Only 30% of North Carolina claimants are approved for SSD or SSI in the initial application process. Although you may be struggling with finances following an injury or onset of a disability, the Social Security Administration (SSA) can take months or years to approve your claim. Back pay (or back payments) refers to Social Security disability benefits you would have received if your claim was approved immediately. If you apply for disability benefits in North Carolina and get approved, your back pay will be based on the following factors.
Were You Approved For SSD or SSI?
The type of back payments you are eligible for depends on the kind of benefits you are receiving. Suppose you are approved for Title II Social Security disability benefits. In that case, you can obtain back payments from the time of your original application date. However, you may also receive benefits for the 12 months before your application date. These are known as retroactive benefits.
SSI disability benefits begin to accrue from the date that you filed your initial application. Sometimes the waiting period is longer if an administrative law judge must decide your case. So even though you may have been living on minimal resources for months, you may not receive your back pay immediately after your claim is approved. Also, SSI back pay is only paid incrementally, meaning you won’t receive all of your back pay in a lump sum.
How Long Did It Take For Your Benefits To Be Approved?
How long it took for your case to be approved makes a considerable difference in the amount of your back payment, since the longer your case has been pending, the more you will have established in built-up back payments.
If your claim was approved at the initial level, you will not receive a large back payment unless your application took a while to process. Though, most disability claims are processed between three and four months.
However, if you have to go through the application stage, reconsideration appeal stage, and disability hearing stage, then you will most likely be owed a substantial amount in past-due benefits or back pay.
The Amount of Back Payments You Receive Can Vary
Generally, your back pay amount is a calculation of your monthly benefit amount and how many months you were entitled to payment before you were approved for benefits. Remember, backpay is not guaranteed. Even though you may have been living on minimal financial resources for months, you might not receive back payments immediately after your claim is approved. You can be approved for disability payments in the future without receiving an award for back pay or retroactive disability benefits.
Watch as Social Security disability attorney, Eric Goodale, further explains how much back pay people in North Carolina can receive for Social Security disability:
A qualified Social Security disability lawyer can help determine if you are eligible to receive back pay or retroactive disability benefits before applying for SSI or SSDI. An attorney can also provide invaluable help in establishing a favorable onset date so that you are awarded the most back pay possible.
Need Help Receiving SSD or SSI Benefits? Contact Us Today.
If you are unable to work and would like to apply for disability benefits, contact the experienced Social Security disability attorneys at Henson Fuerst for assistance. Your chances of having your claim approved increase greatly when you have a disability lawyer representing you. Contact us today at (919) 781-1107 or complete a free initial consultation form.
