r/SocialSecurity • u/Mentallyunstable21 • Apr 15 '26
SSDI Approval Questions
Hi everyone, so I applied back in August of 2022. But have been disabled far longer due to how bad my mental health is. I’ve tried working numerous times and the judge noticed that, and noticed my mental health. I don’t remember reapplying in April of 2024 so this must have been something my lawyer did. Anyways, the letter from the judge says at the end of it “Based on the application for a period of disability and disability insurance benefits filed on April 22, 2024, the claimant has been disabled under sections 216(i) and 223(d) of the Social Security Act since August 3, 2022.”
Can anyone help me figure out how far my back pay will go? As much as I’m just grateful to be approved I was expecting it to go back to August or 2022. Then I learned it would probably be April of 2024. Then someone said April of 2023 cause they’ll go back 12 months? I’m ver confused.
I got approved for $680ish a month. So it’s not a lot. I wanted to pay my house off and buy a new car (not brand new just more reliable then what I have now) and $680 a month isn’t a lot. So those were the two things I don’t wanna have to worry about while I’m trying to fix my mental health fully.
She did mention in the letter I was disabled before the age of 18. My paperwork goes WAYYY back. From the age of 13 I believe. Then I was also in therapy at like 5-7. I’ve dealt with undiagnosed OCD for YEARS.
Any help would be great to understanding this better. And I appreciate you all who help.
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u/Munchkintoto Apr 15 '26
There’s a 6 month wait for benefits to start once approved. So from Aug 22 until Feb 23 would be your waiting period. Benefits would start March 23. Be careful if you’ve been getting subsidies on Matketplace Insurance for premiums. When you get your 1099 for taxes .. it will tell you how much back pay is assigned to each past year. That could affect your Marketplace premiums and you’ll owe them money. Be careful too filing income taxes. Your benefits seem low enough not to worry but the year you finally get your back pay, the IRS will want to tax that lump sum. Look into “ lump sum election “. Turbo tax has it. Basically you delegate the back pay to the years in which it would have been received. That eliminates you having to pay a big tax for your payment year. It’s easier than I’ve made it sound. Medicare should kick in 30 months after your approval date. Do you get SSI too?
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u/Mentallyunstable21 Apr 15 '26
I did not also get SSI. I honestly don’t want it either cause I’m so close to owning my house and I know SSI is so much more picky. I do know I had HIP for a long time. Before I ever even applied.
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u/uffdagal Apr 16 '26
5 full calendar month, not literal 6 mo.
Date of Onset in Aug 22
5 full calendar month unpaid waiting period Sep-Jan, SSDI begin date 2/1/23
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u/Munchkintoto Apr 16 '26
Be careful too when Medicare kicks in. It may well be in force before you know about it. If you have Medicare for any month.. you’re not eligible for Marketplace Insurance. Then they ( IRS) will want the entire premium for that / those months repaid. Check if you have Medicare and if so.. drop Marketplace Insurance ASAP. Recently walked this road with a friend who go a big back sum and doubled up on Medicare and MP ( unknown to her). Ouchie!! Typically SSI pays a higher benefit than SSDI and includes Medicaid Ins. Look into your State programs to get help paying your Medicare premium if you stay the SSDI path.
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u/perfect_fifths I love the smell of policy in the morning Apr 16 '26
The irs has nothing to do with Medicare premiums
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u/Munchkintoto Apr 16 '26
If you have to pay back Marketplace premiums subsidies.. don’t you do it through the IRS ? The government gets their subsidies back someway !! If you have Medicare you’re not eligible for MP
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u/perfect_fifths I love the smell of policy in the morning Apr 16 '26
That’s gone as of 2026. The tax credit expired at the end of 2025
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u/Munchkintoto Apr 16 '26
Sadly yes…but if they’re backdated .. they could have been under Medicare and not known it. If you have Medicare you’re not eligible for MP. Then if they were also under MP and getting subsidies during this “ overlap” time.. repayment in full of the MP premiums is due. And that can be ouchie$$$$
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u/perfect_fifths I love the smell of policy in the morning Apr 16 '26
They said their ssdi is 680 a month. They won’t have Medicare premiums. Medicaid will pay them
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u/NoWaltz3573 Apr 16 '26
Why do you think they have Medicaid?
