A recurring question among people approaching retirement age is: How long does the retirement application process take in the United States? The concern is logical and comes into play when the first social security contributions are paid. The Social Security Administration (SSA) has reported that approval varies depending on the type of benefit and beneficiary. The procedure occurs on a schedule that lasts between one and two months for retirees.
However, there are other older adults and people with disabilities who apply for benefits under the various Social Security programs. In these cases the waiting time is three to five months.
Why are cases delayed?
Delays mainly occur when applicants have incomplete documents. The years of contributions or working years of pensioners are taken into account here. In addition, the medical reasons and complex processes used to determine the disability are analyzed.
Typically, the rejection rate for disability applications is 67%. Retirement benefits now have fewer requirements and are less complex. An exception here is in particular survivors, who are always subject to the SSA's criteria and assessments.
Once approval is confirmed, the schedule can be used to determine whether there are any retroactive payments. It is six months for pensioners and five months for disability recipients. A lump sum payment of $255.00 is included for survivors if the benefit is claimed within two years of the beneficiary's death.
If you want to know the status of your Social Security retirement application or the different programs, the process is very simple. You can do this through the My Social Security account on the SSA platform. First log in, then go to the “Your benefits” tab and see the information you need there.