It may take several months for the Social Security Administration (SSA) to approve your application for Social Security Disability Insurance (SSDI) benefits. However, if your claim is approved, you will qualify for the benefits you would have received since the date of your application or from the date you were disabled.
SSDI back pay is another much-needed benefit for those who qualify, but it’s easy to miss out on it if you don’t realize what you are owed and what you must do to claim it. The Kentucky Social Security Disability attorneys at Morgan, Collins, Yeast & Salyer are ready to help you pursue all of the SSDI benefits you are due.
We’ll handle your claim with respect and dignity from the initial application or in appeals of a denied claim if that’s the status of your case. If you are owed SSDI back pay, we’ll fight to see that you get it. Contact us today for a free consultation.
What Is Social Security Disability Back Pay?
The Social Security Disability Insurance program provides benefits to about 11 million disabled workers and dependents. Because of the program’s size, it takes several months to process applications for benefits. The SSA denies most initial applications, and applicants must appeal to obtain the benefits they are due.
Once SSDI benefits are awarded, the SSA pays all the benefits you would have received either from the date of your application or earlier.
SSDI back pay is what should have been paid over the months between the date you applied for disability benefits and the date you were approved for benefits.
SSDI retroactive payments may also be available for the months between when you became disabled — your established onset date (EOD) — and when you applied for SSDI benefits. Your disability onset date may be the date you cite in your application or a date the SSA determines based on medical evidence.
These payments are impacted by two conditions imposed by the SSA:
- A five-month waiting period from your established onset date before SSDI benefit payments can begin
- A maximum of 12 months may be counted toward retroactive pay
That means the back pay period starts five months after your EOD and lasts until the date your SSDI application is approved. The total combined back pay and retroactive benefits period may begin up to 12 months before the date of your application if you met the SSDI criteria for disabled during that time.
Retroactive benefits and back pay usually come as a lump sum payment with your first monthly benefits check. A large amount may be split between your first two checks.
Eligibility for Back Pay in Kentucky and How Far Back It Goes
Back pay is not guaranteed to SSDI beneficiaries. It is paid only if there is a long enough lag between your EOD and approval of benefits. There is no interest paid on SSDI back pay.
Even with the SSA’s benefits application backlog shrinking, it is likely that you will be eligible for some back pay. In theory, you can receive up to 12 months of back pay if your EOD can be documented that far back. But remember, with the five-month waiting period, your EOD would need to be 17 months before approval of your benefits to receive a full year of back pay.
If the gap between your EOD and benefits approval is five months or less, you will not be entitled to retroactive benefits.
Factors That Can Affect Your Back Pay Amount
The Social Security Administration considers various factors when determining retroactive benefits owed to SSDI recipients.
First, your monthly SSDI benefit will be based on your average indexed monthly earnings (AIME) and primary insurance amount (PIA).
Your AIME is based on up to 35 years of your employment. The SSA adds your highest indexed earnings years and divides them by the total number of months for those years. Then, the average is rounded down to set your AIME.
Your PIA is the base amount of your benefits. It is calculated using the total of three fixed percentages of your AIME and bend points that change each year to reflect the national average wage index. For 2025, these portions are the first $1,226 of your AIME, the amount between $1,226 and $7,391, and the amount over $7,391. In 2025, beneficiaries will receive 90% of AIME up to $1,226, 32% of AIME up to $7,391, and 15% of AIME that exceed $7,391, according to the SSA.
If you receive other government benefits, such as workers’ compensation, public disability benefits, or pensions based on work not covered by Social Security (for example, some government or foreign employment), it may reduce your SSDI benefits.
To determine your back pay amount, count the months between your EOD and the date you were finally approved for SSDI payments, and then subtract five for the waiting period. Multiply your monthly benefit by that number.
We’ll Help You Get Your SSDI Back Pay and Retroactive Benefits
Depending on your disability, you may find it challenging to keep up with the SSA’s calendar of eligibility dates and calculate the full SSDI payment you are due. The Social Security Administration should do it for you, but the bureaucracy can make mistakes.
An SSDI lawyer from Morgan, Collins, Yeast & Salyer can make sure the SSA has the complete and correct information in your application and that it moves through the approval process as it should. We’ll continually track the status of your SSDI application and approval of your back pay and retroactive benefits. If there are hitches or the SSA has questions, we’ll respond promptly to resolve any issues. We’ll keep you up to date and answer any questions you have.
Don’t wonder what you’re supposed to receive from Social Security Disability Insurance and don’t wait and hope that the Social Security Administration gets it right. Set up your free consultation with Morgan, Collins, Yeast & Salyer and let a Social Security Disability benefits lawyer walk you through the calculations to determine your full benefit.
