What Social Security Applicants Should Know About Back Pay

You are likely aware of the Social Security backlog and how frustrating a Social Security claim can be. However, you may not know that the approval process can be somewhat complicated, too.

Unfortunately, you don’t receive approval and then get paid the next day.

In this blog, we are going to examine some key points to the approval process, when you should expect payment, and some situations that could catch you by surprise.

When Will I Get My Social Security Back Pay?

For many Social Security applicants, Social Security Back Pay can make a huge difference in their lives. It’s understandable that most of our clients are justifiably curious about the date that they will receive their back pay.

On average, the SSI or SSDI back pay time frame is 90-120 days for the payments to be processed and released to you. It may be sooner or later than the average, depending upon your specific claim.

So, why is there such a discrepancy? Generally, an individual with a smaller back pay amount won’t have to wait as long for their back pay to arrive as someone with a significant amount.

For instance, when a claimant is owed a large sum, their check can require up to three signatures before it’s released from the payment center. Also, the SSA may need certain information from you in order to process your payments, such as household financial information, or your Workers Compensation payment information.

The longer it takes SSA to receive this information, the longer it will take to get your Social Security disability payments processed and released.

Waiting Period

You may be surprised to learn that there is a mandatory waiting period applied to SSDI claims. According to the Social Security Administration, you must be disabled for five months after your disability onset date before you can start receiving SSDI payments.

Your benefits will start at the beginning of the sixth month. This won’t delay benefits for most claimants, because most people won’t be approved until long after their onset date.

It’s important to realize that disability benefits will not be paid during the waiting period.

Lump-Sum or Payments?

If you are approved for SSI, or a combination of SSI and SSDI, the rules are different. Social Security generally pays the back pay benefits for SSI or combined SSI/SSDI in three installment payments that are separated by six months each.

However, if you need additional funds sooner than they are scheduled to be released to you, you can contact SSA and ask that they release these funds to you early. When you do this, be prepared to tell SSA why you need the funds early and to provide proof of how much you need.

An SSI recipient may also be eligible for one lump-sum payment if they are not expected to live past the next 12 months or are no longer eligible for SSI monthly benefits at the time they receive their back pay (and are not expected to become eligible for benefits within the next 12 months).

For more information on how to get SSI back pay faster, get in touch with a Social Security attorney at our firm.

As you’re already aware, getting to the point at which you start receiving back pay can be a long and frustrating process. It can be helpful to seek the advice of someone who knows the procedure. A lot of people choose Jan Dils, Attorneys at Law, because of our experience.

To learn more about the services we offer, call us today for a free consultation from our experienced Social security attorneys.