Question:
I have applied for SSDI 3 times since 2011 only to be denied twice and finally approved. I put the most recent app in on 5/2020 and was eventually approved on 1/1/21. My letter of approval states my benefit amount and other items but also gives me a disability onset date of 11/2015. Crazy thing is, my second app was submitted to Social Security on 06/09/2015. Back then, as far as I know, I was denied and never heard anything until I filed again in 05/20.
Of course I was paid 12 months of back pay but they used the 05/20 application date to figure that . My question is: why, since they have given me a onset date of 2015, isn't that the back pay date since I had an app in during that time? This makes no sense to me. I can show my application and the notice of receipt from SS dated in 05/2015.
Jim's Reply:
I'm sorry but I'm sure you'll understand when I tell you I don't know why that decision was made...not a clue. As a rule there will be an explanation of why the decision was made the way it was somewhere in your papers.
When we run into decisions like this, particularly decisions about effective dates of claims, we may have to dig really deep to learn what the decision maker was thinking.
You'll have to gather every record you can and do some studying to see if you can learn why? If not, you may have to query the SSA office to see if they can help. Good luck!