Length of Time to Receive a Decision About Your Disability Benefits

The time it takes for the Social Security Administration to issue a decision for an initial application of disability benefits varies greatly. Some factors that affect this include the nature of your disability, how quickly medical evidence is obtained from doctors and hospitals and whether you are sent for consultative examinations with a physician selected by the Social Security Administration. There is also a considerable backlog of applications at the Social Security Administration. It is not unusual for it to take 4-6 months for an initial decision to be issued. The sooner you file for benefits, the sooner you will know whether or not you’re approved.