How far back will my benefits go?

A: If you have a claim for Disability Insurance Benefits (DIB), your benefits may go back as far as one year prior to the date of your Social Security application, provided that the onset date of your disability is 17 or more months prior to the date of the application. However, DIB benefits will never start until five months after the onset date of your disability.

If you have a claim for Supplemental Security Income (SSI), your benefits may only go back as far as the date of your Social Security application.