Closed Period of Social Security Disability benefits

 A closed period of disability is the period of disability with a definite beginning date and a definite ending date that the adjudicator establishes at the time of adjudication. In other words, the date you became unable to work opens the disability period and the date you are able to return to work closes the period of disability. Therefore, unlike an open period of disability benefits, a closed period of disability benefits has a definite beginning and end date.

To qualify for closed period disability benefits, the disability must persist, or must have persisted, for at least twelve months. In addition, you must file an application within 14 months after the disability ended. Or, if you miss this deadline but can show that your failure to file a timely application was due to an impairment, you may be able to file an application between 15 and 36 months after the disability ended.

If you were disabled for at least a year but were able to return to work while you awaited a decision regarding your claim for disability benefits was approved, you may apply for a  closed period of disability benefits. Social Security may decide to award you with only a closed period of benefits even though you apply for ongoing disability benefits. Once again the terminology can be confusing so to put it simply, Social Security decides you are entitled to a period of disability but not any ongoing monthly disability benefit payments in the future.

Here is an example: After reviewing all the medical evidence a claimant has at a disability appeal hearing, the judge may come to the determination that said claimant’s condition has improved greatly since he/she filed their initial disability application. The judge may deny the claimant ongoing benefits, but may decide to award past-due benefits (backpay) for a 18-month closed period. This would happen only if the evidence provided verifies that the claimant met the disability criteria for the 18-month period.

I have asked for a closed period in cases for many different reasons:

1. The Claimant does not have enough medical documentation after a certain point because they stopped going to the doctor;

2. The Claimant went back to work and is making to much money to continue to be on Social Security Disability.

3. The Claimant’s medical problems were corrected. For instance, I have had a few clients suffer from breast cancer; after chemotherapy and radiation they were able to go back to work because their cancer was in remission.

4. The Claimant’s age changed and they began to collect Social Security Retirement.

Another benefit of applying for a closed period disability with regards to employees of Social Security Administration, proving the fact that you were unable to work for a period of time but then your condition improved and you were able to return to work, gives strong evidence that you honestly suffered a disability and are deserving of benefits.

If you need helping applying for Social Security Disability or SSI, please contact me at joshben99@gmail.com. I have over 20 years experience with Social Security Disability cases.

Location: United States

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