For a lot of people who become too injured or ill to continue working, their Social Security Disability benefits can’t be paid out too soon. However, before they can receive benefits, their claim must be investigated and approved. The Social Security Administration has a huge backlog of cases to consider. Three to six months is the average time it takes for the SSA to come to an initial decision on a claim. If the claim is rejected, it may take several more months or even years for the applicant to make their way through the appeals process.
If you’ve been waiting a seemingly endless time to receive your benefits, there’s good news. Once your claim for SSDI or SSI benefits is approved, you’ll be qualified to receive back payment for the past due benefits that have accrued between the date of onset — the date you became disabled — and the date you were approved for benefits.
The date of onset can be up to 12 months before you filed your claim. In order to receive back pay for all 12 months, however, you’ll have to be found to be disabled 17 full months before your filing date — that’s because there’s a five-month period after your EOD before you can receive benefits.
How Long Does It Take to Get Disability Back Pay?
One of the most frequently asked questions we get after our clients learn their claim for Social Security disability (SSDI) or Supplemental Security Income (SSI) benefits has been approved is, “How long does it take to get disability back pay?”
Before you can receive your back pay, you’ll need a bank account. Since 2011, the Social Security Administration required all recipients of SSDI benefits to receive their monthly disability payments via direct deposit into their bank accounts.
Most applicants receive their back pay within 60 days of having their claim approved. You could receive your back pay quite a bit sooner (some claimants have had their back payments deposited within days of approval), but could potentially experience delays as well. SSDI back payments are handled by processing centers that can be located in another state. These places handle process volumes of payments; administrative or technical glitches could delay payments until the problems are resolved. And while SSI payments are handled at the local level, the applicant may experience delays due to the need for additional information to determine if you’re still eligible for benefits.
Prevent Delays in Receiving your Disability Benefits
How long does it take to get disability back pay? The answer for most applicants waiting for social security benefits is too long. The Social Security Disability Benefits attorneys at Marc Whitehead & Associates want you to receive your disability benefits with as little delays as possible.
While we can’t speed up the SSA’s deliberation process, we can help you avoid the kinds of mistakes that could add months or even years onto the time it takes to get your claim approved. We can also ensure you receive the total back payment of benefits you are entitled to. Don’t risk any unnecessary delays in getting the benefits you deserve. Contact the law offices of Marc Whitehead & Associates to schedule a free consultation with an experienced social security disability claims lawyer to discuss the best way to proceed with your Social Security disability claim. Call us today at 800-562-9830.