SSDI back pay confusion - will my husband get retroactive payment for 5-month waiting period?

The 5 month waiting period is just that - a waiting period with no benefits. You don't get back pay for those months, it sucks but that's how SS does it. The benefits start AFTER the waiting period.

The 5-month waiting period for SSDI is mandatory by law, and unfortunately, no one receives benefits for those months. It starts from your established onset date (EOD). However, your husband should receive back pay from the end of the waiting period until his first payment date. For your daughter, she's entitled to dependent benefits (generally 50% of your husband's PIA up to family maximum), and she should receive back pay for the same period your husband does - starting AFTER the 5-month waiting period through to when payments begin. Make sure you follow up with SSA about your daughter's benefits if you haven't already applied for her. They don't always process these automatically, even if they mentioned it to you.

When I went through this last year, I spent WEEKS trying to reach SSA to clarify backpay questions. Kept hitting busy signals or getting disconnected! Finally found Claimyr (claimyr.com) which got me connected to an actual SSA agent in under 30 minutes. They have a video demo showing how it works: https://youtu.be/Z-BRbJw3puU The agent confirmed exactly what I was entitled to and when it would arrive. Saved me tons of stress, especially since my backpay was significant and I needed it for medical bills.

I work with SSDI claimants every day, and there's often confusion about the 5-month waiting period. To be absolutely clear: 1. The 5-month waiting period is required by law for ALL SSDI recipients. No exceptions. 2. If your husband's onset date was July 2024, his waiting period would be July-November, making him eligible for benefits starting December 2024. 3. He should receive back pay from December 2024 to the date payments started (minus the first payment he already received). 4. Your daughter qualifies for auxiliary benefits (up to 50% of your husband's PIA, subject to the family maximum limit). 5. Her back pay should match the same period as your husband's - starting AFTER the waiting period. The back pay should come automatically, but often arrives in separate payments and sometimes weeks apart. If it's been more than 60 days since approval and you haven't received the back pay, I recommend contacting SSA.

I HATE the 5 month waiting period!!!! My husband had stage 4 cancer and we had to wait 5 months while he was dying!!! Then they had the nerve to tell me that if he died before the 5 months was up we wouldn't get ANY of his SSDI, only survivor benefits!!! THE SYSTEM IS RIGGED AGAINST US!!!!

my husband got ssdi last year and the back pay came about 3 weeks after his first regular payment. dont worry it will come but ssa is soooo slow with everything!

One thing nobody mentioned - if your husband was approved for SSDI after applying more than 5 months ago, the waiting period might have already been satisfied before approval. It runs concurrently with the application process. For example, if he applied in August 2024 with an onset date of July 2024, and wasn't approved until February 2025, the 5-month waiting period (July-November) would already be complete at approval time. Regarding your daughter, children's benefits should start the same month as the parent's benefits. Make sure they have her Social Security number on file. Sometimes they process children's benefits separately, which can delay things.

Just to clarify based on what you've shared: - Onset date: July 2024 - Waiting period: July, August, September, October, November 2024 - First month eligible: December 2024 - First payment received: About 10 days ago (mid-April 2025) You should receive backpay for December 2024 through March 2025, which is 4 months of benefits. This assumes the April payment you received was for April 2025. For your daughter, she should receive the same 4 months of backpay. Children's benefits are usually about 50% of the disabled parent's benefit, but all benefits are subject to the family maximum benefit (FMB), which caps the total amount one family can receive.

My situation almost identical to yours!!! I got SSDI approval in January, first payment in February, then waited and waited for backpay. Called SSA multiple times and always got different answers! The backpay finally showed up in my account with NO NOTICE about 6 weeks after first payment. For my son it took another 3 weeks after that. So frustrating but it does come eventually.

One other important thing to mention: backpay sometimes comes in installments if it exceeds certain amounts. However, in your case with only a few months of backpay, it should come as a single payment. Just be aware that SSDI backpay deposits don't always have clear identifiers on bank statements - sometimes they just show as "US TREASURY" deposit without specifically saying "SSDI backpay.

