Eligibility for Retroactive Disability Benefits

Many people who apply for Social Security and Supplemental Security Income benefits if approved for benefits will in time also be paid past due benefits or retroactive benefits basically because of the lengthy amount of time that can be involved in the application and disability determination process.  The amount of retroactive benefits an applicant may ultimately recieve is different in the Supplemental Security Income (SSI) program and the Social Security program because the amounts are calculated by different program specific rules.

• Individuals receiving SSDI benefits may be entitled to retroactive payments from the date of their application filing and up to twelve months prior to the application date, minus a five month waiting period.
• The Social Security Administration will use the claimant's “established onset date,” or his EOD, to determine when his disability began. The claimant’s established onset date is the date they became unable to work due to their mental or physical impairment condition. A Disability Determination Service examiner or Administrative Law Judge will determine the EOD date by reviewing the applicant’s submitted medical records. 

The Up Side of the Long Wait is the Big Check

Some applicants need to go through a Social Security disability appeal process to secure favorable determination of a disability claim and that can take many months or even years.  However, if the applicant is finally and at long last approved for benefits, he might be eligible for retroactive Social Security disability benefits in the form of a substantial amount in a lump sum back payment of disability benefits.  If the applicant is finally approved for Supplemental Security Income benefits and retroactive benefits are ordered they would receive a lump sum payment if the retroactive benefits amount is less than $6,000. If the amount is over $6,000 the amount may be paid out in installments to meet the program requirements regarding applicant income and resource limits.

Getting Legal Help

It is complicated to try to figure out just what kind of retroactive disability benefits an applicant might be eligible to receive if approved for benefits by either Social Security or Supplemental Security Income programs.  The best plan if you or a member of your family has questions about the application process, the disability determination process or the application denial appeal process is to contact a disability lawyer to discuss the stage your application has reached in the process and what snags in that process have been encountered.  If a big retroactive benefits check is in your future the best road to take to get there is discussing the application for benefits with an attorney that can provide guidance through the process.