SSDI Questions

adubz33

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So I just applied for SSDI after reading that we can get it while active duty. I'm towards the end half of my med board so I figured why wait until I'm out. Anyways. I'm reading that everyone is getting approved rather quickly but is getting approved the same as receiving payments? How soon after being approved will payments start being received? And if my conditions limited my duty starting May 2015 will I get back pay from SSDI or nah?
 
The process is fast tracked for AD personnel. So approval/denial can happen in less than 2 months. By law 5 full months must elapse between the day you applied and you become eligible for benefits.

In my case, I did not apply when I first became eligible, so I gave up a years worth of checks. I was too ill to realize how sick I was.

Glad you are being proactive!
 
Once your case is granted a fully favorable decision, it'll take a month or so to receive payments. SSA has different cycles of payments, IOW, they do not necessarily pay on the 1st/15th of the month as we are accustomed in the military. It goes by your date of birth I believe and could fall anywhere in between n
 
Thanks, guys. I will be watching my application closely. Hopefully it gets processed before I'm out of the military. Probably so at this rate lol
 
I get paid the day after my date of birth each month. After a statutory 5 month wait the deposits flowed flawlessly.
 
I get paid the day after my date of birth each month. After a statutory 5 month wait the deposits flowed flawlessly.
Okay good. It's definitely been 5 months since my disability "began" so I should be good in that sense. I looked up how back payments work and the SSA will back pay up to 12 months AFTER the 5 month waiting period. So basically I should get back payments from Oct 2015 to whenever my application is approved. But that's just what I understand.
 
I applied nearly one year after I was given a P3 profile and sent to the WTU. It took quite some time for me to get approved, however my claim was back dated by SSDI to my last day worked prior to getting a surgery and I was paid a 75% lump sum of back payments about 45 days after my claim was approved. Just like everyone else, there was a five month period in which benefits were not paid.
 
In my own situation, my payment is always on the 3rd Wednesday of the month.

Make sure your case manager understands the expedited process for military. I had a few arguments with my case manager about this, delaying it in the process. Then my lawyer didn't even know about it, either.
 
I'm going to go to the actual office when I get my medical records to give them. I'll make sure they know I need it expedited.
 
You receive max SSDI back-pay if you show a disabled date of 17+ months prior to application. They can only back-pay for 12 months, but if the disability began 17 months prior to application then the 5 month period will be applied against the 17, leaving a person with a full 12 months of back-pay.
 
You receive max SSDI back-pay if you show a disabled date of 17+ months prior to application. They can only back-pay for 12 months, but if the disability began 17 months prior to application then the 5 month period will be applied against the 17, leaving a person with a full 12 months of back-pay.
So basically no back pay unless the disability began greater than 17 months before application?
 
So when do you apply for SSDI, I got my P3 in 12/2015 and my MEB was completed this month. I went online but because I am on active duty I was denied due to still drawing a paycheck.
 
So when do you apply for SSDI, I got my P3 in 12/2015 and my MEB was completed this month. I went online but because I am on active duty I was denied due to still drawing a paycheck.
Unfortunately, what you are currently experiencing is a very typical response/initial result for military active duty personnel applying for SSA SSDI federal disability compensation benefits. Fortunately, this stipulation doesn't apply to military active duty service members during the initial screening process of SSA SSDI applications.

At this point, I would highly suggest that you immediately contact your local SSA Field Office to reopen the SSA SDDI application. This can be accomplished either by a walk-in basis in military duty uniform, or telephonically.

To that extent, thoroughly explain your particular situation when previously completing the online SSA SSDI application. Also, please ensure to inform them about your current military active duty status and that you are a "Wounded Warrior" in order to received expedited SSA SSDI processing.

At that point, the local SSA Field Office should setup an appointment for you to have a face-to-face meeting with a SSA representative to complete the SSDI application. If you decide to visit your local SSA Field Office, please go in military duty uniform and be fully aware that the SSA Field Office representative shall be monitoring all of your actions during the meeting and that specific information can be used either favorably or unfavorably (depending on the written context) by the SSA DDS. Take care!

Thus, I quite often comment that "possessing well-informed knowledge is truly a powerful equalizer!"

Best Wishes!
 
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So I just applied for SSDI after reading that we can get it while active duty. I'm towards the end half of my med board so I figured why wait until I'm out. Anyways. I'm reading that everyone is getting approved rather quickly but is getting approved the same as receiving payments? How soon after being approved will payments start being received? And if my conditions limited my duty starting May 2015 will I get back pay from SSDI or nah?
How did you go about applying? I'm also on the tail end of my med board. I went on the SSDI/SSI website and started to apply, but once I got to the Military service portion, it only gives me the option of putting my time of service from start date to end date....but obviously I'm still in the Service and there's no option to input still Active.
 
