The onset date of your disability is important for determining how much you can receive in Social Security Disability (SSD) benefits. That’s because, once you qualify for benefits, you can receive “back pay” for benefits that you didn’t receive when you first became disabled.
It can take a long time to qualify for disability benefits and the receipt of this “back pay” is meant to take into account the fact that you missed out on vital financial assistance that you should have been receiving in the past.
How does the Social Security Administration determine your “date of onset?”
The Social Security Administration (SSA) calculates your “date of onset” by looking at your work history, medical records and other important evidence that indicates when you became too ill or injured to work. Here are the three categories of information you’ll want to focus on:
Your personal account
You’ll want to make a personal statement in writing that you will include on your Disability Report. This will state when your disability began and the nature and extent of your disability.
Your work history
You’ll want to also include proof of when you stopped working. The local SSA office will complete a Work Activity Report that indicates the last time you were employed
Your medical and other evidence
Your medical documents will also serve as evidence to show when you became too disabled to continue your work activities. Based on medical and other documentation, the SSA can arrive at an estimate of your “date of onset.”
If you have questions about your eligibility for SSD benefits, our law office is available to give you perspective on the unique facts that pertain to your situation.
