When Do Social Security Benefits Begin?

03/19/09

Q: Who qualifies for social security benefits when on disability?

A: There are several criteria that determine whether or not an injury makes a person eligible for social security benefits. When you were injured, you had to have been in the workforce and covered by insurance. To qualify, you need to have been in the workforce for at least five of the past ten years. It is required that your job was covered by Social Security. You must be younger than the retirement age in order to receive social security benefits via the disability program. Lastly, you must demonstrate that your injury will not allow you to work for at least a year. The Social Security Administration does not extend benefits to individuals with partial or short term disabilities.

Q: When will social security benefits stop?

A: Social security benefits will continue until a person no longer suffers from the medical condition that made him unable to work. The payments would end the second month after the injury is no longer present. Social security benefits would also end if a person reaches retirement age and is eligible for retirement benefits. Disability benefits would be converted to retirement benefits. Social Security will conduct reviews of your file periodically to determine if your medical condition has changed. You do not, however, need to reapply for disability benefits, if the status of your injury and employment has not changed.

If a person has been notified of approval, when will he receive his first payment for social security benefits?

A: A person must be out of the workforce due to the medical condition for a minimum of five months before social security benefits can begin. Ideally, in that sixth month, a qualified individual would start receiving benefits. If you are still awaiting initial approval, it is difficult to predict when you will receive notice of a decision. The thing that usually affects how long it takes to process an application is the wait for medical records. If it takes a while to receive requested medical records, the disability examiner assigned to your case must wait until he receives them to approve or your deny your application. Most applications are reviewed and the claimant notified of a decision within four months.

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