Understanding your disability onset date is one of the most important parts of a Social Security Disability (SSD) claim. This date determines when your disability officially started and can affect both the timing and amount of your benefits. Let’s break down how Social Security decides this date.
The onset date is the point when your condition began to interfere with your ability to work. It isn’t always the day you stopped working or the day you were diagnosed. Instead, Social Security looks for the moment your disability first caused significant limitations in your life. This can be tricky, especially for chronic or progressive conditions.
The Social Security Administration (SSA) considers multiple factors when picking your onset date. They examine medical evidence, work history, personal statements, and the type of disability you have. Each piece of information helps build a clearer picture of when your condition became disabling.
Medical records carry the most weight. Doctors’ notes, lab results, imaging, and hospital records help the SSA pinpoint when your symptoms became severe enough to stop you from working. In some cases, you might have had the condition for years, but if it didn’t limit your work, the onset date may be later.
Your work activity also matters. Generally speaking, with few limited exceptions, you must earn less than the substantial gainful activity amount (below $1620 gross monthly earnings for 2025) in order to pursue disability. If you continued working after symptoms appeared, Social Security may look at how your condition affected your job. Did you need frequent breaks? Could you only handle lighter tasks? Your ability—or inability—to perform work tasks can influence the onset date.
Personal accounts help fill in the gaps that medical records might leave. You, family members, or caregivers can provide insights about daily struggles, functional limitations, and symptom progression. These statements give context and can support an earlier onset date if the records alone aren’t clear.
Some disabilities are straightforward, like a broken bone or sudden illness, which have a clear start date. Others, such as mental health disorders, chronic pain, or degenerative diseases, develop gradually. In these situations, SSA may analyze symptom patterns and treatment history to estimate the onset date.
Sometimes a disability isn’t immediately diagnosed. In those cases, SSA may rely on the date of official diagnosis, but notes from earlier visits can help show that the disability affected your life before that date. Proper documentation can make a big difference.
If you disagree with the onset date assigned by Social Security, you have the right to appeal the decision. An attorney or representative can gather additional medical evidence or clarify existing records to support an earlier start. Appealing can significantly affect the timing and amount of benefits you receive.
The onset date determines when benefits begin. A date set too late can delay your payments. A correct onset date can ensure you receive benefits for the full period you were disabled. Gathering strong evidence and understanding the SSA’s process gives you the best chance for an accurate determination.
If you’re applying for Social Security Disability, the onset date can make a big difference. Contact us at Regas & Haagtoday for a free consultation and let our team guide you through the process.