What is SSDI Back Pay?
Have you been dealing with a disabling condition that has prevented you from working, but you have not yet started the process of seeking Social Security Disability Insurance (SSDI) benefits? If so, you could potentially be eligible to receive SSDI payments that can include back pay. What is back pay and how can you receive it? And how much back pay are you entitled to receive? The answer to your eligibility and the amount will depend on the particular facts of your case. Our national disability benefit lawyers can explain in more general detail, and we can discuss the specific facts of your case with you today.
Eligibility for SSDI and the Waiting Period
In order to understand how SSDI back pay works, it is essential first to understand SSDI eligibility and the waiting period for benefits since these will determine a person’s ability to receive back pay.
To be eligible for SSDI benefits in the United States, you must meet two separate eligibility requirements: 1) a medical requirement, and 2) a work history requirement. For the medical component, you must be able to show, based on medical evidence, that you have a disabling condition that is expected to last either at least 12 months or to result in your death, and you must be able to show that it prevents you from engaging in substantial gainful activity (essentially, you cannot perform regular work and earn a living). The second component will require you to show that you have worked long enough and recently enough to have sufficient credits to get paid SSDI benefits.
Once you submit an applicant for SSDI benefits, there is a waiting period unless you can apply through the Compassionate Allowances program. The standard waiting period is five (5) months from the date your disability began.
What is SSDI Back Pay and How Much Will I Get?
If you do not immediately apply for SSDI benefits after your disability begins, or if your application takes longer than the five-month waiting period to process, you will likely begin to receive payments after you already were eligible. For example, if you apply for SSDI benefits one year after your disability started, by the time your application is approved, there will be several months of eligibility for which you did not receive payments. The amount will depend on your specific benefit amount, which is based on your personal work and income history.
While an SSDI recipient can be eligible for back pay, it is important to know that SSDI only pays up to one year of back pay from the date your disability began up to the date of your application. Back pay never includes the first five months after the onset of your disability, which is the required waiting period.
Contact Our National Disability Benefits Lawyers for Assistance
If you believe you are owed SSDI back pay and need help getting your benefits, or if you have general questions about SSDI or beginning the application process, an attorney at our firm is here to assist you. We help disabled adults nationwide with all aspects of SSDI claims, from applying for benefits to appealing denials and handling interim matters. Contact one of the experienced national SSDI benefits attorneys at the Law Offices of Stephen Barszcz today to find out more about how we can assist you.
Source:
ssa.gov/benefits/disability/qualify.html
