When adults can no longer work to support themselves, they may need financial assistance. Most working professionals have made contributions to Social Security for years, if not decades. They may be eligible for Social Security Disability Insurance (SSDI) benefits if they become incapable of working.
Applicants have to submit special paperwork and medical records to the Social Security Administration (SSA). After their approval for SSDI benefits, they will receive a monthly payment. While SSDI benefits are not especially generous, they can help cover basic cost-of-living expenses.
In some cases, applicants may receive retroactive SSDI benefits in a lump-sum payment. When can those with disabling medical conditions qualify for retroactive SSDI benefits?
When they delayed their application
Retroactive SSDI benefits are available for those who do not apply for SSDI as soon as they become incapable of working and qualified for benefits. If the date when an applicant became eligible for benefits was significantly before when they applied, the SSA may grant them retroactive benefits.
Typically, the maximum amount of retroactive benefits available is 12 months. Some people wait to apply as they explore medical treatment options. Some people may recover enough to begin working again. For many others, medical care simply underscores the severity of their conditions. Those who apply for benefits after they are technically eligible for them may qualify for retroactive benefits at the time of their approval.
When they have to appeal
Some applicants may also receive backdated benefits based on the time of their approval. Backdated benefits are an option when the SSA wrongfully denies an application that it later approves during an appeal.
Those who successfully appeal an SSDI determination may receive backdated benefits for the entire time they were eligible during the appeals process. Given that appeals can take longer than a year to complete in some cases, those benefits can help alleviate the financial pressure that may have accumulated during that time.
Those applying for SSDI benefits may need help handling the paperwork and optimizing the benefits that they receive. Learning more about retroactive and backdated benefits can help people secure the maximum amount of financial support possible when they can no longer work due to their health.
