Frequently Asked Questions: Benefits & Qualifying

When Do Disability Insurance Benefits Start?

Once you are approved by the Social Security Administration (SSA), which could take anywhere from three months to over two years, your coverage will commence for either SSDI or SSI. If you are approved for SSI disability benefits, your monthly benefit payments will start right away.

If you are approved for Social Security Disability Insurance benefits, there is a waiting period of five full months from your established onset date, the day that the SSA determines you were disabled, before your payments will start. This doesn’t mean the approval date, however – if your approval occurs more than 5 full months after your onset date, you need not wait. Please note that any back pay and retroactive pay you are owed will also be awarded at the time of approval.


If you can’t work because of a chronic disease or long term injury, you may qualify for SSDI or SSI benefits!

disability couple on laptop

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