Supplemental Security Income (SSI) back pay is an important part of disability benefits. If you’re owed a lot of past-due SSI payments, the Social Security Administration (SSA) will send you the money in parts, not all at once. This article will help you understand how SSI back pay installment payments work.
SSI Back Pay Installment Payments:
If the money you’re owed in back pay is more than three times the maximum monthly amount of SSI, the SSA will make an agreement to pay you in installments. These installments are split into three payments, sent every six months. The amount of each payment can change.
Exceptions to Installment Requirement:
There are some special cases where the installment requirement doesn’t apply. If you can show you meet one of these special cases when the back pay is being figured out, the SSA will give you the entire amount all at once. These special cases include having a serious medical condition that could result in death within 12 months or being likely to remain ineligible for SSI for the next 12 months.
Increasing the Amount of the First and Second Payment:
In some situations, you can get a higher first and/or second installment payment. If you can show you have big debts related to basic needs like food, clothing, shelter, rent, property insurance, utilities, mortgage payments, property tax, necessary medical services, supplies or equipment, or medicine, the SSA will increase the installment amount. The same applies if you can show you have current or expected expenses related to necessary medical services, supplies, or equipment or buying a home.