Social Security Disability Insurance benefits can be paid retroactively. Supplemental Security Income benefits cannot. Social Security Disability Insurance (SSDI) offers retroactive benefits to cover some of the period between when you first suffered a qualifying impairment and when you applied for disability. You may receive retroactive benefits for up to 12 months before you filed your claim for SSDI.
Retroactive benefits begin the first day your medical records show you suffered from a qualifying impairment or 12 months before the date you applied, whichever is less time. You cannot recover benefits for more than a year before you applied for SSDI, even if you suffered from the disability for much longer.
When you apply for benefits, the Social Security Administration will assign an established onset date, or EOD, to your case. Unless there is other proof in your medical records, the Social Security Administration will use your application date as your “alleged onset date.”
Once the Social Security Administration confirms it, this becomes your EOD. Only if there is evidence that the onset of your impairment occurred before you filed your application can you receive retroactive benefits.
Benefits for the time between when your impairment first occurred, and your application date are called retroactive. Benefits available for the time between your application date and when your benefits begin (minus a five-month waiting period) is back pay. In some cases, especially if you must appeal a denial, the period covered by back pay can be significant.
We encourage you to apply for disability benefits, including SSI, as soon as you are eligible. We can help you understand the criteria and file your application. Call us today to get started with a free consultation.
Whether you’re preparing your first SSDI application, submitting your claim for Reconsideration or appealing a rejected claim, you have a greater chance of success with the help of a knowledgeable lawyer.
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Attorneys at Kalfus & Nachman PC understand the complex SSDI application process and the information necessary to receive approval while maximizing the financial support you need for your condition. We also have a thorough knowledge of the appeals process and can help you assemble the additional information necessary to bolster your claim if you’ve been denied.
If you live in the Norfolk, Hampton, Newport News, Portsmouth, Virginia Beach or Roanoke, Virginia, areas and need assistance filing your SSDI application or making an appeal, please contact Kalfus & Nachman PC by phone at (855) 880-8163 or through the form on this page to schedule a free consultation.