When to Apply There are no application deadlines when applying for Social Security Disability. A protective filing date is given on the date of the initial contact with SSA, which can be done over the phone, in person, or online. For example, the date that an applicant starts their online application will be considered their protective filing date and not the date that the application is submitted. Also, contacting the SSA field office to set up a phone interview will count as their protective filing date and not the date the interview actually occurs. For example, if a claimant applies for benefits on March 30th, benefits on an allowed claim would begin in April. This is why protective filing dates are so important, because delaying for a few days to file could possibly cost the applicant a whole month of benefits. If the applicant in this scenario waited two days until April 1st to apply, an allowed claim would not have a benefit effective date until May. Again, the application does not need to be submitted on March 30th; rather, the claimant needs to only secure a protective filing date by beginning the application, calling SSA, or stopping in to a local office. These benefits can be retroactive up to one year prior to the date of the application. The five month waiting period also impacts retroactivity, and benefits can never be retroactive before the onset date. For example: It is currently April 2011. A claimant has been awarded SSDI benefits with an onset date of July 2010. Accounting for the five month waiting period, cash benefits would begin in December 2010. Therefore, the claimant would receive three months of retroactive payments: January, February, and March. How to Apply Claimants have a variety of ways that they can apply for SSA Disability benefits. The most common and preferred way is to complete the online application, and this is the quickest method. The online application has been completed, and the claimant will now need to complete the Adult Disability Report. SSI Application Generally, an SSI application is completed over the phone with a Claims Representative at the Social Security Administration. Once the application is submitted online, the applicant will be contacted to set up an appointment for that interview. This application will focus on asset information, living arrangements, and household income. Listed below are some commonly utilized forms that individuals moving through the Disability claim process should be familiar with. SSA-827 Authorization to Disclose Information to the Social Security Administration This form is required to be submitted at each stage of the disability application: initial, reconsideration, and ALJ. By signing this form, the claimant is giving SSA and the Disability Determination Bureau permission to speak with the person named on the form. The appointed representative will receive all mailed correspondence that the claimant receives. The appointed representative is not allowed to make decisions for the claimant, but they are provided all the pertinent information about their case to help them make decisions throughout the process. An appropriate time to complete this form would be an advocate that is working with a claimant that is homeless or does not have a telephone, making them difficult for SSA to reach. The appointed representative is also responsible for meeting all filing and appeal deadlines. What Happens After the Application is Submitted Once a claimant has completed their application it will be sent to their local Social Security field office for case development. Often this date does not match the onset date the claimant supplied when they completed their application. This generally happens four to six weeks after the initial submission of the application. Once the case is assigned to an examiner, or a Disability Specialist, the claimant will receive a letter indicating his or her name and phone number. The information required on each form is listed below. This consultative exam provides additional medical information for an examiner to make that decision. Application Status Throughout the application process, claimants can feel free to contact their examiner to check on the status of their application. The examiner can give the claimant information on information that they are missing and where the claim is in the process. In order to use this application, claimants will need to know both their Social Security number and their confirmation number, which is the application number they received when they started the application. Approval Process The approval process for disability benefits can be very confusing. The following contains some basic information about the basic approval process and how it applies to both SSI and SSDI allowances. SSDI checks are also like paychecks, so payments are for the previous month. Back payments come in one check and can take 3-4 months after the claimant receives their first monthly check. Often this payment is received before any written notification that the claimant is even entitled to the funds. If it is directly deposited into an account, the money will just appear, which can be confusing to the claimant. At that point the claimant can either wait to get their written correspondence, or they can call SSA to verify the back payment. It should also be noted that SSDI payments are processed in Baltimore, MD. This payment process often takes longer than if the individual has SSI only. SSI is administered by the applicants home state of residency. SSI Only SSI is processed locally, so the payment process occurs fairly quickly. Once the claimant is found approved, the check should arrive the following month. The back payment will come relatively quickly; however, SSA can only pay three months of pack pay at a time. SSDI and SSI Eligible Many claimants are eligible for both SSI and SSDI. Some people are only initially eligible until their SSDI payments begin, while others remain eligible for both programs. Examples of each situation are listed below. A claimant might even receive back payment under SSI. However, SSA will determine how much the claimant has been paid already and will then determine if SSDI should pay the claimant more or if they have been paid enough. Since the claimant is receiving payments from both programs, they would be required to meet the asset limits of SSI. Since there is no asset limit for SSDI, that payment would continue. Household income is also considered if there is a working spouse or if the claimant is working, and this additional income could also alter the amount of benefits that they are awarded. Denials Approximately two thirds of all initial applications are denied by Social Security and the Disability Determination Bureau. This initial decision can be appealed by filing a Request for Reconsideration. However, the appeal must be filed within 60 days of the date on the denial letter.