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


How does back pay for Social Security disability work?


How to prove you are disabled
and win disability benefits

 
Social Security disability back pay is based on your date of onset and date of entitlement. What is a date of onset? Simply, the date you became unable to work due to your condition or conditions.

Additionally, Social Security has established a five-month waiting period, for which you are never paid. For example, if it was decided by the social security administation that you became disabled on 2/15/15 (let us further assume that this was the date you stopped working), then your date of entitlement (the date you are entitled to a disability benefit) would be 8/15, or August 2015.

Having said all this, however, another way of answering the question of how back pay work is to say that:

1. For social security disability claims, a claimant may potentially be eligible to receive benefits as far back as the date of their application for social security disability. This, of course, is based on whether or not the claimant's medical evidence actually justifies an onset date this far back. And the amount of back pay that a claimant may be eligible to receive will be lessened by the five month waiting period. Special note: for social security disability claims, claimants may also be potentially eligible to receive benefits for 12 retroactive months preceding their month of application.

2. For SSI disability claims, there are no retroactive months and there is no five month waiting period. Therefore, a claimant who has been approved for SSI disability benefits may potentially be eligible to receive benefits back to the date of their application for disability. Whether or not a person will actually receive backpayment benefits this far back will be based on whether or not their medical evidence supports an early enough date of onset (known as an "established date of onset").

As you can see, back pay can be a complex and confusing issue. And this can be doubly true in instances where an individual has been approved for both SSD and SSI. However, here are several key things to remember about social security disability, SSI, and the issue of back pay.

1. The amount of back pay that you receive will depend on when you file your disability application. For this reason, if you are procrastinating about filing for disability, stop procrastinating and get your claim filed.

2. How far back your disability began (based on the evidence) will have an effect on how much back pay you can receive. For this reason, supply full and complete information about your medical records, including older medical records as well as current medical records.

3. Your onset date (when you became disabled) can be argued by your social security attorney, and this is usually done most effectively at a hearing before an administative law judge.

Additional Information:

What is the maximum back pay you can get for Social Security disability?

How Far Back Can SSI Back Pay Be Paid?














Return to:  SSDRC, or the Questions, Answers, Tips, and Advice page












Individual Questions and Answers


  • What kind of cases win disability benefits ?

  • Will I be approved for disability on my appeal ?

  • The non-medical Disability Requirements for SSD and SSI

  • When will a disability lawyer decide to take your case?

  • Will Coronary Artery Heart Disease qualify you for disability?

  • What is the Chance of Winning an SSA appeal for disability?

  • Social Security Notice of Denial for a Disability Application or Appeal

  • How does Social Security use Evidence to Decide an SSDI or SSI Disability Claim and Make a Decision?

  • Does Social Security offer Partial Disability Benefits?

  • To get Social security Disability or SSI do you have to have Total Disability?

  • Do you have to see a judge to get disability benefits ?

  • Where do you call to get the status of your Social Security Disability or SSI Claim?

  • What is the Social Security definition of disability ?

  • Can I get Retroactive SSI Disability Benefits?

  • Applying for disability benefits in Massachusetts

  • Disability Hearings and the Social Security Appeals Process

  • How do I see a judge for my social security disability case or SSI Claim?

  • Is there a time limit for how long you can collect Social Security Disability or SSI benefits?

  • What does a Disability Lawyer do to help you?

  • Social Security Disability Advice for Filing

  • Reconsideration of a Social Security Disability denial- what does it involve?

  • How to Apply for Disability - Where do I go to apply for disability ?

  • Filing for SSD Disability - When Should You put in a Claim?

  • Applying for Disability - what are the rules?

  • How to Qualify for Disability - How severe must a condition be?

  • Social Security Disability Doctor, Supportive Statements

  • Social Security Disability Mental Testing

  • Medical Source Statement for Social Security Disability or SSI

  • How do you Win Benefits under Social Security Disability?

  • How Disabling Does A Condition Have To Be For Social Security, SSDI Benefits?

  • SSD AND SSI Disability Benefits and Back Pain

  • Am I Eligible For Social Security Disability?

  • Can a child receive disability benefits for asthma ?

  • Congestive Heart Failure, Social Security Disability, and Applying for Benefits

  • Hiring a Qualified Disability Lawyer in Illinois

  • How Long Will It Take To Get Approved for Disability?

  • Are you allowed to work at all if you get Social Security disability or SSI ?
























    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