Calculating Your Monthly Ssdi Payment
The exact amount of money people get for SSDI each month is unique for every individual. The Social Security Administration uses a complex weighted formula to calculate benefits for each person, up to 2022’s maximum benefit of $3,345.
Doing the math yourself is difficult, but here’s how the formula works.
AIME. Social Security bases your retirement and disability benefits on the amount of income on which you’ve paid Social Security taxescalled “covered earnings.” Your average covered earnings over the past 35 years is known as your “average indexed monthly earnings” .
Bend points. The SSDI formula uses fixed percentages of different amounts of income. These percentages, called “bend points,” are adjusted each year. In 2022, here are the bend points and how they come together:
- 90% of the first $1,024 of your AIME
- plus 32% of your AIME from $1,024 to $6,172
- plus 15% of your AIME over $6,172.
PIA. Adding those three figures together gives the SSA your primary insurance amount . Your PIA is the base figure the SSA uses in setting your benefit amount.
The Social Security Act Defines Disability Very Strictly
Eligibility rules for Social Security’s disability program differ from those of private plans or other government agencies. Social Security doesn’t provide temporary or partial disability benefits, like workers’ compensation or veterans’ benefits do.
To receive disability benefits, a person must meet the definition of disability under the Social Security Act . A person is disabled under the Act if they can’t work due to a severe medical condition that has lasted, or is expected to last, at least one year or result in death. The person’s medical condition must prevent them from doing work that they did in the past, and it must prevent them from adjusting to other work.
Because the Act defines disability so strictly, Social Security disability beneficiaries are among the most severely impaired in the country. In fact, Social Security disability beneficiaries are more than three times as likely to die in a year as other people the same age. Among those who start receiving disability benefits at the age of 55, 1-in-6 men and 1-in-8 women die within five years of the onset of their disabilities.
What Is The Ssdi Benefit Calculation Formula
The SSA averages your covered earnings over the years to come up with your Average Indexed Monthly Earnings . It applies a formula to your AIME to come up with your benefit amount.
The SSA tweaks the formula from year to year. In 2017, your monthly SSDI benefit will reflect the following percentages:
- 90% of AIME up to $885.
- 32% of AIME from $885 to $5,336.
- 15% of AIME above $5,336.
The SSAs website provides a benefits calculator so you can enter your salary information yourself and estimate your benefits using their formula. If you would like a more detailed look at your possible SSDI benefits, you can contact the SSA directly or speak to a disability attorney.
Don’t Miss: Sdi Calculator Online
What If My Local Social Security Office Is Closed Due To Covid
Due to the current pandemic, local offices remain closed to walk-in traffic. Your best option is utilizing your My Social Security account and attempting to complete your request online. You can also call SSA at 800-772-1213. In some limited cases, in-person appointments can be made for people unable to complete their request online or over the phone.
How Much Do You Have To Earn To Get Maximum Social Security
In 2021, the maximum monthly payment you can receive at full retirement age is $3,113. Using the current bend points, that means that you would need to earn about $120,000 per year to reach the maximum benefit level. The maximum Social Security payroll tax per year is $17,707.20. This equates to roughly $140,000 of taxable income.
Recommended Reading: 100 Percent Disability Rating
What Are The Average Ssdi Payments
The Social Security Administration offers an online benefits SSDI calculator that allows you to estimate your Social Security retirement and disability benefits and survivor benefits for family members. You can also get a statement of your covered earnings and projected retirement benefit by setting up an account with the SSA online.
SSA publishes statistics about its programs, such as what it pays out to recipients. For example, the average monthly Social Security payments for June 2021 were:
SSDI benefits
- Spouses of disabled workers: $359.08
- Children of disabled workers: $401.51
SSI benefits
Estimating Your Social Security Disability Amount
In 2022, the average SSDI payment for an individual is $1,358, but almost two-thirds of SSDI recipients receive less than that. And only 10% of SSDI recipients receive $2,000 per month or more.
The 2022 average monthly benefit for an SSDI recipient who has a spouse and children is $2,383.
Because benefit amounts depend on lifetime earnings, there’s a large range in how much Social Security pays. For instance, let’s look at age 55, the most common age disabilities start. For 55-year-olds who have worked their entire lives, Social Security typically pays $1,000 to $2,700. The benefits pay chart here shows you the ranges based on income.
Within those ranges, the amount you’ll receive will depend on the following:
- your average income over 35 years
- whether you paid self-employment taxes if you owned your own business or freelanced
- whether you worked in any jobs that didn’t pay into the Social Security system , and
- whether you took any years off work for child-rearing or long-term illness.
Recommended Reading: 90 Va Rating
Ssi Disability Benefits Pay Chart
The chart below lists the monthly maximum for 2021 Social Security Disability payments. This chart is specific to the Supplemental Security Income program and does not apply to SSDI payments.
The monthly maximum Federal amounts for 2021 are $794 for an eligible individual, $1,191 for an eligible individual with an eligible spouse, and $397 for an essential person.
In general, monthly amounts for the next year are determined by increasing the unrounded annual amounts for the current year by the COLA effective for January of the next year. The new unrounded amounts are then each divided by 12 and the resulting amounts are rounded down to the next lower multiple of $1.
For SSI specifically, the monthly amount is reduced by subtracting monthly countable income. And, in the case of an eligible individual with an eligible spouse, the monthly amount is divided equally between the two.
The Number Of People Qualifying For Social Security Disability Benefits Has Increased
For over 60 years, Social Security disability has helped increasing numbers of workers and their families replace lost income. Several factors have contributed to this increase, which the Social Security Trustees and our actuaries have projected for decades. For example, baby boomers have reached their most disability-prone years and more women have joined the workforce in the past few decades, working consistently enough to qualify for benefits if they become disabled.
Despite the increase, the 9 million or so people getting Social Security disability benefits represent just a small subset of Americans living with disabilities.
Also Check: Can I Work If Im 100 Va Disabled
How Do Benefits Work And How Can I Qualify
While you work, you pay Social Security taxes. This tax money goes into a trust fund that pays benefits to:
-
Those who are currently retired
-
To people with disabilities
-
To the surviving spouses and children of workers who have died
Each year you work, youll get credits to help you become eligible for benefits when its time for you to retire. Find all the benefits Social Security Administration offers.
There are four main types of benefits that the SSA offers:
-
Learn about earning limits if you plan to work while receiving Social Security benefits
Qualifications For Meeting The Disability Standard For Rheumatoid Arthritis
SSA further outlines their qualifications for determining when a claimant living with rheumatoid arthritis is considered disabled. These qualifications include:
A. Persistent inflammation or persistent deformity of one or more major peripheral joints in a lower extremity and medical documentation of at least one of the following:
2. One or more major peripheral joints in each upper extremity and medical documentation of an inability to use both upper extremities to the extent that neither can be used to independently initiate, sustain, and complete work-related activities involving fine and gross movements
B. Inflammation or deformity in one or more major joints of an upper or a lower extremity with:
1. Involvement of two or more organs/body systems with one of the organs/body systems involved to at least a moderate level of severity and
2. At least two of the constitutional symptoms or signs .
C. