My husband is receiving disability. He is suppose to be getting back pay. How does SSA investigate to determine if payee is needed, how long?

SSDI has a 5 month standard waiting period to determine payout. If there is back pay, the amount of the back pay kinda determines how soon / how often it gets paid. SSA used to do it as a single lump sum. Now it’s only done that way if it’s on the low side.... like under 3k or so. Your daughter’s benefit I bet was under 3k, so it got paid in full. His will be divided out for 3 payments every 6 months. I think that’s standard unless it’s a huge, HUGE, back pay.

Daughter needs a payee as she’s a minor; could be you or her dad.

To me it’s important that you read up on what SSDI is & isn’t. There’s oodles of confusion on what SSA does and SSDI vs SSI vs. regular retiree SSA$. SSA has 3 payment programs:
-SSA retirement mo payment & $ based on lifetime wages/ work credits
& when applied for. Like you can apply at age 62 or FRA (full retirement age) or wait till 70. This one will pay a benefit to dependent child & usually 50% of the retirees SSA mo. benefit but can pay less if retiree has high SS$ payout as SS$ can’t be over a certain % max. MediCARE is a totally independent program to be applied for at age 65.
-SSI low income/work history; get Medicaid, SNAP; abt $780 mo
-SSDI for under 65 who get a disability & cannot now work. $ depends on work credits & SSA uses 5 mo period to determine what earnings actually were. Avg abt $1280 mo. After 2 years, he’s eligible for MediCARE no matter what his age is. Also pays a benefit to dependent child @ 50% of his SSDI.
All have some kind of claim determination and examiners. If they have a well established work history, FICA info, current on taxes, it gets processed routinely. Someone should have explained better how the back pay gets dealt with and staggered out over 6 mo cycles.

On the kids & SSA$, my hubs took SSA FRA $ & our kid was in high school at the time. Hubs was working but just took FRA as he’s not the type to ever leave $ on the table. LOL. The kid benefit pays till they turn 18 or finish high school. There will be a form that her HS registrar has to sign & send to SSA. Registrar has likely done one before, so don’t fret on this. There is also a form that you as the representative payee attest to that $ is spent for/on them. Imho this is important.... in theory kid SS$ cannot become savings.... it is expected to be paid out & totally spent by the time they turn 18 or graduate HS. So please keep that in mind when you are buying things for them or doing copays. Like ok to use $ to go do a college campus visit (like if these ever happen again, my old U is #1 in Covid + cases as of yesterday, wtf), but not ok to put into a college tuition fund; ok to pay for tutoring but not ok to stash in a savings account.

Remember he can go into MediCARE after 2 years on SSDI. This is a pretty important deal to be aware of. SSA will send out a mailing on this. But it’s kinda on him / you to apply for early mediCARE for him. & to figure out a plan for you & your daughter for y’alls health insurance once he’s on MediCARE. Often family caregivers find that they are better off staying as a caregiver & not working full time as they & the kids can go onto Medicaid while he goes onto Medicare. It’s crazy but this can a happen when there is not universal healthcare insurance.

That is a question for Social Security. He had a lawyer in the process. Maybe he should call the lawyer and him/her can find out what is holding up his back pay. What is his disability? Maybe SS feels he needs a payee. Or, with COVID things have slowed down. My nephew was never assigned a payee and he has a neurological problem.