This is another 'heart tug' article.
Many now wait as long as two years before having their applications finalized.
That has been common with disability applications for decades. It is not recent.
Typically, an applicant applies, is denied, reapplies, is denied, and then goes to a hearing with a social security judge. Each of those takes 3 to 6 months, depending on the SSA load at the time.
That is also the reason there are so many SSD lawyers advertising on TV.
Soon we’ll have to all hire lawyers to keep 10% of our check.
We already hire accountants to try to keep half.