YOU WIN YOUR SSDI CLAIM - HOW LONG DOES IT TAKE TO GET PAID?

You've waited for months, maybe years, to get before a judge and win your Social Security disability claim. The judge has finally awarded you a fully favorable decision. When will you be paid?

After the hearing, the judge will complete a form and write some notes about your decision. These will passed along to a Decision Writer, who will type the decision into a formal decision. This isn't a simple matter. When you receive the decision in the mail 3 to 6 weeks later, it will probably contain between 6 and 10 pages. The first thing you look for is the top line of page 1. It should read in large letters

NOTICE OF DECISION - FULLY FAVORABLE

This Notice of Decision simply states the reasons you have been found Disabled. The judge's rationale will be fully explained. This letter will not mention how much your benefit will be or when you will receive it.

In about 2 or 3 weeks after you receive the Notice of Decision, Social Security will send you a series of additional letters. They will detail (1) What your monthly benefit will be in dollars, (2) when your monthly benefits will be paid each month, (3) how much your back pay is going to be, and (4) the approximate date your back pay will arrive.

From the day of your hearing, it can typically take 30 to 60 days to get your back pay. Rarely, it can take longer. But unless there are complications, you should have your pay within about 60 days. Remember, there are no deadlines on Social Security; they can take as long as they need to process payments.

CHILDREN'S OR DEPENDENT'S BENEFITS. If you have dependent children below the age of 18--or up to age 19 if still in school, Social Security may pay an additional benefit for each qualifying child. The dependents' benefits are processed separately from the claimant's benefits, and usually a bit later. I recommend that you contact the local Social Security field office (not the hearing office)--and be sure they have all the information they need to pay the dependent's claim.

So, be prepared to wait a month or two after your favorable decision to get your money. Sometimes it will happen sooner, but you can't depend on it.