After going through the lengthy process of filing for SSDI benefits, you may believe that you will receive a check in the mail as soon as you are approved. It would've been great if only it were that simple.
A benefits letter will be sent to you once a medical determination has been made in your SSDI application. After a decision is made in an applicant's case, the SSA seeks to send a Notice of Award or a Notice of Denial as soon as possible. Whether granted or denied, monthly disability compensation will decide your future steps.
If Your Disability Benefits Get Approved
If you are approved for SSDI benefits at the initial claim level, you should receive a disability award letter within a few days, unless your case has mitigating factors like workers' compensation or disability funds that claim representatives must manually enter. The amount of your monthly payment and any retroactive payments are detailed in this Notice of Award and when you can receive your first benefit payment by check or direct deposit.
Concurrent disability claims (Social Security Disability and Supplemental Security Income disability) are always sent back to the local Social Security office for a Preeffectuation Review Contact (PERC), which is a follow-up interview to review your income and resources in order to determine if you are eligible to receive a monthly disability benefit or if you are entitled to SSI benefits during the five-month waiting period.
Many disability applicants, on the other hand, receive a letter stating that they have met the medical requirements for disability, but that their claim will be sent back to their local Social Security office to see if they’re still not working above their SGA level and meet the nonmedical requirements for SSDI or SSI.
- Non-medical considerations for SSDI include whether you have recently worked and contributed to Social Security.
- Non-medical issues for SSI include calculating your earned and unearned income and your assets.
If Social Security determines that you are still eligible, it will send you a favorable Notice of Award.
If Your Disability Benefits Get Denied
If you are denied, you should receive news almost immediately, as you only have 65 days to appeal the decision from the date of the refusal. This letter, referred to as a Notice of Denial, will inform you of your right to appeal and request a hearing.
Your best alternative is to file a reconsideration request with the SSA. The reason for the denial letter should be addressed first: common reasons include insufficient documentation in your medical records, perceived failure to follow your doctor's instructions, and the belief that your disability period will not last longer than 12 months, which is one of the acceptance criteria.
Conclusion
Many people think you’ll receive an SSDI decision letter as soon as you’ve filed for disabilities. However, the reality is quite different. You’ll be getting two different Social Security disability decision letters — either an acceptance or a rejection. If you want to know more about Social Security disability, find out which conditions automatically qualify you for a disability on Disability Help today.
