentration and following instructions: Can you follow written or spoken instructions? Finish what you start? Handle changes in routine?

About work-related abilities: How long can you pay attention? How well do you handle stress? How do you deal with authority figures?

About the person's observations generally: Is there anything else the third party wants SSA to know?

The form ends by asking how the person knows about these limits. "I see her every morning" is a stronger foundation than "she told me."

Knowing what disability benefits actually require in terms of functional evidence helps the third party frame their answers right.

How should the third party fill it out to actually help your claim?

The single biggest mistake third parties make is describing the claimant at their best, not their average or worst. SSA judges your ability to function on a sustained basis, five days a week, eight hours a day. If you have good days and bad days, the third party needs to describe both.

Be concrete about time and distance. Instead of "she can't walk far," write "she can walk about half a block before she stops to rest and has to sit for 10 minutes." Instead of "he gets tired," write "he lies down for two to three hours every afternoon because the fatigue is that severe."

Describe what the person has actually seen, not what the claimant told them. "I saw her drop a full pot of coffee because her hands gave out" is evidence. "She says her hands hurt" is weaker.

Don't exaggerate. If the claimant can do something most of the time, say so, then describe what happens on worse days. Overstatement damages credibility. Adjudicators are trained to spot gaps between the third party form, the claimant's own form, and the medical records.

Don't minimize either. Many spouses and family members quietly play down limits because they're used to them, or because they don't want to seem like they're complaining on someone else's behalf. The form is the place to be honest.

If your third party isn't sure how to answer something, "I don't know" or "I haven't observed this" beats a guess.

Last thing. Make sure the third party actually mails or submits the form. SSA often sets a deadline. Missing it can slow the claim down.

When does SSA send the third party function report?

SSA usually sends the third party function report during the initial application review, often within a few weeks after you submit your application. You'll be asked to list someone SSA can contact, and SSA mails the form straight to that person. You may get your own Function Report (SSA-3373) around the same time. ^[1]

If your case is being reconsidered after a denial, SSA may or may not send a new third party form. If the original report was incomplete or never came back, you or your representative can submit a written third party statement directly into the record at any stage, including before an Administrative Law Judge hearing.

At the ALJ hearing, your third party witness can also appear in person or by phone to testify. That carries more weight than the written form because the judge can ask follow-up questions. If your witness is willing and available, talk to your representative about whether that makes sense for your case.

SSA's move to bring all medical disability reviews in-house in 2025 has shifted how some consultative exams get handled, which makes third party lay evidence like this form a little more useful as a supplement to the medical record.

Can you have more than one third party fill out the form?

SSA sends the official form to one person you name. But nothing stops you from submitting extra written statements from other people who know you and can describe your limits. These go into your file as "lay witness statements," and SSA has to consider them.

Two or three consistent, specific accounts from people who see you in different settings can beat one. A spouse who sees you at home, a neighbor who has helped you to your car, and a friend who noticed you can no longer make it to gatherings paint a fuller picture than any single view.

The key word is consistent. If one person says you can walk a block and another says five, that gap does more harm than good.

If you have an attorney or representative, ask them to help gather and submit these extra statements before a hearing. The SSA form is a starting point. It's not a ceiling on the lay evidence your record can hold.

What if the third party form never gets returned?

This happens more than you'd think. SSA mails the form and the person forgets, gets confused by it, or never receives it. The agency notes the missing form in your file, but a missing third party report is not by itself a reason to deny your claim.

If your named contact hasn't returned the form and you still have time, call SSA at 1-800-772-1213 and ask whether it was received. ^[5] If it wasn't, you can ask for a replacement, or get the form number (SSA-787) and download it yourself to give to your contact.

If the person you named is no longer available or willing, name a substitute. Do it fast. Timing matters during the initial review window.

If no one can complete it, put your energy into strong medical records and, where it applies, your own Function Report with as much specific detail as you can manage. The third party form strengthens a file. A solid medical record and a detailed personal statement can carry a claim on their own.

How does the third party function report relate to the claimant's own function report?

These two forms are built to be read together. Your Function Report (SSA-3373) captures how you say your condition limits you. The Third Party Function Report (SSA-787) captures how someone else sees those limits. ^[1]

SSA looks for two things: corroboration and plausibility. If your account and your third party's account tell the same story with similar specifics, that consistency supports your credibility. If they split apart, that raises questions.

You and your third party should not coordinate answers word for word. That reads as scripted. But you should both understand what the form is for: describing daily functional limits, not giving a medical diagnosis. The third party isn't being asked to be a doctor. They're being asked to be a witness.

