Your Social Security Disability is Approved! But – Where is Your Back Pay?
Social Security takes a long time to make a decision on disability claims. You filed your claim and had to wait months or even years before you got your approval letter.
Finally! Your monthly Social Security Disability checks start, but time passes and where is your back pay? You contact your local Social Security office and you still don’t get your back pay.
Social Security has two disability programs-regular Social Security Disability and SSI Disability (based on need). You may not know that when you filed for disability you actually filed for both programs, even if you did not qualify for the SSI Disability needs program. Social Security has to process both claims. This can cause a real delay before any of your back pay is released. It can, and usually, takes months before you see your money.
If you used an attorney to help you get your disability, he or she will probably not help you once your checks start. They work for you until your claim is approved and they are paid. Social Security pays attorneys very quickly and once paid, attorneys usually tell you it will take time-even months–before the release of your back pay. You are usually alone trying to get your money.
Social Security has two procedures they can use to release money to you fairly quickly. If you are in financial need, (and after waiting so long, who wouldn’t be?) they can actually write you a check. They can also expedite a payment of some or all of your back pay even if your back pay amount is still being processed. Social Security Advice Online has been contacted by many individuals throughout the country telling us that Social Security will not help them, because they are receiving regular monthly checks. Of course they can help you. They just won’t help you.
For more information about how your local Social Security office can release some or all of your back pay quickly, go to our guide screen (see tab above named “Guides”.) Click here to see the guide “Getting Your Back Pay-Know Your Rights”, that will tell you what Social Security Advice Online can do to help you get your money when your local Social Security office will not release it to you. If you cannot get your money, we can help you.
