If you make a strong enough case for your disability that you are granted a favorable decision, you might wonder exactly what happens next.
A common question asked is whether you have to visit a Social Security Office or fill out any more forms to start receiving benefits. The answer is no: The SSA will automatically process your claim and begin sending you benefits. However, if you have children who were minors (or under 19 but still in high school) after your “date of entitlement,” you will need to submit an application for them to receive benefits as well.
It typically takes two to six weeks for back benefits to be issued and for monthly benefits to begin in an SSD case, assuming that no SSI case was also filed. If an SSI application was filed, it might take considerably longer.
The processing times can vary widely, however. In some cases, it has been known to take as long as three months for back benefits to be paid. If it takes more than 90 days for back benefits to be issued, it’s possible that there was a system mix-up or bureaucratic glitch at some level. In that case, your disability attorney will know how to deal with delayed benefits.
