You may apply for SSD at any time, you do not need to wait for SIX months to elapse. I received my award letter seven weeks after application. The key is YOU WILL NOT RECEIVE ANY $ UNTIL SIX MONTHS into disability. It did help my anxiety & financial planning to known what $ would be coming and when. Your payment would be retroactive, but this process can be time comsuming. Obtaining legal counsel can - by law - eat up 25% of your retroactive award.