HOW LONG DOES IT TAKE TO GET A BENEFIT CHECK AFTER YOU ARE APPROVED?

Many people wait months or years to get a disability claim approved.  Then it happens.  And they have to wait even more to get their check.  So, how long does it take to get a check after your SSDI or SSI case has been approved?  The answer is:  It depends on several factors, as we will discuss below.  SSDI or Title II claims are different from SSI or Title XVI claims.

SSDI
There is a 5 month waiting period for all SSDI (Title II) claims.  Social Security will not pay the first months of an SSDI claim, starting with the actual date you became disabled--which is called the onset date.  For example:  If you were first disabled on 4/1/18, you would not be eligible for a check until 9-1/18.  Since benefits are paid one month in the arrears, you would actually receive the first check in October.

If you have unusual circumstances, it can take longer to get a payment processed.  If you received workman’s compensation, are entitled to benefits on on another work record, or you are entitled to a non covered pension based on work for an employer not in the Social Security system, you may experience a longer wait time for your disability check. All of these issues require that a claims specialist manually process your claim after a favorable award has been made.

If you are due an exceptionally large amount of back pay (over $50,000), it will take longer to get paid because three different persons must sign off on your check.  I have seen some of these larger payments take 5 or 6 months.

SSI

SSI (Title 16) requires a Pre-Effectuation Review Conference (PERC) before you can be paid.  Social Security requires an interview with you to evaluate your continued eligibility for SSI benefits based on your financial need.  You will be required to provide information about your income and resources. If you are employed you will have to provide check stubs or other information to verify how much you are earning.

If you pay rent or a mortgage you may have to show verification of the amounts. If you live with someone, you will have to provide information with regard to the expenses of the household and who lives there. This information will be used to determine your living arrangement. This may reduce your SSI benefit.

Evaluation of resources such as life insurance policies, vehicles, and bank accounts require verification. Very often you are responsible for getting the necessary proofs and submitting them to the Social Security office.

The SSI claims specialist cannot put your claim into pay until they have all the necessary proofs and verifications because SSI benefits may be offset by SSDI benefits.  So, usually SSI benefits have to be calculated first, then SSDI benefits will be determined afterward.

There is really no set length of length of time required to get a check after a medical decision of disability has been made.  Each disability claim is different.  It can depend on which "module" your claim is sent to and how busy that particular module is.  It can also depend on how busy the payment processor is and how efficient he or she is.

While I can't tell you how long you will have to wait to get your payment, I estimate the average wait time for an SSDI benefit check is about 3 months--after the judge issues a written decision.  The estimated wait time for an SSDI check is about 2 months after the judge issues a written decision.

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