The Payment Process

The first question that many people have once they discover Social Security has approved them for disability benefits is when they will receive their first payment? Social Security has put together information about how, when and why disability payments will be provided and below is some specific information describing what to expect related to payments.

When Payments Begin
If your application is approved, your first Social Security benefit will be paid for the sixth full month after the date Social Security finds that your disability began. As an example, if your disability began on June 15, 2018, your first benefit would be paid for the month of December 2018, the sixth full month of disability. Social Security benefits are paid in the month following the month for which they’re due. This means that the benefit due for December would be paid to you in January 2019.

The Benefit Rate
The amount of your monthly disability benefit is based on your lifetime average earnings covered by Social Security. The more you earn and the longer you earn, the higher your benefit rate will be. Because benefits are paid on lifetime earnings, the longevity of employment is as important as how much you earn. If you don’t have an estimate of earnings, you can get your Social Security Statement online with your personal my Social Security account or use the agency’s benefit calculator to determine how much you would get if you became disabled.

How Other Benefits Impact Your Benefit
If you receive certain other government benefits, such as workers’ compensation, public disability benefits, or pensions based on work not covered by Social Security (for example, some government or foreign employment), the Social Security benefits payable to you and your family may be reduced. It is necessary to report all earned and unearned income to Social Security to determine the proper payment.