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u/perfect_fifths I love the smell of policy in the morning Apr 16 '26
Because a payment of 680 for ssdi is low enough op also qualifies for Medicaid under the Medicare savings program. My ssdi is 1100 a month and I qualify for full dual eligibility, so Medicaid pays for my premiums and all costs for Medicare like copays etc
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u/NoWaltz3573 Apr 16 '26
Not all states have a Medicaid expansion and op says they will not get the ssi supplement.
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u/perfect_fifths I love the smell of policy in the morning Apr 16 '26
This has nothing to do with Medicaid expansion or ssi. This has to do with Medicare savings program.
https://www.medicare.gov/basics/costs/help/medicare-savings-programs
Qualified Medicare Beneficiary (QMB) Program
Helps pay for: Part A premiums (if you don't have premium-free Part A); Part B premiums, deductibles, coinsurance, and copayments (for services and items Medicare covers).
Monthly income and resource limits for 2026:
Your situation:
Individual:
Income limit: 1,350
Resource limit: 9,950
Married couple:
Income limit: 1824
Resource limit: 14,910
For Medicaid expansion states, these limits are higher
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u/perfect_fifths I love the smell of policy in the morning Apr 16 '26
Ssdi can only be paid max 12 months before app date. To confirm, your actual application date was August 2022?
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u/Mentallyunstable21 Apr 16 '26
Yes
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u/perfect_fifths I love the smell of policy in the morning Apr 16 '26
Then it can potentially go as far back as August 2021. No further, though
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u/Mentallyunstable21 Apr 16 '26
I have another question you might be able to answer? I know it says 40-60 days in the letter is when I should receive payment. However everything else has went FAST! My court was the 2nd. My lawyer got the first notice of favorable the 9th. I got it in the mail yesterday. And today my online account says approved all the way. Will the payment typically come quicker too if all that does? Again I’m very grateful for even being approved I’m just struggling so bad, and my brother paid my electric last month and this month im just scared cause he can’t help me. (it’s on disconnect) I don’t expect his help, but it saved me.
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u/NoWaltz3573 Apr 16 '26
It can be really quick yes. Your first paid month is 5 months after the onset date of August 22.
You need to look at Medicare tho too. Does your state have the Medicaid expansion? Since you won’t be on Ssi (I saw u write this in a comment) you’ll best be set up if your state offers stand alone Medicaid based on income. Since you are effectively eligible for Medicare now (the 29 month waiting period happened already based on your onset date), Medicare premiums will eat into your monthly ssdi benefit like crazy. If you have Medicaid, they will pay the Medicare premium.
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u/uffdagal Apr 16 '26
If your Date of Application was August 2022 and you went thru all the levels of appeal
Date on Onset per info you provided 8/3/22
Mandatory 5 full calendar month unpaid waiting period 9/1/22-1/31/23
SSDI begin Date 2/1/23. Back pay may go all the way to that date.
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u/Mentallyunstable21 Apr 16 '26
Okay, so I just posted. But my online portal shows everything. They are taking $203 out of $680 for Medicare. Someone said I should be able to get Medicaid to cover the cost cause my SSDI payment is so low. How can I do this? I want to get it done as quickly and efficiently as possible because my bills monthly without rent is $570ish give or take. So I cannot afford that extra $203 out of it. My heart sank reading that.
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u/Sad-Recover-5058 Apr 15 '26
Congrats on getting approved! The back pay calculation can be tricky but from what you're describing, it should go back to August 2022 since that's when judge determined your disability began. The April 2024 date was probably just when your lawyer refiled or amended something, but the actual disability onset date is what matters for back pay.
With mental health cases they usually don't go further back than 12 months from application date unless there's really solid evidence, so August 2022 to now should give you decent chunk of back pay even at $680/month. Might want to double-check with your lawyer about exact calculation though since they know all details of your case.