SSDRC
What is the Application Process for Social Security Disability and SSI?
How do you Win Benefits under Social Security Disability or SSI?
If I am determined disabled, how far back will Social Security pay benefits?
How do you prove your disability case if you have a mental condition?
What Can I Do to Improve My Chances of Winning Disability Benefits
Common Mistakes after Receiving a Denial of Social Security Disability or SSI Benefits
How to File for Disability - Tips for Filing
If You Get Approved For SSDI Will You Also Get Medicare?
How much does a Social Security disability attorney get paid?
Social Security Disability SSI Criteria and the Evaluation Process
How long does it take to be approved for SSI or Social Security disability?
What do you Need to Prove to Qualify for Disability Benefits?
Social Security Disability SSI and Fibromyalgia
Social Security Disability SSI and Degenerative Disc Disease
Can I Qualify For Disability and Receive Benefits based on Depression?
Answers to questions about SSD and SSI disability
What Disabilities Qualify for SSI and Social Security Disability Benefits?
Social Security Disability Status
Social Security Disability Tips — how a claim gets worked on
Social Security Disability, SSI Disability - Terms, Definitions, Concepts
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Social Security Disability SSI - Retroactive Benefits Vs Back Pay Benefits
How to prove you are disabled
and win disability benefits
Many disability beneficiaries confuse retroactive benefits with back payment of benefits in general. As with all disability benefits, retroactive benefits are based upon the date of filing and the established date of onset of disability.
When a disability applicant files a disability claim, the filing date of their application determines possible retroactive benefit months. For example, if an applicant has not been able to perform SGA for seventeen months or more due to their disabling impairment prior to the date they filed their disability application, they may receive twelve months of retroactive benefits.
Why only twelve months? Social Security disability has a five- month waiting period for which they never pay month benefits that begins the month following the month of onset (unless the applicant became disabled on the first of the month) and ends five months later.
For this reason, disability applicants must have been unable to perform SGA for seventeen months rather than twelve months prior to the date they filed their disability claim to get twelve months of retroactive benefits. Retroactive benefit months begin with the date of filing and go backward with a maximum of twelve months.
Of course, Social Security must have medical evidence to establish that the applicant was disabled at least seventeen months previous to their disability filing date. Additionally, retroactive benefits can only be paid to disability applicants who are eligible for Social Security disability.
The need based SSI (Supplemental Security Income) disability program does not pay retroactive disability benefits -- benefits can only begin the month the disability claim was filed provided the applicant met the income and resource limits at that time.
So, what about back payment of disability benefits? Both SSI and Social Security disability applicants may be able to receive back pay. As with retroactive benefits, back payment disability benefits are dependent upon an individual’s date of filing and established onset of disability.
Back payment of benefits begins with the month an individual becomes eligible for disability benefits (SSI disability beneficiaries can receive disability benefits for all months including the month of filing but no earlier than the date of filing).
If an individual is not approved for disability benefits on their initial disability claim, they must begin an appeal process that can take many months or even years. If they are eventually approved for disability benefits, Social Security may have to pay them back payment benefits for all months beginning with the month the applicant became eligible for their month disability benefits.
Return to: SSDRC, or the Questions, Answers, Tips, and Advice page
Topics and Questions
How much does Disability Pay?
How do you prove your disability case if you have a mental condition?
Social Security Disability Primary Insured amount?
What is a Social security disability Family Max ?
Why Will A Social Security Disability Application Get Denied? (SSDI Denial)
Charcot-Marie-Tooth Disease and Filing for Disability
Can I Qualify For Disability and Receive Benefits based on Depression?
What are Social Security Disability and SSI Concurrent Benefits?
Applying for disability benefits in Georgia
Chiari Malformation and Filing for Disability
What do you do if your Social Security Disability or SSI Claim is denied?
SSI Disability for Children and Age Appropriate Activities
Chronic Fatigue Sydrome and Filing for Disability
How Many Work Credits Do You Need To Have For SSI?
Is getting social security disability easier for mental or physical problems?
Chronic Pain and Filing for Disability
What Happens if a Social Security Disability or SSI Claim gets Denied on a Reconsideration Appeal?
What should you get from your doctor to file for disability benefits?
Filing a Social Security Disability Application - How to File & the Information that is Needed by SSA
What Are the Social Security Disability Requirements For Personal Assets?
Social Security Disability Requirements
Should you talk to an Attorney before you file a Disability Claim with Social Security?
Social Security Disability List of Impairments
When I Apply For Disability Should I List My Old Meds From Years Ago?
SSI Benefits - who is Eligible and How do I apply for them?
If I Request A Hearing For SSDI, How Long Will I have to Wait?
Will an SSI or Social Security Exam help with the Decision?
Filing for Social Security disability- what to bring when you apply
How Does Social Security Decide How Much I Get For Disability?
The SSI Award Letter from Social Security
How Do I Find Out How My Disability Appeal Is Going?
Tips for Getting Disability Approved When you File with Social Security
Is There A Way To Get Automatically Approved For SSI And Social Security Disability?
Social Security Disability Back pay and How Long it Takes to Qualify for it
When You Apply For Disability Do You Need To write Down Everything That Is Wrong With You?
Why are Disability Cases Involving Children More Likely to be Denied?
Receiving a Social Security Disability Award Letter
For Social Security Disability Do I Need To Give My Dates of Treatment?
Will the Medical Rules for Receiving Disability Grant Benefits for Short Term Social Security or SSI?
How to Apply for Disability - What medical conditions can you apply for disability for?
How is the Determination for Disability made by Social Security?
Mental Disability Benefits and What Social Security will Consider
After I File For Disability Will Social Security Pay For Me To See A Doctor?
The Time Involved on a Social Security Disability Decision
Cirrhosis and Filing for Disability
Filing an Application for Disability Benefits under SSD or SSI
Social security disability SSDI Benefits and your ability to work
If You File For Social Security Disability How Far Back Will They Look At Your Medical Records?
Getting a disability lawyer in Ohio
Why is the Social Security Administration definition of disability so strict?
Getting a disability lawyer in North Carolina
What Happens If You File A Late Social Security Appeal?
Are Social Security Disability Claims Based On Back Pain Usually Turned Down?
How many Social Security disability cases are approved for back pain?
SSD and SSI are Federal Programs
The title II Social Security Disability and title 16 SSI Disability programs operate under federal guidelines and, therefore, the program requirements--medical and non-medical--apply to all states:
Alabama, Alaska, Arizona, Arkansas, California, Colorado, Connecticut, Delaware, Florida, Georgia, Hawaii, Idaho, Indiana, Illinois, Iowa, Kansas, Kentucky, Louisiana, Maine, Maryland, Massachusetts, Michigan, Minnesota, Mississippi, Missouri, Montana, Nebraska, Nevada, New Hampshire, New Jersey, New Mexico, New York, North Carolina, North Dakota, Ohio, Oklahoma, Oregon, Pennsylvania, Rhode Island, South Carolina, South Dakota, Tennessee, Texas, Utah, Vermont, Virginia, Washington, West Virginia, Wisconsin, Wyoming
Recent approval and denial statistics for various states can be viewed here:
Social Security Disability, SSI Approval and Denial Statistics by state
Special Section: Disability Lawyers and unnecessary claim denials
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