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You can get Social Security Disability Insurance (SSDI) and Department of Veterans Affairs (VA) disability compensation at the same time if you meet requirements for both programs. Your VA disability compensation doesn’t reduce SSDI back pay or monthly payments.
This article explains SSDI and VA benefits and back pay and when you can expect to get paid.
SSDI back pay is the money the Social Security Administration (SSA) owes you for benefits for months you were eligible but your claim was still being processed.
It typically takes the SSA five to eight months to approve an SSDI claim. Sometimes, it takes over a year. During that time, you may have accrued benefits that are now past-due benefits.
Back pay is your past-due benefits and possibly retroactive benefits.
You may get retroactive benefits for up to 12 months before you applied if the SSA finds you met its disability rules before applying.
Example: You applied in April, 2026 and the SSA decides you met disability rules in September, 2025. Your retroactive months are September through April.
SSDI Back pay is based on three key dates. Understanding these dates makes it easier to understand and estimate your back pay. You can find these dates in your Notice of Award.
The Established Onset Date (EOD) is the date the SSA decides you first met disability rules. The agency can set an EOD earlier or later than the date you submitted. The agency uses your evidence to determine EOD.
A primary rule for SSDI is that a health condition prevents you from working to a substantial level for at least 12 months or is expected to result in death.
Each year, the SSA sets an income threshold that it calls substantial gainful activity (SGA). The agency may set your EOD as later than you submitted because you were earning above this threshold despite your condition.
Your application date is the day you applied for SSDI benefits. Retroactive benefits are based on this date even if your health problems started earlier. You may have received a VA rating and benefits prior to your SSDI application date, but the two programs don’t affect each other.
Your first payable month is called your entitlement month. It’s the first month you’re eligible for SSDI benefits. Entitlement starts after a five-month waiting period except in cases of Amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (Lou Gehrig's disease).
SSDI is not payable for a full five months after your EOD. The agency wants to make sure SSDI benefits are only paid for long-term disabilities.
Each month must be a full calendar month. The month of your EOD doesn’t count unless the EOD is the first day of that month.
Example: An EOD of March 10 means the five full waiting months are April, May, June, July, and August. The first payable month is September.
There is no waiting period in cases of amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS) or in cases of re-entitlement. Re-entitlement happens when SSDI benefits end because earnings are over SGA amounts but then a condition worsens or reoccurs within five years and benefits are reinstated.
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Get EvaluationYou can get a rough estimate of your back pay using the three key dates. When you get your award letter, compare the SSA’s dates, back pay, and withholdings to your estimate.
Start with your EOD. Count five full months after it. The next month is your first payable month.
Example: If your EOD is March 10, the first payable month is September.
Use your online Social Security account to get an estimated monthly SSDI payment amount based on your work record. The SSA has online calculators too, but the most accurate figure comes from your Social Security record. If you don’t have an online account, you can ask the SSA for an estimate of benefits.
Curious how benefits are calculated from your work record? Get the explanation here.
Count five full months from your EOD; that’s your entitlement date. Then total the months from entitlement to approval.
The total months from EOD to when payments start, minus five waiting period months, are your back pay months. That number times your monthly benefit is back pay. Plus, you may be due retroactive benefits depending on your EOD.
Check your Notice of Award for your payment start date and past-due benefits owed.
VA disability compensation is awarded when you have a disabling condition from your military service. The VA’s percentage rating reflects severity and determines how much you’re paid monthly.
SSDI is a Social Security benefit awarded when you have a disabling condition that prevents you from working to SGA and you have enough work credits from paying Social Security taxes.
Although you can get both VA and SSA benefits for the same condition, the programs are unrelated.
If you have a qualifying impairment but not enough work credits for SSDI, you can apply for Supplement Security Income (SSI).
SSI is a needs-based program, so you must have limited income and assets to qualify. VA disability compensation can reduce SSI payments or make you ineligible for that benefit.
