Can I Speed Up My SSDI Eligibility Determination?

How long will you need to wait for the Social Security Administration (SSA) to make a decision about your application for Social Security Disability Insurance (SSDI) benefits? The answer is longer than you might have thought initially. For traditional SSDI applicants, even if you are approved upon your initial application, you will need to wait five months from the date that your disability began in order to begin receiving benefits. That means benefits will start in the sixth month. However, in practice, the waiting period can be longer due to processing timelines and the number of applications that the SSA is reviewing at any given time. Recent data from the SSA suggests that, in practice, you are likely looking at a timeline of about six to eight months after you submit your application.

Is there any way to speed up the process? There might be, and it will depend on the nature of your disability. Our SSD eligibility lawyer can explain.

Are You Eligible for the Compassionate Allowances Program?

You may be able to speed up your eligibility determination and timeline for receiving benefits if you are eligible for the SSA’s Compassionate Allowances program. This program is designed specifically for applicants with particularly serious illnesses or conditions — those with “the most serious disabilities,” the SSA explains.

For those individuals who are eligible for this program, and the SSA provides a complete list of eligible conditions, the overall waiting time can be reduced so that you can begin receiving benefits sooner.

Traditional SSDI Wait Times Outside the Compassionate Allowances Program

If you are not eligible for the Compassionate Allowances program, there is not another way to speed up the determination of your eligibility for benefits, unfortunately.

You can help yourself to get benefits as quickly as possible, however, by submitting a completed and accurate application as soon as possible. A lawyer can help you with the application to ensure that you supply all eligibility evidence up front so that the SSA can approve your application and you can begin receiving benefits as soon as the five-month waiting period is up or the application is processed (if the latter happens later).

Contact a National SSDI Eligibility Attorney for Assistance with Your Application

Waiting for SSDI benefits can be difficult, especially when you have no other assets to rely on. As we discussed above, the eligibility determination timeline is often longer than most people are hoping for, with recent data suggesting that SSDI applicants are not informed about their eligibility for six to eight months. While you can begin receiving benefits after a five-month waiting period from the date your disability began, the wait can be longer given backlogs and processing delays. There is no option for speeding up a regular SSDI application for benefits, yet as we explained above, the Compassionate Allowances program can make the process much faster if you are eligible.

To discuss general SSDI eligibility or your eligibility for seeking benefits through the Compassionate Allowances program, you should get in touch with one of the experienced national SSD eligibility lawyers at the Law Offices of Stephen Barszcz. Contact our firm today to learn more about how we can assist you with your SSD application and proving your eligibility.

Sources:

ssa.gov/benefits/disability/approval.html

sa.gov/compassionateallowances/