How Much Will I Get as Social Security Disability Benefits?

If you’ve received a favorable decision in your claim for Social Security disability benefits, you probably want to know how the decision will affect your finances. You may wonder how far back your benefits will go or what the amount of your monthly benefits will be. If you have these questions, contact Tennessee disability lawyer Mark Skelton for a free claim evaluation.

Your disability benefits don’t start on the date when the Social Security Administration (SSA) found that you qualify as disabled — rather, your benefits will apply retroactively to an earlier date, which is also known as the “date of entitlement” for your claim. The SSA may set your date as twelve months before the date of your application for benefits, as Social Security regulations prohibit the accrual of back benefits for longer than a twelve-month period before the filing date for your application. Alternatively, the SSA can set the date at five months after the date when the SSA determined you to be disabled, if this date is later than the previous twelve-month mark.

If you have a Tennessee disability lawyer, you should discuss the amount of your monthly benefits with your attorney or look at the number stated in your Social Security file. The file should reflect that amount of benefits to be paid during your first month of receiving benefits. As your file progresses, the SSA also might recalculate your monthly benefit amount to account for additional earnings that weren’t posted yet when the SSA made its original calculation. You may also receive an adjusted payment amount to account for cost of living increases.

You should expect to receive a Notice of Award, which is a written notice from the SSA explaining your disability benefits, around the same time as youreceive the payment of your back benefits or your first regular payment. The Notice of Award must include many types of financial information and accounting related to your benefits. You should note any information given about when you might need to have a continuing disability review.

If you don’t understand your Notice of Award, you should seek further information or contact a Tennessee disability lawyer immediately.