It’s common for SSDI claimants to file their claims and face several months of correspondence with the SSA before they receive their benefits. Once they are proven eligible for SSDI, their eligibility begins when they first experience an inability to work from a covered condition. If the claimant technically qualifies before filing their claim, the SSA can potentially award up to 12 months’ worth of owed benefits payments as a lump sum after approving the claim.