Have you recently suffered an injury or a medical condition that has left you disabled? Is your state severe enough that you cannot return to work for a minimum of a year? You are not alone.
According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, or CDC, approximately 61 million adults in the U.S. have some kind of disability. Social Security Disability Insurance, or SSDI, is government assistance meant to aid individuals like you, regardless of age. You may already be aware of this and in the process of applying. If so, you may be wondering how long you will have to wait for approval and to begin receiving benefits.
Time until rejection or acceptance
The amount of of time until you receive a denial or acceptance of your application is not set. It depends on a variety of factors, including how long it takes for retrieval of medical evidence and the type of disability. If your application undergoes a quality review or the Social Security office must have you go through a medical exam also matters. Applying online may speed up the process by eliminating the need for appointments and travel. The usual wait time is about three to five months.
Time until benefits arrive
Even after Social Security confirms your eligibility, you must wait five months so they can determine that your infirmity is actually long-term. The first payment will not arrive until the sixth full month after your disability started.
Compassionate Allowances
Social Security may expedite your application process through the Compassionate Allowances program. This occurs if your impairment is of such severity that you obviously meet the Social Security criteria for disability.
There is some wait time for both application approval and benefit collection. Sending in pertinent information promptly may help lower it for the former.
