How Much Do You Get on Social Security Disability?
If you struggle with a disability that has caused you to be unable to work, you may be facing many challenges, not the least of which are financial. Unfortunately, being disabled doesn’t mean that the bills stop arriving, and it can feel overwhelming to wonder how you’ll continue to provide for yourself and those you love. If you find yourself in this situation, you may wonder if you should file a claim for disability benefits and how much you might receive if so.
What Benefits Are Available?
The Social Security Administration offers two types of disability benefits, depending on the applicant’s circumstances. These include Social Security Disability Insurance, or SSDI benefits for short, and Supplemental Security Income, often referred to as SSI benefits.
To receive either type of benefit, an applicant must satisfy two conditions:
- The applicant has a disabling medical condition: To determine whether or not a particular condition is disabling, the Social Security Administration will typically consult its listing of impairments, otherwise known as the Blue Book. The Blue Book is a guide that contains a variety of conditions and the accompanying symptoms of those conditions. In reviewing an application, the Social Security Administration will usually consider the medical evidence presented by the applicant along with the information contained in the Blue Book. Those with a condition not specifically listed in the Blue Book shouldn’t panic, however. It may simply mean that additional medical proof is needed for the claim.
- The condition has rendered the applicant unable to work for one continuous calendar year or more: This requirement is fairly self-explanatory. Certainly, there are disabling conditions that can be severe and cause an inability to work that may last for less than a year. In those situations, one might want to consider the possibility of short-term disability benefits or compensation from other viable sources.
While these conditions apply to both SSDI and SSI benefits, the two types of benefits also have important differences. Perhaps most importantly, those seeking SSDI benefits should understand that they need to be “insured” to do so. To the Social Security Administration, being “insured” doesn’t mean you need any specific insurance policy. Instead, it means that you worked at a job for a sufficient amount of time and regularly paid employment taxes from your wages into the Social Security system.
Unlike the case for SSDI benefits, those who seek SSI benefits need not be insured. They do, however, have to have income and resources below a certain annual limit established by the Social Security Administration. This limit changes yearly, so consulting with an attorney regarding your situation is always advised.
How Are Benefits Calculated?
Regardless of which type of benefit you decide to seek, it’s important to remember that each benefit has a maximum monthly payment amount. This amount changes from year to year, in accordance with inflation and various other economic factors.
In 2025, the maximum monthly SSDI payment that an individual can receive is $4,018. The maximum monthly SSI payment that an individual can receive in 2025 is $967 for an individual, and the maximum monthly payment for a couple is $1,450.
In determining how much a particular individual will receive each month, the Social Security Administration will consider a variety of factors. When calculating SSDI payments, two of the essential factors that will be considered are work and earnings history. As a general rule, the longer you worked, the more you earned, and the more you paid into the Social Security system, the higher your benefit amount will be.
Unlike SSDI benefits, SSI benefits are not calculated based on work and earnings history. Instead, the Social Security Administration will consider an individual’s total monthly income and resource level and will calculate the benefit amount based on those and other factors.
In addition to understanding how benefits are generally calculated, it is also important to remember that, other than for rare exceptions (such as blindness), an applicant’s particular condition will not affect the amount of benefits they receive.
Call American Disability Action Group Today
Those who are disabled struggle with a number of difficulties. At American Disability Action Group, we understand those challenges, and we know that when you find yourself in that situation, the last thing you need is to worry and wonder about how you’ll continue to provide for yourself and those you love while you’re unable to work. That’s why we’re here to help. We know and understand every aspect of the law pertaining to disability benefits, and we’ll always pursue the best legal strategies on your behalf as you seek the benefits you need. If you’re ready to get started, give us a call today. We look forward to helping you soon.