Overlapping benefits from workers’ compensation, certain government disability pensions, state disability programs or other public disability benefits can reduce your backpay. Your award notice states if you have any offsets like this.
Private pension and long-term disability (LTD) payments typically do not reduce your back pay but SSDI can affect LTD.
Military retirement and military disability retirement typically don’t reduce SSDI payments. However, all monthly income impacts SSI.
If you get a back pay deposit, and it seems less than you expected, it’s likely because the SSA withheld money to pay your disability representative or to pay your debts.
When you have an approved disability representative, the SSA pays them directly from your past-due benefits. Representative fees are 25% of back pay, capped at $9,200.
If you owe federal taxes or have a garnishment against you for back child support or alimony, the SSA may withhold those debts from your back pay. The agency may also withhold defaulted student loans. You get a separate notice explaining how much money was withheld and the reason why if debts are withheld.
By the time you get your back pay, you’ve been waiting months, possibly years, for the SSDI approval. When you get paid depends on if your five-month waiting period has expired. If it has, you will likely get your first monthly payment in 30-45 days. Back pay may arrive before your first payment or after. Typically, you get back pay within 60 days of approval.
SSA backlogs, back pay amounts over $30,000, and representative payment processing can delay your back pay. Providing incorrect bank information can also delay the payment.
If you’re concerned, review your Notice of Award for withholdings, offsets, or reductions. Then, check the bank routing and account numbers the SSA has on file.
It’s okay to ask the SSA if past-due benefits have been released or if the agency is still processing your payment. You may also ask if anything is delaying the payment or if the SSA needs something from you.
Your Notice of Award can answer most of your questions.
It gives your:
Since your EOD affects your first payable months and back pay, it matters. If you think it’s wrong, ask the SSA which evidence was used to determine your EOD. It’s possible that key evidence was missing from your record.
You can challenge your EOD by appealing within 60 days. Consider this carefully though. When you appeal, it reopens your whole decision, not just the onset date. The SSA could reverse the decision and deny your claim. Even if you’re approved again, you may wait several more months for the decision.
If you are thinking about appealing, consider talking with a disability representative first so you understand the risk and the timeline.
Check your SSDI eligibility in a few minutes.
No cost to start.
Talk with our team about your situation. We'll walk you through what comes next.
Get EvaluationSee what documents you need. We'll help you get everything in place.
Get EvaluationNot sure what that SSA letter means? We can review it with you.
Get EvaluationGet support from a team that handles the paperwork and follows through.
Get EvaluationNo. Back pay may include past-due benefits and retroactive benefits. Past-due benefits are for eligible months accrued between the date you applied and when you get paid. Retroactive benefits are for months before you applied if you met the SSA’s disability rules then.
Yes. You can receive SSDI and VA disability compensation if you qualify for both programs. These benefits are awarded by separate entities for different reasons.
No, your VA disability compensation doesn’t reduce SSDI monthly payments or SSDI back pay.
Workers’ compensation, state disability benefits, and certain government disability pensions can reduce SSDI.
The SSA doesn’t always send everything at once. Monthly benefits and past-due benefits arrive separately. Also, the SSA may keep more than you owe for a withholding and pay you the rest later.
If your Notice of Award says past-due benefits are being processed, but you haven’t received them after 90 days, call the SSA for a status update.
Your spouse and children (and possibly ex-spouse) may qualify for benefits on your record and get back pay. As soon as you’re approved, your family members may apply for auxiliary benefits.
Maybe. Your back pay might be taxed if you have other income or are filing jointly. Read this article for the details.
Advocate’s disability specialists and clinical staff can help you gather evidence and build a strong claim. We can also help you estimate your SSDI payments and back pay.
Advocate representatives can also help you build a compelling appeal and represent you at a hearing.
You don’t pay anything upfront for our help and you only pay if you win.
Advocate doesn’t provide legal or medical advice but we know what the SSA needs to see for an SSDI approval.
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