How to Prove You Submitted Something on Time

Deadlines only matter if you can prove you met them. Use tracked delivery, email timestamps, certified mail, or a screenshot of the submission confirmation page — and save it. If you submit something in person, ask for a stamped receipt. If you submit online, take a screenshot the moment you see the confirmation.

This sounds obvious until you're told "we never received it" and you have no evidence. A single screenshot or tracking number can be the difference between a resolved case and months of appeals.