I know exactly what you're going through and hope I can give you some information to make you feel a little better. I sent an online question to SSA asking about my SSDI being "exempt" from bankruptcy (should I be approved) and they sent me back a memo referring to Section 207(a) of the Social Security Act, 42 U.S.C. 407(a). (If you put that..Section...all of it...in your search engine you should be able to pull it up and read about it). It basically states that any future payments of SSDI and "NONE OF THE MONEYS PAID OR PAYABLE"...shall be subject to execution, levy, attachment, garnishment, or other legal process, or to the operation of any bankruptcy or insolvency law."
Check out this website to find some references about the law:
http://policy.ssa.gov/poms.nsf/lnx/0202410001
Be sure you also read GN 02410.005 Bankruptcy Court Orders. There should be a link to it in the above address under Section D. Procedure.
I have found several court cases where the court has stated that SSDI benefits were exempt BEFORE filing bankruptcy and my trustee is admitting he can't have any payments I receive AFTER filing bankruptcy, so what's left???
Also, check out this Supreme Court case if you can find it: Philpott v. Essex County Welfare Board, 409 U.S. 413, 93 S. Ct. 590 (1973). The state of New Jersey wanted reimbursed for state aid they gave to somebody named Wilkes and the US Supreme Court said "On its face value, the SS Act in 407 bars the State of New Jersey from reaching the federal disability payments paid to Wilkes. the language is all inclusive: "None of the moneys paid or payable...under this subchapter shall be subject to execution, levy, attachment, garnishment, or other legal process..." THE MONEYS PAID AS RETROACTIVE BENEFITS WERE "MONEY'S PAID...UNDER THIS SUBCHAPTER," and the suit brought was an attempt to subject the money to "levy, attachment....or other legal process." The Supreme Court said New Jersey could NOT have the money back.
So....I would venture a guess that you and I are both safe from the bankruptcy trustee trying to take that money. I feel better now that I've done a lot of research on the subject and I hope you will, too.
Be sure you file with the help of an attorney and that he is aware you will be getting these benefits so he can "exempt" them right from the start. GOOD LUCK!!
Also, put your retroactive payment in a separate bank account and use that money for "necessities" and keep your receipts just in case you are forced to justify what you've spent the money on. I wouldn't spend it all just to be rid of it because you're certainly going to need it just to survive past the bankruptcy.