How did you go about applying? I'm also on the tail end of my med board. I went on the SSDI/SSI website and started to apply, but once I got to the Military service portion, it only gives me the option of putting my time of service from start date to end date....but obviously I'm still in the Service and there's no option to input still Active.

Add it to the remarks space provided if needed, also, ensure your case gets treated as wounded warrior for top priority.
 
So basically no back pay unless the disability began greater than 17 months before application?
Not necessarily. SSA can only pay a max back-pay entitlement of 12 months prior to application. So, if you apply today and they find the disability began 12 months ago you are entitled to 12 months of back-pay. However, they "take" five months towards administrative costs, etc. So you would receive 7 months of back-pay.

If you are found disabled more than 5 months prior to application you will receive some portion of back-pay. Just remember that 5 months is deducted and at no point can you receive more than 12 months of back-pay (17-5=12, or 34-5=12, or 51-5=12). Twelve months is the maximum back-pay from time of application, but if your application takes another 6 months until adjudication you also receive that six months portion.
 
I really like the information on this board. I'm at the beginning of my MEB/PEB process. I'm a Continuation On Active Duty (COAD) Soldier. I was found unfit for duty in 2008 due to wounds I received in combat. I was authorized to come back to active duty, but I had to change my MOS and relieved of some of my NORMAL Soldier duties (i.e... modified PT tests, no longer authorized to deploy, stand for more than 20 min, walk for more than one mile, etc...). I have been under a P3 profile since I left WRAMC in 2008 and still considered unfit for duty. Just yesterday they made adjustments to that profile (restricting more activities). I have been on a very limited basis going to work upon completion of my post-op x4 days hospital stay, 30 days convalescent leave and 45 days limited duty. That was due to a complete hip joint replacement (second surgery replacing hip due to combat injury) back on 03 Feb of this year. As of today, I still am on a limited duty assignment from my unit primarily because the Dr. will not provide an additional time of limited duty, but my unit realized that I can only be at work for half a day. I'm over 20 years active and trying to get my MEB/PEB started so I may retire. Sorry for all the back story, but my actual question is should I file for SSDI prior to my MEB/PEB starting or receiving my VA rating? My gut tells me to file now, I talked to a SSDI lawyer who would not take my case until I had a 100% PT from the VA. I have buddies that got SSDI while on active duty prior to separation. Unfortunately they are not around for me to ask what I should do. Any suggestions would be greatly appreciated. I'm not sure if I will get back pay, but I feel like I should. Again, thanks for any help anyone may provide.

~James~
 
I really like the information on this board. I'm at the beginning of my MEB/PEB process. I'm a Continuation On Active Duty (COAD) Soldier. I was found unfit for duty in 2008 due to wounds I received in combat. I was authorized to come back to active duty, but I had to change my MOS and relieved of some of my NORMAL Soldier duties (i.e... modified PT tests, no longer authorized to deploy, stand for more than 20 min, walk for more than one mile, etc...). I have been under a P3 profile since I left WRAMC in 2008 and still considered unfit for duty. Just yesterday they made adjustments to that profile (restricting more activities). I have been on a very limited basis going to work upon completion of my post-op x4 days hospital stay, 30 days convalescent leave and 45 days limited duty. That was due to a complete hip joint replacement (second surgery replacing hip due to combat injury) back on 03 Feb of this year. As of today, I still am on a limited duty assignment from my unit primarily because the Dr. will not provide an additional time of limited duty, but my unit realized that I can only be at work for half a day. I'm over 20 years active and trying to get my MEB/PEB started so I may retire. Sorry for all the back story, but my actual question is should I file for SSDI prior to my MEB/PEB starting or receiving my VA rating? My gut tells me to file now, I talked to a SSDI lawyer who would not take my case until I had a 100% PT from the VA. I have buddies that got SSDI while on active duty prior to separation. Unfortunately they are not around for me to ask what I should do. Any suggestions would be greatly appreciated. I'm not sure if I will get back pay, but I feel like I should. Again, thanks for any help anyone may provide.

~James~
From my experience with the SSA, it all depends on what you do in your job. If you tell them you work a 40 hour work week they're going to deny your claim, trust me. If you tell them AND get it in writing from your command that you DO NOT perform any gainful activity then you will most likely be approved once it goes up to the right people. I've been denied SSDI recently because I have to show up to work and sit at a desk for 40 hours a week. They think that's working, apparently. But yeah, I would keep trying until you get a "yes".
 
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