Explained Social Security Disability Payment Chart
For anyone with a disability who relies on Social Security disability benefits, the approach of a new year means a change in their monthly benefit payments.
Annual cost-of-living adjustments affecting monthly benefits are not the only changes that occur. If you work while receiving disability benefits, a new year may bring changes to how much you can earn each year without it affecting your Social Security Disability Insurance benefits.
During the last quarter of each year, the federal government publishes a Social Security Disability benefits pay chart showing changes for the upcoming year beginning January 1. It also publishes a payment schedule so you can easily see when your benefits will be available. Let’s start by looking at the Social Security pay rates chart and the information it provides.
Cost-Of-Living Adjustment
The pay chart begins by explaining how the government determines COLA increases. The federal government uses the Consumer Price Index (CPI-W) from the third quarter of the prior year. For example, the 2026 COLA increase of 2.8% is based on the CPI-W from the third quarter of 2025.
Social Security Disability Benefits
The SSDI payment chart shows the maximum monthly benefit for 2026 to be $4,152. Keep in mind that the amount a person receives in monthly SSDI benefits depends on their average indexed earnings during their working history.
The maximum benefit payment in 2026 cannot exceed $4,152 for workers who paid the maximum Social Security taxes each year and had long work histories. The Social Security Administration projects the average monthly SSDI benefit payment to be $1,630. Here are other projected average benefit payments for 2026:
- All retired workers: $2,071.
- Couples with both receiving benefits: $3,208.
- Widowed mother with two children: $3,898.
- Aged surviving spouse living alone: $1,919.
- Disabled worker, spouse, and one or more children: $2,937.
SSDI and Social Security retirement benefits depend on a person’s work history and earnings over the course of that work history. A consultation with a disability attorney from the American Disability Action Group can provide you with estimates of the benefits you could receive based on your work and earnings records.
Thresholds Shown In The 2026 Payment Chart
If you work while receiving SSDI benefits, you could lose your benefits by earning more than the substantial gainful activity (SGA) limit for a month. The SGA amount of $1,620 per month in 2025 increases to $1,690 for disabled individuals who are not blind. The monthly SGA for someone who is blind increases from $2,700 in 2025 to $2830 in 2026.
You may earn more than the SGA limit without losing your benefits during a Trial Work Period. The TWP is 9 months, but you have 60 months to use them before it ends. According to the 2026 disability benefits amounts table, a TWP month is any month in which you earn $1,210. This represents an increase from the trial month amount of $1,160 for 2025.
SSI Monthly Benefits Chart
The federal SSI monthly benefits chart shows the changes resulting from the COLA increase for 2026. Individual SSI benefits increase from their 2025 level of $967 per month to $994 in 2026. Benefits payable to couples also increased from $1,450 in 2025 to $1,491 per month in 2026.
The SSI monthly benefits chart does not include supplemental benefit payments provided by some states to their residents. The disability team at the ADA Group can review with you the SSI federal and state benefits available to you.
An SSI recipient may exclude some of their earnings from working. They must be under age 22 and regularly attending classes at one of the following:
- Grades seven through 12 for at least 12 hours per week.
- A college or university for at least eight hours per week.
- A training course for 12 hours weekly to prepare for employment.
Homebound students and those being home-schooled may benefit from the earned income exclusion by meeting specific requirements as to hours and courses of study.
The SSI monthly benefits chart includes the monthly and annual earned income exclusions. Students meeting the criteria for 2026 may exclude up to $2,410 from their monthly earnings, so it does not affect their SSI benefits. The annual exclusion limit is $9,730. The student exclusion limits for 2025 were $2,350 monthly and $9,460 yearly.
Keeping Track Of Social Security Disability Benefit Payments
The Social Security Administration publishes a “Schedule of Social Security Benefit Payments” before the start of each year. Using a calendar format, the schedule shows the days each month for SSDI, SSI, and retirement benefit payments.
Learn More About Your Benefits From A Disability Attorney
American Disability Action Group provides advice and representation nationwide to people with disabilities. Whether you need information about the amount of your benefits or representation to fight claim denial, get started by contacting the ADA Group today for a free consultation.
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