Back Pay

Back pay refers to the past-due benefits SSA owes you for the months between your entitlement date and the date your claim is finally approved. Because disability decisions routinely take many months or years, most approved claimants receive a lump-sum payment covering that waiting time.

For SSDI, back pay begins after a five-month waiting period following your established onset date and can also include up to 12 months of retroactive benefits before your application date if you were disabled that early. For SSI, back pay starts no earlier than the month after your application or protective filing date, and larger SSI amounts are usually paid in up to three installments six months apart. Representative fees are typically deducted from back pay.