Disability determination processing time (2024)

FAQs

Disability determination processing time? ›

DDS

Here is how long it could take: Initial application. The average response time for the SSA to reach a decision after you apply for SSDI benefits is three to four months, but this time period could be extended to up to eight months.

How long does it take to make a decision? Generally, it takes about three to five months to get a decision. However, the exact time depends on how long it takes to get your medical records and any other evidence needed to make a decision.

One common question many SSDI applicants have is whether approvals take longer than denials. The short answer is “no.” There's no difference between the amount of time a denial or approval will take, but every applicant is different, so it's difficult to predict how long you can expect before being approved or denied.

How Far Back Will SSDI Cover? Minus the five-month waiting period, you should receive back payments for any delays. The maximum SSDI will provide in back payments is 12 months. Your disability would have to start 12 months before you applied to receive the maximum in SSDI benefits.

What Is the Most Approved Disability? Arthritis and other musculoskeletal system disabilities make up the most commonly approved conditions for social security disability benefits. This is because arthritis is so common. In the United States, over 58 million people suffer from arthritis.

One of the biggest mistakes you can make with your claim is not being organized with your SSDI filing. According to the SSA, “if you fail to provide the Social Security office with requested documentation or fail to show up to your scheduled medical exams, your claim will be denied.”

Generally, if your application for Social Security Disability Insurance (SSDI) is approved, you must wait five months before you can receive your first SSDI benefit payment. This means you would receive your first payment in the sixth full month after the date we find that your disability began.

How long does it take to get a SSDI award letter? ›

When the Social Security Administration approves your application to receive Social Security Disability Benefit payments, you will receive a Social Security Benefits Award Letter, which usually arrives between 1-3 months after the decision.

To qualify for a 100 percent TDIU rating, the Veteran must have one disability rated at 60 percent or higher or two or more disabilities that have a combined rating of at least 70 percent, with one rated at 40 percent or higher.

For those with less work history and less consistent work history, the amount of approval for social security disability (SSDI) will be lower. For 2021, monthly payments can range all the way from $100 per month to $3,148 per month.

On average, 35% of claimants get approved on the first application, 10% get approved if they appeal a denial of their application which is called a reconsideration, and approximately 50% get approved during an Administrative Law Judge hearing.