Something that might help while you're waiting for the backpay - keep detailed records of all the payments you receive and their dates. I created a simple spreadsheet tracking every deposit from SSA because their payment schedule can be confusing, especially when backpay and regular benefits arrive at different times. Also, once you get your daughter's benefits sorted out, make sure to ask SSA about setting up a Representative Payee account if she's under 18. Sometimes they require this for children's benefits, and it's easier to set up proactively than to deal with payment holds later. The waiting is the worst part, but based on everyone else's experiences here, it sounds like your backpay should arrive soon. Hang in there!

I went through something very similar with my wife's SSDI approval last year. Based on what you've shared, you should definitely receive backpay for December 2024 through March 2025 (4 months) for your husband, and the same period for your daughter's auxiliary benefits. One thing I learned the hard way - don't assume the backpay will arrive automatically just because you got your first regular payment. In our case, I had to call SSA after 8 weeks to inquire about the missing backpay, and they told me there was some kind of processing delay on their end. The call seemed to "unstick" whatever was holding it up, because the backpay arrived within 2 weeks of that conversation. Also, when your daughter's benefits do start coming, they'll be on the same payment schedule as your husband's - typically the 3rd Wednesday of each month based on his birth date. The children's benefits don't come on a separate schedule, which was something I was confused about initially. Keep pushing SSA for updates if you don't see the backpay soon. You've already waited long enough during the application process!

I've been helping families navigate SSDI for over a decade, and your situation is very typical. Based on your husband's July 2024 onset date, you're absolutely entitled to backpay from December 2024 through March 2025 - that's 4 months for both your husband and daughter. A few practical tips while you wait: 1. Backpay typically arrives 2-8 weeks after the first regular payment, so you're still within normal timeframes 2. Your daughter's benefits will be around 50% of your husband's PIA (Primary Insurance Amount), but the total family benefit is capped at the Family Maximum Benefit 3. Children's backpay often processes separately and can arrive days or weeks after the primary beneficiary's backpay If you don't see anything by early May, definitely call SSA. Sometimes there are processing hiccups that require a nudge. Also, make sure they have your daughter's correct SSN and birth certificate on file - missing documentation is a common cause of delays for auxiliary benefits. The medical equipment expenses you mentioned might qualify for certain assistance programs while you wait. Your local Area Agency on Aging might have resources, even though your husband isn't elderly - they often help with disability-related equipment needs too.

I went through this exact same situation with my brother's SSDI approval last year. The waiting period is definitely frustrating - those 5 months with no benefits are just gone, unfortunately. But the good news is that your husband should absolutely receive backpay from December 2024 (when his waiting period ended) through March 2025. In our case, the backpay took about 5 weeks to arrive after the first regular payment, and it came as one lump sum. Your daughter's auxiliary benefits should follow the same timeline - she'll get backpay for the same 4-month period, usually at about 50% of your husband's benefit amount. One thing that helped us was calling the SSA 800 number around week 6 to check on the status. The representative was able to confirm that the backpay was "in processing" and gave us a rough timeline. Sometimes that call seems to help move things along too. Document everything - payment dates, amounts, and any conversations with SSA. You'll want those records for your own peace of mind and in case there are any discrepancies later. The system is slow, but the money should definitely come!

Just wanted to add my experience since it sounds very similar to yours. My husband was approved for SSDI in February with an onset date of August 2023. His waiting period was August through December 2023, so he was entitled to backpay starting January 2024. The backpay came exactly 6 weeks after his first regular payment, and it was substantial since he had over a year of backpay coming. For our two kids (ages 9 and 12), their auxiliary benefits backpay arrived about 10 days after his did. One thing I wish someone had told me - the backpay might be subject to attorney fees if you used a disability lawyer, and they'll deduct those automatically before sending you the payment. Also, depending on the amount, you might owe taxes on some of the backpay since it's considered income for the year you receive it, even though it's for prior years. Since your husband's waiting period ended in December 2024 and you just got the first payment, you should be looking at 4 months of backpay (December-March). That should be a nice chunk to help with those medical equipment costs. Hang in there - the wait is awful but the money will come!

