It takes time and effort on your part, but you eventually do get approved for Social Security Disability (SSD) benefits. What you’re wondering, almost immediately, is when the payments actually start. When will you get the money they approved for you? When does that coverage begin? Could it be prior to your approval date?
Per the Social Security Administration’s official regulations, your payments will begin for the “sixth full month” after the start of your disability.
For instance, perhaps you suffered an injury leading to disability on June 20, 2019. If so, your initial benefits would cover December of 2019. June does not count, as it was not a full month. The first full month was July, followed by August, September and October. You then have to get through November and December before you have gone through six months.
On top of that, do not expect payment on December 1, just because that is the sixth full month. When the SSA owes you for a month, they pay out the next month. That payment covering December — the first payment you will get — would not come until January of 2020. The next payment, covering the month of January, would arrive in February.
By the time you get approved, you may already be well over the six-month mark, meaning you get paid relatively quickly.
This process can be complicated and it is important for you to know exactly what to expect every step of the way. Make sure you take the time to look into your legal rights and all of the options you have.
