Step 3: A medical screen to allow applicants who are the most severely disabled. Medical evidence on an applicant's impairment is assessed under step 3 using codified clinical criteria called the Listing of Impairments, which includes over 100 impairments.
Step 2 – Does the Applicant Have a Severe Impairment? At Step 2, SSA considers the medical severity of the applicant's medically determinable impairment and its duration.
Once you have submitted your application for disability benefits, it generally takes 6 to 8 months for an initial decision. You can log in or create a personal my Social Security account to check the status of your pending application.
In part 5 of our six-part blog series, we look at whether or not you are capable of performing past relevant work, which is Step 4 of the Five-Step Sequential Evaluation Process used by the Social Security Administration in determining eligibility for benefits under the Social Security Act.
The Final Review Process
While the medical review focuses on whether your disability meets the Social Security Administration's (SSA) criteria, the non-medical review ensures you meet other essential eligibility requirements.
THE SSA USES STEP TWO AS A THRESHOLD FOR SSD BENEFITS
Therefore, to proceed through the SSA review process, you must prove you have a severe physical or mental condition. If the SSA finds your condition is not severe, then they will deny your claim for benefits.
If the medical evidence you provide isn't up to date then an exam may be requested. Every three years that you are on disability, a disability review will be conducted by Social Security, but the time frame may change depending on your condition and when improvements are expected to be made.
How Far Back Will SSDI Cover? Minus the five-month waiting period, you should receive back payments for any delays. The maximum SSDI will provide in back payments is 12 months. Your disability would have to start 12 months before you applied to receive the maximum in SSDI benefits.
Overall, however, the most approved disability for Social Security is disabilities involving the musculoskeletal system and/or connective tissues. According to the World Health Organization (WHO), such conditions include arthritis, back pain, and lupus.
From time to time, we review your eligibility for SSI to verify you get correct payment amounts each month. During these reviews, we ask about your income, resources, and living arrangements—things that can change with time.
Step 3: Does the individual's medical condition meet or equal the severity of a Listing? individual's impairment(s). determinable physical or mental impairment(s) matches them. exactly or to be of equal severity.
Processing time from submission of your application (including fees and CID) to availability of your scheduling permit is approximately 2 weeks (7-10 business days). Processing can be delayed if there are issues with either your application or your CID. FSMB will email you about any issues that are identified.
Social Security Disability Insurance (SSDI) – The maximum payment is $3,822 a month (up from $3,627 in 2023). The maximum family benefit for SSDI is about 85% to 150% of the disabled worker's benefit. The maximum payment at full retirement age is $3,822 monthly.
Unlike your actual benefits, which should arrive within five or so months of your approval, you can expect back pay to arrive a few months after that. Also, rather than being distributed monthly like your benefits are, your back pay will arrive as a one-time lump sum payment. Is There A Limit On Back Pay?
If you become disabled before your full retirement age, you might qualify for Social Security disability benefits. You must have worked and paid Social Security taxes in five of the last 10 years.
SSDI payments are not affected by having a house, a car, money in the bank, or owning other possessions. On the other hand, many SSI clients are surprised to learn that assets do affect their benefits. Social Security will take into consideration the amount of your assets, because it is a needs-based program.
What are the signs that Social Security is investigating you? Signs may include increased communication from the SSA, requests for documentation, discrepancies in records, monitoring of changes in your circumstances, patterns of claims, interviews or home visits, and suspicious activity reports.
Second Wednesday: If your birthday is from the first through the 10th, expect your payment on the second Wednesday of each month. Third Wednesday: If your birthday is from the 11th through the 20th, expect your payment on the third Wednesday of each month.
Step 4 Bottom Line
If SSA finds that you can do your past work, you are not considered to be disabled, and the 5-Step Process ends. If they find that you cannot do your past work, it does not necessarily mean you are considered disabled. This is one major difference between SSD/SSI and Workers' Compensation.
Generally, it takes about three to five months to get a decision. However, the exact time depends on how long it takes to get your medical records and any other evidence needed to make a decision. How does Social Security make the decision? We send your application to a state agency that makes disability decisions.