Some people fill out their own function report too optimistically, afraid of looking like they're exaggerating. Then their third party describes severe limits and the two accounts don't match. Both forms should reflect reality, including the hard parts.

Tools like the DisabilityFiled guided intake process can help you organize your own functional limits before you fill out your form, which in turn helps you explain to your third party what the process actually needs.

Your social security disability claim turns on whether your limits keep you from doing any substantial gainful work. Both forms feed into that call.

Does a third party function report help more for some conditions than others?

Yes, and the difference is real. When the medical record is strong and consistent, like a spinal fracture with clear imaging, the third party form adds supporting detail but isn't the make-or-break piece. When the record is thinner or the symptoms are mostly subjective, the form does heavier lifting.

Conditions where third party observations tend to matter most:

Mental health conditions: Depression, bipolar disorder, schizophrenia, PTSD, and anxiety disorders bring symptoms that are hard to score on a test. A third party describing erratic behavior, social withdrawal, an inability to hold a routine, or episodes of decompensation can be central evidence.

Chronic pain conditions: Fibromyalgia, complex regional pain syndrome, and similar conditions rarely show up in a lab value. Accounts of how long a claimant can sit, stand, or walk before pain stops them give adjudicators the functional picture they need.

Cognitive and neurological conditions: TBI, early-stage dementia, and post-COVID cognitive symptoms may not show dramatically on imaging yet radically change daily function. A spouse who has watched the person struggle to follow a recipe or remember a medication schedule provides exactly what SSA is after.

Fatigue-based conditions: ME/CFS, lupus, MS, and certain cancers involve fatigue that's often invisible in a short clinical visit. An account of how many hours a day the person can stay upright and functional speaks directly to the RFC assessment.

For fast-tracked approvals under the compassionate allowances program, SSA moves quickly based mostly on diagnosis, so the function report matters less. For almost every other claim, it's worth doing right.

What happens to the form after it's submitted?

Once SSA receives the completed Form SSA-787, it becomes part of your official disability file. A disability examiner (at the initial and reconsideration stages) or an ALJ (at the hearing stage) reads it alongside your medical records, your own function report, and everything else in the file.

The examiner assigns weight based on how consistent the statement is with the rest of the record, how specific it is, and how plausible it seems given everything else. There's no formula that says one form equals a set number of points. It's a full-picture judgment call by the adjudicator.

At the hearing level, ALJs must, under Social Security Ruling 16-3p, explain how they evaluated symptom evidence, which takes in third party statements. ^[6] SSR 16-3p directs that adjudicators "will not disregard an individual's statements about the intensity, persistence, and limiting effects of symptoms solely because the objective medical evidence does not substantiate" them. If an ALJ brushes off the third party evidence without explanation, that can be grounds for appeal.

Your representative can request a copy of your file, including the submitted form, at the hearing stage or through a Freedom of Information Act request. If you want to know exactly what was submitted on your behalf, that's how you find out.

Once you're approved, the amount you get depends on your earnings history for SSDI, or your income and resources for SSI. See the disability benefits pay chart for a sense of real payment amounts.

Frequently asked questions

Is the third party function report required, or optional?

SSA asks you to name a third party contact when you apply, but a completed form is not a strict legal requirement for your claim to move forward. A missing form won't automatically get you denied. That said, not having one means less corroborating evidence in your file, which matters more for some claim types than others. If someone in your life can fill it out accurately, it's worth having them do it.

Can a paid caregiver or home health aide fill out the third party function report?

Yes. SSA lets anyone who knows you personally and sees you regularly complete the form. A paid caregiver who assists you daily and has direct, specific observations is often a strong choice, sometimes better than a family member who quietly minimizes limits. The key is firsthand observation, more than what you've told them.

What if my third party says something that contradicts my own function report?

Significant contradictions between your account and your third party's raise credibility questions for examiners. Small differences are fine and even expected. If you're worried about mismatch, talk honestly with your third party about what the form asks before they complete it. Don't script their answers, but make sure you both understand the goal is to describe your functional limits accurately.

Can a doctor or therapist fill out the third party function report?

SSA has separate forms for medical professionals, including RFC assessments and medical source statements. The Third Party Function Report (SSA-787) is meant for non-medical lay witnesses who know you personally. A therapist who sees you weekly and can speak to your daily functioning could complete it, but SSA gives more weight to their formal medical source statement. Ask your representative what makes most sense for your case.

