Can I get Social Security disability benefits for any months before I apply?

Social Security disability issuance (SSDI) benefit is a federal program designed to provide monthly payment to workers with significant health impairment. This provision helps to alleviate the financial burden on everyday expenses by workers who are unable to work and fend for themselves due to a physical disability. Interestingly, there is a possibility of receiving back pay.  

What is back pay?

Back pay is the benefits social security owes you for the period you are disabled before your application is processed and approved. Generally, it is the benefit you were entitled to from social security as a disabled individual but could not receive because your application was yet to be approved. Social Security Disability Issuance (SSDI) back pay are of two types:

1. Retroactive back pay: This kind of back pay is provided to cover 12 months before the social security benefit application is filed.

2. Past due back pay: This payment is made to cover for the time between when you filed for social security disability issuance and when your application was finally approved.

Note that after you are deemed eligible for SSDI benefits, you will be required to wait for five (5) months. This is compulsory for all applicants as it is the social security’s method of confirming the severity of your disability to ensure funds go to disabled individuals who need it the most. If your condition does not improve within these five (5) months then you will start receiving the SSDI benefits the 6th month. However, you will not be paid for the 5 months compulsory wait.

Eligibility for SSDI back pay:

There are some specific requirements you are expected to meet in order to be eligible for back payment by social security. Some of these requirement include:

1. Having worked long enough in jobs covered by social security. You will be expected to have a certain amount of work credits which are dependent on your yearly wages. Additionally, the amount needed for a work credit changes every year and the number of work credit required varies with age. You are also expected to have earned these work credits within a certain time ending with the inception of your disability. Visit the SSA website to see your required work credit.

2. Medical condition: You must be suffering from a medical condition considered to be a disability by the Social Security Administration (SSA). This means, you should be disabled before filing for SSDI benefits.

3. Medical records: You must have relevant medical documentations or records to support your claim.

Note that social security does not pay for partial or short term disability, thus, only individuals with total disability can file for the SSDI benefits. For more information on eligible  medical conditions, see  full list of eligible medical conditions provided by the SSA.

Calculating SSDI back pay:

To calculate for your SSDI back pay benefits, there are some factors you must consider and that includes:

1. Start of disability: The onset or start of disability is crucial to receiving more pay back

2. Application date: To accumulate more benefits for your disability, you have to apply early.

3. Payment amount: Your monthly pay determines to a large extent the sum you will receive as a back pay.

Here’s is a comprehensive step by step process of calculating how much back pay you can get:

1. Write down your Established onset Date (EOD) that is, when your disability started, your SSDI application and approval date.

2. Know the number of months between your Established Onset Date (EOD), and when you filed an application for SSDI benefits to know your retroactive period.

3. Know the number of months between your SSDI application date and approval date.

4. Add step 2 and 3 to know the number of months you can get back pay.

5. Subtract the five month compulsory wait period from step 4.

6. Determine your monthly payment from SSA

7. Multiply your monthly payment by the number of months in step 4 to get the total sum of money you can get as back pay.

Applying for disability back pay from Social Security 

Here are the steps you must complete before you can be eligible to apply for a disability back pay from social security:

1. Fill out the required fields in the disability forms. Explain your condition clearly and mention the Established Onset Date (EOD) or start date of your condition.

2. Provide relevant medical records: Submit all the necessary documents that proves your disability during the back pay period to claim your payment.

3. SSA review process: This is a crucial step to ensure that all your documents are accurate and that you are eligible for the social security disability benefits.

Those are the main steps to help you navigate your application process and claim your back pay benefits from social security. 

However, you can appeal if and when denied.