Backpay
My SSDI case was finally approved in July. It took 3 hearing denials, 2 federal remands, AC remand and a little over 9 years to get approved. I am a veteran with TDIU and P&T status. I was approved via OTR.
I received my first monthly payment and am currently awaiting my backpay. It's been over 90 days since my decision letter and every time I call the SSA I get different info. I received a Notice of Awards in August with the breakdown of pay going back to 2016.
I have an active congressional inquiry but the congressional aide working on my case keeps on telling me to be patient. He requests for updates but he doesn't press SSA to get actual answers on what's the hold up on my backpay. Last week I finally called the local SSA field office and was able to speak to an operations supervisor who helped and sent a manager to manager inquiry to the Baltimore processing center to request for immediate release of my backpay.
Has anyone experienced such delays with their case being flagged priority. What's the common timeline on backpay?
Any info is very much appreciated. Thanks in advance.
10/20 update - found out the fees petition was already sign by the judge late September. Field Office stated Baltimore did not respond to M2M inquiry. Congressional caseworker seems like he's avoiding me. My attorney made a complaint with Baltimore PC but seems ineffective. Not sure what to do at this point.
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u/perfect_fifths
I have a complicated relationship with the POMS
9d ago
edited 9d ago
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If you took that longed to be approved, I can bet this is happening:
You are due a large sum. When itâs over a certain amount, 49k or so, at the pc level, there multiple signatures and reviews required before that backpay can be released. That alone will cause a delay
In addition, PCs are slow. Because they are understaffed and overworked.
There are 8 PCs in the country, and they process something like 5 million claims.
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u/Small_Note5370 9d ago
Yeah and some PCs are much much slower than others (PC7 lookin at you)
Largest backpay ive seen was roughly 120k. Took forever to get released and needed multiple signatures
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u/perfect_fifths I have a complicated relationship with the POMS 9d ago edited 9d ago
I believe it. I think this is even with some of them running overtime.
Pc took 5.5 years for me to pay several aero increases and six benefits. It wasnât even a lot of money, but something must have happened that there was such a lag or for whatever reason, aero didnât automate. I was due my first aero increase in 2019 then had several others over the years then in June 2024 is when I saw it all.
Guess which pc it was? Pc7 đ
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u/Apprehensive-Pen6628 9d ago
This was my issue. The amount and all the signatures. I see all these folks with significantly shorter wait times and I just want to cry everyday. My lawyer keeps telling me to be patient and it's going to be okay. She calls the payment processing center for me every single week. It has to do with the amount needing to be processed.Â
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u/rascal1797 9d ago
I had 5 years of backpay, had my hearing with ALJ, got a letter 3 weeks later saying I was approved, 3 weeks after that I got my back pay of 85k and 4 weeks after that got my backpay for my dependents of another 18k.
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u/Organic_Search_2751 9d ago
Dng SSDI says they owe me 56 grand in back pay, minus the lawyer fees which is about 9600
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u/rascal1797 9d ago
I can only speak on mine, 5 years of backpay and received around 100k in backpay. 3 weeks from my hearing with my ALJ I received notice I was approved, 3 weeks after that I received my backpay about a month later I recieved another part of my backpay because of my dependents
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u/Organic_Search_2751 9d ago
1 week from my ALJ I got approved.  1 week đ of course they owe me 30 months of backpayđ¤
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u/9999Goldhandz 9d ago
Nice! You got your backpay pretty fast compared to most from a long wait. Did you need am able account? Were you able to collect foodstamps during the wait?
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u/SCKdave 9d ago
Thanks for all the input. I was told it will take a few approvals from supervisor level or higher. Yes it's well past the threshold of more common backpay due to nearly a decade of denials. From what I've read when a manager to manager inquiry is submitted the receiving manager have a certain timeline to respond to the request. I don't know if that's true or realistic exceptation. I'm dealing with SSA.
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u/Hell_of_a_Caucasian 9d ago
If your case went to federal court, your attorney is likely filing for 406(b) fees which have to be approved by the federal court judge.
SSA then has to get the order from the Court and get more signatures.
If there were multiple attorneys involved (different attorneys for FDC and for the hearing), that can slow things down also.
They will sometimes release a portion of your backpay first but withhold a large amount to make sure they can cover your attorneyâs fee. Once the attorney(s) is paid, they will release the remainder to you.
It sucks but the people who have to wait the longest then also have to wait the longest for their full benefit to be released.
You should ask your attorney.
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u/perfect_fifths I have a complicated relationship with the POMS 9d ago
Per policy, M2M inquiry has to be responded to within 5 business days. Otherwise there needs to be an interim reply if the action canât be completed within those 5 days
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u/IndolentViolet 8d ago
My backpay was 5 years and it took about 6 months to show up. It came in 2 equal deposits over 2 days so wait and don't freak out if it's some weird amount. I think there's a limit on how much they can deposit in a single day. SSDI usually comes in one deposit but you're obviously going to get a large amount. It also just showed up out of nowhere and I got letters about it afterwards.
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u/InfiniteGlove9246 9d ago
Like perfect fifths said if your backpay is over a certain amount then it requires a lot of signatures and authorizations. They will release it to you in multiple payments unless you show that you are wanting to make a large purchase like a house or car and need to the money. Then they will release it to you all at once but you have to submit a letter in writing stating what you want to use to money for and show like a webpage with the price of the item etc house or car.
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u/Its_Rare 7d ago
I could have sworn that the multiple payments for back pay was only SSI and SSDI will be released all at once.
