How Much Does Social Security Disability Pay Each Month?
Finding the money you need to live on can be a struggle when you cannot work because of a disabling physical or mental health condition. Monthly disability benefit payments could make life easier.
The Social Security Administration manages two programs, Social Security Disability Insurance and Supplemental Security Income, which provide benefits to people with disabilities. The Social Security disability amount payable each month could relieve the financial stress of being unable to work.
The disability team at American Disability Action Group has helped people throughout the country with their disability claims. If you have a disability meeting a federal definition and meet non-medical requirements, this article explains the disability benefits paid by the SSDI and SSI programs.
The SSDI Program
The Social Security Administration uses work credits to determine whether a worker has worked long enough to receive retirement benefits at full retirement age. Individuals with enough work credits who become disabled before reaching retirement age may apply for disability benefits through SSDI.
You receive a work credit based on your earnings. The federal government establishes the earnings requirement each year, with the 2025 amount being $1,1810. A person may receive no more than four work credits per year.
A worker generally needs 40 work credits, with at least 20 earned within 10 years of becoming disabled, to be covered under the SSDI program. Workers whose disability develops at a young age may not require as many credits. The disability benefits professionals at American Disability Action Group can review your work record to determine whether you have enough credits to apply for an SSDI monthly payment.
If Social Security approves your claim for an SSDI monthly check, a calculation using your average earnings during the years you worked determines how much you receive each month. However, the maximum monthly SSDI benefit payment for 2025 is $4,018. Currently, the average monthly Social Security SSDI payout is $1,582, but yours could be more or less depending on your earnings history.
Benefit Payments Through The SSI Program
Unlike the SSDI program, SSI does not require a work history, and the monthly benefits are not based on a person’s earnings record. SSI is a needs-based program with the following restrictions on those applying for benefits:
- Resources for individuals cannot be valued at more than $2,000.
- Couples may not have resources exceeding $3,000.
- A person must have little or no income when they apply for SSI.
The maximum federal benefit an individual may receive through the SSI program in 2025 is $967 per month. Couples may receive up to $1,450 monthly. Some states fund a supplemental payment for their residents that you could receive in addition to the federal benefits.
If you receive income from working or other sources, such as SSDI benefits, it will reduce your monthly SSI benefits. However, all of the income that you receive during a month may not count toward reducing your benefits.
Sources of earned income include:
- Wages from a job.
- Net self-employment earnings.
- Sheltered workshop payments.
You may exclude the first $65 of earned income that you receive in a month and one-half of the balance. What remains counts toward reducing your SSI benefit payment for the month.
Unearned income from the following sources also counts toward reducing your SSI benefits:
- SSDI benefits.
- State disability and unemployment benefits.
- Interest and dividends.
- Cash given to you by friends or relatives.
There is a $20 monthly exclusion you may use to reduce the impact of unearned income on your SSI payments.
SSI benefit amounts may increase each year due to a cost-of-living adjustment. The COLA is based on the inflation rate as of the end of the third quarter of the previous year. The Social Security Administration announces the COLA amount in October.
COLA increases apply to both SSI and SSDI benefits. For example, Social Security recently announced a 2.8% increase in SSI and SSDI benefits for 2026.
Concurrent Benefits Through SSDI And SSI
Some individuals with enough work credits to receive SSDI benefits may not receive enough in monthly benefits to prevent them from being approved for the SSI program. Receiving SSI and SSDI at the same time is called “concurrent benefits.”
If you receive approval for concurrent benefits, Social Security treats the SSDI payments as unearned income. The SSDI benefits, less a $20 unearned income exclusion, count toward reducing the SSI monthly payments you receive.
Contact the American Disability Action Group For Disability Benefits Assistance
When a disability prevents you from working and earning a living, don’t let financial pressures add to an already stressful situation. Our nationwide team of disability attorneys is ready to fight to get you disability benefits you need to make a difference in your life. Contact American Disability Action Group for a free consultation.
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