If you have mixed connective tissue disease and the symptoms are so disabling that you can’t work, you can apply for Social Security disability benefits. If your application for disability benefits is approved, you may receive a maximum of $3,627 per month in 2023 in disability benefits. However, it is important to note that, the actual amount of the disability benefit that you are awarded depends on several different factors.
How To Calculate How Much Disability You’ll Get With Mixed Connective Tissue Disease
The amount of money that each person receives from Social Security disability benefits varies from person to person. The Social Security Administration (SSA) will determine how much money you should receive based on:
- Where you live
- What your medical expenses are
- How old you are
- How many years you worked
- What the cost of living is currently
- What utilities and other necessities cost in your area
Submitting proof of your medical condition and proof of the cost of the living where you live can help the SSA make their determination. It’s a good idea to include some of your bills or a tally of your current expenses with your application so you can show the SSA how much money you need to live.
Getting Back Pay For Mixed Connective Tissue Disease
If your application for Social Security disability benefits is approved because you have mixed connective tissue disease and you can’t work, you may also be eligible for back pay. Social Security backpay is money for the benefits that you should have received while you were waiting for your application to be approved. There is a five-month waiting period for Social Security disability benefits.
But, if you have to wait longer than five months once your application is approved, you may receive a lump sum of money totaling the benefits you would have received during that time. For example, if you applied for disability benefits in October but your application wasn’t approved until July, you would receive a payment of back pay totaling five months of your disability benefit.
Retroactive Payments For Mixed Connective Tissue Disease
You may also qualify for a retroactive payment. Retroactive payments are different from back pay because retroactive payments cover the amount of time between when you were diagnosed with mixed connective tissue disease and when you applied for disability benefits. So, if you were diagnosed with mixed connective tissue disease in December but you didn’t apply for disability benefits until February, you would be eligible for a retroactive payment covering the months between December and February once your application was approved.
Work With An Attorney
Working with a Social Security attorney increases the chances that your application will get approved quickly. This is because a disability lawyer that specializes in Social Security cases can help you get your application ready as well as advise you on what documents to include with the application. Disability lawyers are paid from back pay. As such, it costs you nothing up-front to talk to a Social Security disability lawyer. Fill out the Free Case Evaluation on this page now to get connected and speak with a Social Security attorney who can give you personalized advice based on your unique situation—at zero cost to you.
