If one is familiar with Social Security’s disability system, they know of the delays that can occur between initial applications and eventual approvals. For some applicants who get initial approval, a three- to six-month wait is common. Even those who hire a Social Security Disability lawyer in Missouri can wait a year or even longer before getting benefits. Because there’s such a backlog of cases with the SSA, lengthy delays are an inevitable result. Clients can Get additional info here on the SSA’s back benefits process.
SSDI and Back Benefits
A person whose claim is delayed will get retroactive benefits going back to the date they made their initial claim, and there is no monetary limit on the benefits a person can receive. To calculate the back pay, a client will receive, the SSA evaluates their disability onset date.
If the date was before that when the disability application was filed, the client can get up to a year of retroactive benefits. However, the person must be deemed disabled 17 months before the date of filing, because SSDI has a waiting period of five months. A person winning back pay from the SSA is paid in a lump sum after the attorney’s fees are taken away.
SSI Back Pay
In SSI disability cases, the Social Security Administration will award benefits starting at the next full month after filing. Unlike an SSDI case, there’s no months-long waiting period. If the back pay is more than several thousand dollars, it will be paid in installments spaced six months apart.
Exceptions exist, most notably in cases where a recipient has debts incurred due to housing, food, clothing, and medical expenses. There are some cases where SSI recipients will get all their back benefits in a lump sum. In a case where the client is expected not to survive for twelve months after approval, or if the person is found not to be eligible for benefits after approval, all back pay will be given at once.
Timing of Retroactive Lump Sum Payments
The SSA can take several months to issue back pay, especially in special situations such as concurrent claims. Although payment delays can be costly and frustrating, clients should be patient. However, if no back pay has been received after several months, the client should contact their Social Security Disability lawyer in Missouri to ensure that the claim is processed in a timely manner.
For more information, contact or visit the Grundy Disability Group.
