At times, disability cases require the determination of whether a present or former recipient of benefits is entitled to the retroactive payment of benefits. The Sullivan Law Office provides assistance in ensuring that all applicants and recipients receive all of the benefits to which they are entitled in all kinds of disability cases. These include Social Security Disability, long-term disability, short-term disability, state retirement and workers’ compensation.
Disability benefits consist of a series of monthly payments of money for as long as the disability endures. The monthly payment amount for recipients of Social Security Disability Insurance (SSDI) benefits is based upon a record of work earnings record. In contrast, recipients of Supplemental Security Income (SSI) benefits receive an amount equal to the maximum amount allowed by Social Security less established, pre-determined amounts for income or other resources.
If an applicant applies for SSI on May 1, 2017, and such benefits are approved, then May 1, 2017, is the first day that an applicant may receive any back payment once benefits are awarded. Thus, if an application is approved on November 1, 2017, recipients will receive monthly payments for the six-month period that a decision was pending. Note that an applicant must meet the financial criteria for SSI.
If an individual applies for SSDI, retroactive payments become somewhat more complicated. Social Security regulations require that a SSDI applicant does not receives any retroactive pay for a five-month waiting period or the first five months of disability. Applicants are permitted to receive retroactive payment for up to twelve months prior to the date that a SSDI application was filed, as long as the applicant was disabled.
The Sullivan Law Office provides assistance in ensuring that all applicants and recipients receive all of the benefits to which they are entitled in all types of disability cases. Working with an experienced disability attorney ensures that a complete and accurate application is filed with the Social Security Administration (SSA) and that all relevant, supportive information, including medical evidence, is gathered in support of a prospective claimant’s application.
Calculating onset dates in SSI and SSDI cases is a confusing, but it is vital to an applicant receiving all of the benefits to which he or she is entitled. We’ve been representing all types of disability clients in Kentucky for over twenty years. If your lawyer doesn’t have a lot of experience with disability cases, they simply won’t be able to guide you through the process as effectively as the Sullivan Law Office. Contact us today for your free consultation. Call 888-587-0228 or visit us online.
