Social Security claimants delay benefits claim submissions for a variety of reasons. One of the biggest mistakes is waiting too long to apply for those much-needed disability benefits. If you have a serious illness or injury that you expect will disable you for a year or more, file your claim as soon as you can. It can take months to obtain a decision. And although no benefits will be paid for the first five months from the onset of disability, benefits can be paid retroactively for up to one year from the date a disability claim was filed.