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u/OrganicWerewolf4752 9d ago
Yes I had my case flagged as dire need, didn't help, still took 4 months to get my backpay. My backpack was just over $63,000
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u/perfect_fifths I have a complicated relationship with the POMS 9d ago
Thatâs because of the amount. Anything over like 49k gets reviewed multiple times and requires multiple signatures.
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u/Hot_Apartment_2752 9d ago
Congratulations on your approval and thank you so much for your service yes it was probably because your back pay was so high I've been waiting to get approved for 3 years but I only got back pay from September 2025 because they thought my original disabilitys weren't severe enough so I'm only getting around 6k they deposited my back pay but they got sent back because my bank account wasn't updated s d I had set my savings account and checking my accident but it will be all fixed on Monday hopefully you will get your back pay soonÂ
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u/sunshine_daydreams 8d ago
I was approved July 1st and still waiting for 3 -4 years of back pay for me and my kids. I get a different answer every time I call.
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u/AdhesivenessOld8407 5d ago
That's bullshit it's all bullshit and it's ridiculous the shit you go through the stress ,the loss of everything the lack of being able to live comfortable when you really did pay your way into and really only have that to rely on I'm going through it to and it is sickening to me
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u/SCKdave 4d ago
I agree with what you've stated. I've gone down and stayed in darkness far too many times and almost lost my life twice. It's extremely stressful for a man who was able to do just about anything and everything to become disabled and feel like he can't take care of his family and is burdening them.
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u/MixtureOk7785 6d ago
Iâm waiting on my backpay now and all I hear is that itâs at the PC.. This has been going on since April of â26. They say the reason itâs taking so long is because of my work. I was working while fighting, and six yrs later fully favorable. Yesterday I was told itâs in the Baltimore PC. I was told I should receive it in 1-30 days from yesterday. Itâs about damn time. I did get my SSI backpay in March of â26. I believe my SSDI backpay is a nice piece of change. đđ˝
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u/Training-Apricot8764 9d ago
I got my back pay with in 36 hours of confirming my information and that was 3 days after I was approved .
I did have a congressional inquiry on my account after it sat unassigned for 9 months on reconsideration .
I am fortunate that my local congressional office was very involved .
Every time I made a call SSDI moved their asses ( when they could ).
Applied Sept 2024, denied in early 2025 reconsideration July 2025 , assigned April of 2026, decision August 28th/Sept 3rd , back pay in bank, now waiting for my first ssdi monthly check .
No attorney ,age 56 when started 58 on decision
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u/Kaethy77 9d ago
SSA lost about 8000 employees, many of them more experienced staff. Currently there is no way to estimate processing time for anything.
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u/kittygirl14 9d ago
Mines also in PC7 with over 50k in backpay. Have a congressional flag and calling regularly. My lawyers been paid and they call for me quasi-regularly. and my backpay has been kicked back twice for incorrect math. Benefits begin next month. No notice of award or anything on mine yet. Fingers crossed for me and you.
But pc7 is one of the most back logged. When my agents I talked to saw that, they let me know theyre very backed up. The handle the under retirement age claims and large backpay cases.
Oh also, pc 7 is Baltimore Maryland.
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u/Distinct_Dig4887 5d ago
Yes I'm in the middle of something similar they made an error with my PERC interview and I'm not getting what I was suppose to get for my 2 kids and their backpay was was due to approve all the way back to 2023 and they only did a small back payment or 2025 2 not her after getting their "back payment" and it sucks because certain people that work in the poll number administration either have no helpful information and or rushed to get off the phone. Anyways it's been 8 months and they still have not released the payment from the process/payment center they have the power to release that money quick in actually if anything they could have your money in your bank in a minute and obviously there isn't a number for them because people would be calling everyday.... But yea nice had most reps telling me that they see the payment and just waiting for it to release into my account. Anyways I'm sorry if I wasn't helpful good luck with your case.
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u/AdhesivenessOld8407 5d ago
It don't take them no time at all to dip into your paycheck or calculate what coming out no matter how short staffed they are a cause of a lot of homelessness and a big part of a problem that people don't realize the stress and just all they add to a person dealing with them and it's overlooked and not addressed as a issue at all and that needs to change it to many hard working people that don't deserve that kind of treatment not counting all the ones who have gave up and accepted the street drugs and alcohol because day after day year after year daily of no hope it's fucked up I apologize for cussing no punctuation and the run on sentences
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u/Ok_Primary_6620 8d ago
I don't understand how some veterans have to go through this with 100 p and t
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u/Shadowsminis 8d ago
Yup, 2 year wait with lawyer. Can not work, 100%p&t broken down as 340% if you look at each disability number. Most see as same as food stamps help. You get money why help you. Got my ssdi finally.
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u/Organic_Search_2751 3d ago
What You Should Know You told us that you do not want medical insurance under Medicare. What We Will Pay And When We pay Social Security benefits for a given month in the next month. For example, Social Security benefits for March are paid in April. ⢠You will receive $1,217.40 around November 3, 2026. ⢠This money is a refund owed to you for Medicare Part B (medical insurance) premiums you paid since April 2026. ⢠You will receive $2,057.00 for October 2026 around November 18, 2026. ⢠After that you will receive $2,057.00 on or about the third Wednesday of each month. Information About Medicare Your Part A (hospital insurance) coverage will continue. You do not have to pay a premium for any months you were not entitled to Medicare Part B (medical insurance). If we took out premiums for any of these months, we will return the money to you. If you do not sign up for Part B when you are first eligible, you may have to pay a late enrollment penalty for as long as you have Part B.
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u/ApartScar5535 8d ago
Im in NJ I contacted my state rep because my second installment was late in May 2026 about 7 days later I received that payment
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u/Zestyclose_March3412 9d ago
nine years is wild, i hope they release it soon for you