When Will I Receive My First Disability Check and/or My Back pay Check?
This is the number one question I receive from clients once they have been approved – when can I expect to receive my first monthly check, and when can I expect to receive my back due benefits?
Social Security Disability Insurance
While there is no way to be certain when you will receive your first disability check (it depends on the backlog, the time of year, and many other factors out of our control), if we are talking about Social Security Disability Insurance (SSDI) most applicants receive their first check within four to six weeks of being approved for disability benefits.
However, the check with your back due to benefits in it may take a little bit longer to receive, especially if you were entitled to receive some Supplemental Security Income (SSI) benefits as well as SSDI benefits.
Supplemental Security Income
When it comes to SSI benefits, there are additional (non-medical) hurdles to overcome once you have been found to be medically disabled. Once you are found to be medically disabled, the Social Security Administration has steps it takes to make sure you also meet the non-medical requirements for receiving SSI benefits (i.e., that you have less than $2,000 in assets ($3,000 in assets if you’re married) and that total household income does not exceed the threshold amount).
Additionally, your back pay cannot be cleared through the normal automated process, as you are limited to how much you can have in assets and still be eligible for SSI. Typically, SSA will give you the first $2,000 of your back pay, then another $2,000, then the remainder. If you are a recipient of SSI, you can ask them for additional back due to benefits if you need the money to pay past-due bills, rent/mortgage, and select other needs.
