Direct answer
What is a fully favorable decision?
A fully favorable decision is an SSDI decision that grants disability starting on the alleged onset date you claimed, with no earlier date substituted and no closed-period limitation.
Fully favorable decisions result in past-due benefits (back pay) accrued from the established onset date through the decision, subject to the five-month waiting period.
Sourced from ssa.gov — see citations below.
How is a fully favorable decision different from partially favorable?
In a partially favorable decision the SSA finds you disabled, but with a later onset date, a closed period, or a different diagnostic finding than you claimed.
When are fully favorable decisions issued?
When the record supports disability beginning on the alleged onset date and continuing through the decision.
What happens next?
The SSA computes past-due benefits, applies the five-month waiting period, and begins ongoing monthly payments.
Topics
Sources
Every figure and rule on this page is drawn from official SSA publications. Verify at the links below.
- SSA — Hearing Process (ssa.gov)
- SSA — Disability Benefits Publication (ssa.gov)