Worth the Wait: What to Know about Social Security Back Pay
For workers unable to do their job due to a medical condition, the Social Security Administration (SSA) may be able to help. While former workers cannot expect to be paid anything near their previous salary from the Social Security Disability Insurance (SSDI) program, funds are always welcome. For those with an approved application, a bit of a bonus may be possible and that can help with budgetary concerns. Read on and find out more about SSDI and back pay.
A Gap in Coverage
Back pay is meant to help applicants make up for lost time and benefits. If you became disabled and applied for SSDI months ago, back pay will pay you for the months between the time you became disabled and the time you get your first monthly check. It can take months and months for applicants to be approved so the back pay can be quite a lot of money and it comes to the applicant all at once. In many cases, an applicant is turned down for benefits only to be approved after an appeal hearing. That can add several more months onto the back pay time and result in an even larger payment.
The Waiting Period
Applicants should be aware that the SSA imposes a five-month waiting period before back pay begins. If you became eligible for benefits in March of 2020, for example, and are approved in January of 2021, your back pay would only cover five months since five months are deducted as a mandatory waiting period.
Don't Add to the Delay
The SSA is moving slowly through applicants and they are in no hurry to approve applications. That means the sooner you take action and apply the sooner you will be paid your back pay and your regular monthly payments. You are eligible to apply for SSDI as soon as you are no longer working at your job and are no longer earning income. While you cannot affect your back pay by applying quicker, the entire process can be made shorter if you apply and use care with your application.
The Back Pay and Attorney Connection
Back pay has another use other than improving your financial situation. The SSA and certain Social Security attorneys have entered into an agreement to help applicants get approval with help. You won't need to pay anything to your Social Security attorney at first and they can help you with your application along with standing by your side at the appeal hearing. The lawyer is then paid a small percentage of your back pay after you are approved. To find out more, speak to a Social Security attorney.
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