Navigation How Much Will I Receive in Back Pay from Social Security?
When meeting with clients, I am frequently asked either “How much will I receive in back pay?” or “How far back will my back pay go?” Past Due Benefits, or back pay as it is commonly referred, is the money that Social Security owes you for the months you were eligible for benefits before Social Security awarded your claim. Because applying for Social Security disability can be a lengthy process, many people are entitled to past due benefits for the months they have been waiting for Social Security to process his or her claim. However, the amount of back pay depends on a few different factors including the Claimant’s onset date of disability, what kind of claim the person has, and when did the claimant file for benefits.
For Social Security Disability Insurance benefits (SSDI), back pay can be awarded up to one year before a Claimant filed. For Supplemental Security Income (SSI), a Claimant is eligible for back pay starting the month after you filed. These are the most that a claimant may receive in back pay. However, the onset date of your disability will also determine how many months a person might receive in back pay. The onset date of disability is the date that Social Security found you to be disabled. This may differ from what is originally put on an application. The onset date of disability usually either reflects the date the Claimant stopped working or the date the Claimant was diagnosed or injured.
