Congratulations – your claim for SSDI benefits has been approved, and you should be receiving your benefits shortly. But are you getting all the benefits you’re entitled to? Did you know that you may also qualify for retroactive benefits or back payments for the period between when you were disabled and when you filed your Social Security disability claim, as well as the benefits you did not receive while your application for disability benefits was being processed?
Many disabled workers who have been approved for SSDI benefits are eligible for retroactive benefits or back payments from the Social Security Administration as well.
Social Security Disability Retroactive Benefits
Retroactive benefits are monthly benefits paid for the time between the onset of your disability and the date you applied for benefits. Retroactive payments are only available to SSDI applicants and are paid in one lump sum.
The date of the onset of your disability is a deciding factor in how much retroactive benefits you may receive. Your onset date is critical to your claim; not only can it affect the period for which you can be paid, it may also be a factor in determining if you are entitled to or eligible for benefits such as retroactive SSDI payments.
In most claims, there are two onset dates.
- There is the alleged onset date (AOD), the date you list on your application as when the disability began; and
- There is the established onset date (EOD), which is determined by the SSA.
Unless you are able to prove otherwise, the EOD usually begins on the date you stopped working. An experienced Social Security disability lawyer can help you gather the necessary evidence to establish the real disability onset date. You can receive retroactive benefits for up to 12 months prior to the date of the application being approved.
If your claim is approved, you are still subject to a five month waiting period before you can receive benefits. This means that if your disability onset date was seven months before you filed your Social Security disability claim, you will only be able to collect two months’ worth of retroactive benefits.
Back Payments Are Available to SSDI Claimants
When you file a claim for SSDI benefits, it usually takes several months for the SSA to review and process your claim. When your claim is approved, you will be eligible for back payment of any benefits you did not receive while your claim was being processed, starting from the time you submitted your application to the SSA.
We Want You to Get All the Disability Benefits You Deserve
Board certified Houston Social Security disability benefits lawyer M. Stanley Whitehead wants you to get all the benefits you are entitled to. We understand the claims and appeals process and have the expertise and resources to gather the necessary evidence. We will make sure all your paperwork is filled out correctly and submitted on time. Having a dedicated SSDI lawyer on your side greatly increases your chances for getting your disability claim approved after an initial denial.
Don’t risk being denied the benefits you deserve. Contact the Law Offices of M. Stanley Whitehead to schedule a free consultation to discuss your claim. Our SSDI disability cases are handled on a contingency basis. That means you don’t pay us anything unless we win your case. You have nothing to lose and everything to gain.