Does SSA contact the third party, or do they just wait for the form?

SSA usually mails the form straight to the contact you name. They may also call the person to verify or clarify. The third party should expect either a form in the mail or a phone call, sometimes both. Make sure the person you name knows they may be contacted and is willing to respond quickly.

Can I submit additional third party statements beyond the one SSA sent the form to?

Yes. Written statements from other people with firsthand knowledge of your limits can go directly into your file at any stage, including before an ALJ hearing. These are called lay witness statements. There's no cap on how many you can submit, though quality and consistency matter far more than quantity.

What if I live alone and don't have anyone who can describe my daily limitations?

This is a real challenge. Consider a neighbor, a social worker, a case manager, a pastor, or anyone with regular contact who has seen your limits firsthand. If you truly have no viable third party, put your energy into a detailed Function Report and make sure your medical records document your functional limits thoroughly. Your doctor's notes about what you've reported also count as evidence.

How long does the third party have to complete and return the form?

SSA typically gives roughly 10 days from the date the form is mailed, though in practice the agency often follows up before it acts. If your third party needs more time, have them call SSA at 1-800-772-1213 to ask for an extension. Don't let the form sit. A missed deadline can slow your claim during an already long review.

Does the third party function report matter at the ALJ hearing stage?

Yes, and at the hearing it can matter even more, because the third party can appear to testify in person or by phone. ALJ hearings let the judge ask follow-up questions, which gives live testimony more depth than a written form. Under Social Security Ruling 16-3p, ALJs must evaluate symptom evidence including third party accounts, and failing to explain how they weighed it can be grounds for appeal.

Will SSA tell me what the third party wrote?

You or your authorized representative can view your entire claim file, including the completed third party form. At the hearing stage, SSA provides the file to you or your representative ahead of time. If you haven't had an attorney review your file, ask for a copy of everything in it before any hearing so you can see exactly what was submitted on your behalf.

Can the third party function report hurt my claim?

It can, if the answers are vague, clash with your medical record, or accidentally paint you as more capable than you are. A third party who writes that you drive to the store, mow the lawn, and host dinner parties, even if those things happen rarely and with great difficulty, gives an adjudicator reason to doubt your claimed limits. The form should describe typical days and what those activities cost you, more than that they happen.

Where can I find Form SSA-787 to give to my third party?

Form SSA-787 is available directly from SSA.gov. You can download it, print it, and hand it to your third party, or ask your local Social Security office to mail it to your contact. If SSA already sent one and it got lost, call 1-800-772-1213 to request a replacement.

Sources

1. Social Security Administration, Form SSA-787 (Function Report, Adult Third Party): SSA-787 is the official Third Party Function Report form used to gather lay witness observations of a claimant's daily functional limitations
2. SSA Program Operations Manual System (POMS), DI 22505.015: POMS DI 22505.015 classifies third party function reports as non-medical evidence of functional capacity that adjudicators must weigh alongside medical evidence
3. Code of Federal Regulations, 20 C.F.R. § 404.1513(a)(4) and 20 C.F.R. § 416.913(a)(4): Non-medical sources including family members and friends are recognized sources of evidence about a claimant's symptoms and functional limitations under SSDI and SSI regulations
4. Government Accountability Office, report on SSA disability decisions (GAO-22-104750): GAO review of SSA disability decisions and the types of evidence used in disability determinations
5. Social Security Administration, Contact SSA: SSA's main public contact number is 1-800-772-1213
6. Social Security Ruling 16-3p, Evaluation of Symptoms in Disability Claims: SSR 16-3p requires ALJs to articulate how they evaluated symptom evidence, including third party statements, and directs that statements not be disregarded solely because objective medical evidence does not substantiate them
7. Social Security Administration, Disability Evaluation Under Social Security (Blue Book): SSA's Blue Book listings establish the medical criteria for disability; functional evidence including third party reports supplements these criteria
8. SSA Program Operations Manual System (POMS), DI 24503.050: POMS DI 24503.050 outlines how adjudicators evaluate non-medical lay witness evidence including third party function reports
9. Social Security Administration, Disability Benefits: SSA's five-step sequential evaluation process includes assessment of a claimant's residual functional capacity, to which third party evidence contributes
10. Administrative Office of the U.S. Courts, U.S. Courts: Federal court data on Social Security disability appeals, including grounds for remand such as failure to evaluate lay witness testimony
11. Social Security Administration, Understanding Supplemental Security Income (SSI): SSI eligibility and evaluation standards, including use of functional evidence such as third party reports