I'm new to this community but going through something similar with my wife's SSDI application. Reading through everyone's experiences here has been incredibly helpful! We're still waiting on approval, but this gives me a much better understanding of what to expect with the waiting period and backpay process. One question - for those who mentioned calling SSA to check on backpay status, is there a specific number or department that's better to call? I've heard the main 800 number can have really long wait times. Also, when you call, do you need any specific information beyond SSN and claim number? Thanks to everyone for sharing their experiences. It's so valuable to hear real timelines and what actually happens versus what the official SSA materials say (which aren't always clear).

I'm going through a very similar situation right now! My dad was approved for SSDI last month with an onset date from September 2024, so his waiting period should end in February 2025. We're still waiting for his first payment to arrive, but reading through everyone's experiences here has been so reassuring. The explanation about the 5-month waiting period not being paid is disappointing but at least now I understand how it works. It does seem really unfair that people who can't work have to go 5 months with no support, especially when you're already dealing with medical bills and can't earn income. For those who mentioned keeping detailed records - that's such good advice! I've started a spreadsheet tracking all our communications with SSA and important dates. The whole process has been overwhelming but this community is making it feel much more manageable. Summer, I hope your backpay comes through soon! It sounds like you should be getting it any day now based on everyone's timelines.

I'm going through this exact same process right now and this thread has been incredibly helpful! My husband was just approved for SSDI after an 18-month battle, and like you, we're trying to figure out the backpay situation. Based on everything I've read here and from talking to our disability attorney, it sounds like you should definitely expect that 4-month backpay (December 2024 through March 2025) for both your husband and daughter. The waiting is absolutely nerve-wracking though, especially when you need the money for medical expenses. One thing our lawyer mentioned that I haven't seen discussed much here - if the backpay amount is over $5,000, SSA sometimes splits it into installments over multiple months rather than one lump sum. Not sure if that applies to your situation, but might be worth knowing about. Also, I wanted to echo what others said about calling SSA around the 6-8 week mark if you haven't seen anything yet. Our lawyer said that sometimes the backpay gets "stuck" in their system and a phone call can help move it along. The whole process is so frustrating but at least we're not alone in dealing with it! Fingers crossed your backpay arrives soon - you've definitely waited long enough!

I've been helping people navigate SSDI for years, and your situation is completely normal! You're absolutely right to expect backpay - the 5-month waiting period is unpaid, but you should receive benefits from December 2024 through March 2025 (4 months) for both your husband and daughter. A few things that might help while you wait: 1. Backpay timing varies widely - I've seen it arrive anywhere from 3-10 weeks after the first payment 2. Your daughter's auxiliary benefits will be around 50% of your husband's benefit amount 3. The payments often arrive separately, sometimes weeks apart 4. If you don't see anything by 8 weeks, definitely call SSA One tip: when the backpay does arrive, it might just show as "US TREASURY" on your bank statement without clearly identifying it as SSDI backpay, so keep an eye out for any unexpected deposits. The medical equipment expenses are tough to manage while waiting. You might want to check with local disability resource centers or even contact the equipment suppliers - some offer payment plans or temporary assistance programs while you're waiting for backpay. Hang in there - the money is coming, SSA is just notoriously slow with processing!

I've been through this exact situation with my own SSDI approval last year, and I can confirm what others have said - you won't get paid for the 5-month waiting period, but you should definitely receive backpay from December 2024 through March 2025 for both your husband and your daughter. One thing that really helped me was setting up online banking alerts for any deposits over a certain amount. That way I got notified immediately when the backpay hit my account (it came as "US TREASURY" like others mentioned). The backpay arrived about 7 weeks after my first regular payment, so you're still well within the normal timeframe. For your daughter's benefits, make sure SSA has all her documentation - sometimes they need updated school enrollment verification or other paperwork that can delay the auxiliary benefits processing. The children's benefits are usually processed separately and can take longer than the primary beneficiary's backpay. Also, if you're struggling with medical equipment costs while waiting, many suppliers will work with you if you can show proof of your SSDI approval. I was able to get a payment plan for a wheelchair by showing my approval letter, even before the backpay arrived. Don't be afraid to ask - the worst they can say is no, but many understand the SSDI payment delays and are willing to help. The waiting is absolutely the worst part of this whole process, but based on your timeline, you should see that backpay very soon!