SS disability, back pay etc.

[Guest guest]

The following is how SS disability back pay is determined.

When you apply of course they always ask the date of your disability.

When SS gets your application and starts their process then they

determine the date of your disability. Sometimes it agrees with the

date you gave, sometimes for whatever reason it doesn't.

When the date is determined, then they exclude the first five months

from that date. The date of the sixth month is your eligibility

date.

This is how mine went:

My disability date was July 3, 1997 (that is the date I actually got

sick and SS agreed with that). This made me eligible on January 1,

1998. But, the kicker is, no matter how long you have been off,

they do not award more than 12 months back pay. So if you have

been off three years disabled etc. etc. the most back pay you will

get no matter what date they determine your disabiliyt is, is 12

months. Actually 12 months plus 5 months because you forfeit those

first five months remember.

In my own case, again July 3, 1997 is my disability date.

After forfeiting five months I was eligible for benefits on January

1, 1998. I was actually awarded my benefits in December of 1998. I

got 11 months back pay, January 1998 through November 1998 paid in

December of 1998. Also, your medicare starts two years from the

date you are eligible for benefits. Again, I was eligible in

January of 1998 and medicare went into effect January 2000. It

sounds so complicated I know, but that is the way it is. I was

fortunate in that I did not have to forfeit a lot of benefits but I

know others who just because it takes so long to get their benefits

(3-4) years forfeit alot.

I hope this helps.

Kaye