by Blaize Shepherd

Created on: January 13, 2009

Generally speaking, it takes a while to get a disability benefit claim approved. You have to be unable to work for at least a full year prior to getting approved for benefits in most cases. So what happens when it finally gets approved?

The first thing that happens depends entirely on whether or not it took a judicial hearing to get approved and whether or not an attorney was involved. It also depends on whether or not you have worked in the past, are only eligible for Social Security Supplemental income or eligible for a combination of both SSD and SSI.

If you did not have a hearing and you have been disabled for a year, once it is approved, the Social Security Administration will call you up and schedule an appointment to come in for an interview. If you are unable to come into the office personally, they will arrange a telephone interview.

This interview is to update your information with regard to how many are living in your household, what expenses you pay and if a child under 18 is dependent on you for support. It is also to set up direct deposit information or decide if you want a check mailed to you. Often they will go over any back pay amounts that are due to you and if eligible for Medicare, set up that information as well. There are a few forms to fill out and sign, so if your interview is over the phone, they will mail these to you and you send them back.

Once this information is received, they will usually verbally tell you when you will begin to start receiving benefits. They also mail this to you in writing. In most cases within 30 days, you receive your regular check. If you have waited a long time to get approved, they will owe you back payments and this will get sent to you after you begin to receive your regular monthly benefit. Back payments, in the past used to be all paid to you at once.

They have implemented new rules, so that back payments are divided and split into three increments. The first two increments being the larger of the three payments with the remaining balance for the last. With the back payments, the first two are spaced six months apart and the final comes between three and six months after that.

If you can prove to the Social Security Administration that your financial need is severe or medically neccessary, they will sometimes, give you your back payment all at once or divide it into two payments. This doesn't happen very often, though and you must provide them documented proof of the great financial burden or medical necessity.

If

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