It usually takes a long time to win Social Security Disability benefits, months at least. That’s hard when your health has gotten worse, you can’t work, and you’re straining to pay your bills.
But when you’re finally approved for benefits, Social Security has a way to compensate you for the wait: back pay. It’s a welcome dose of financial support.
You’ll wait months for the answer to your Social Security Disability application. Then there’s a good chance you’ll be denied—most people are. You often can win benefits by appealing the denial, but that adds more months. The process can stretch into years.
With Social Security Disability Insurance (SSDI) benefits for workers sidelined by health problems, you may eventually get monthly disability checks, but also a lump sum in back pay recognizing that you qualified for benefits during all that time you were waiting.
How do they make the back pay calculation?
Read below for explanation from the Tulsa Social Security Disability lawyers at Troutman & Troutman. Our disability attorneys have a combined 150 years of experience helping thousands of people in Oklahoma, including Tulsa and Broken Arrow, Owasso, Bartlesville, Tahlequah and Muskogee.
If you need help with your benefits, talk to us.
Disability Law Is All We Do.
CALL US NOW! »You should apply for disability benefits as soon as you realize you can’t work anymore because of your medical conditions.
One reason is that when you eventually win your claim, your retroactive benefits may go back to the moment you first applied. The earlier the better to ensure you get the most back pay.
Social Security will use your lifetime earnings to set the amount of your monthly disability income. Then it will add that up starting from one of these dates:
Social Security also has a mandatory five-month waiting period for all approved disability claims. But you might easily have to wait well over five months to get approved.
Social Security will subtract those five months from your back pay period.
To get a better idea of how your back pay eligibility may look, you can have a free consultation with the Oklahoma disability lawyers at Troutman & Troutman.
Get Help Now! »You may get a back pay denial from Social Security. They’ll say your qualifying disability started sooner than you argued. That means lower retroactive benefits for you.
You can file a back pay appeal. But make this decision carefully.
This is what you’ll need for a back pay appeal:
The reason to proceed with care is that opening a back pay appeal could complicate your disability benefits claim—creating the risk you’ll lose benefits entirely.
You want to be sure your reasons for appealing your back pay calculation are strong.
Have the highly experienced Tulsa disability attorneys at Troutman & Troutman take a look at it. We can advise you on your best options.
And you DON’T PAY AN ATTORNEY FEE UNTIL YOU WIN BENEFITS.
When you need help because you can’t work, and you don’t know how you’ll cover your expenses, we provide the support and respect you deserve.
Contact Us Today! »You may be trying to determine if Social Security Disability benefits are right for you. You may be facing a long, complicated benefits application. Or you’ve applied and been denied. Now what? The Troutman & Troutman Oklahoma disability attorneys can help.
Your life has been disrupted by health problems. You’ve had to leave work. You’re worried about money. Social Security Disability benefits can provide relief, but they’re complicated. You’ve got a lot of questions. The Troutman & Troutman Tulsa disability lawyers have answers.
SSD Questions & Answers »“I thank God for Troutman & Troutman. They really did the legwork to get my disability.”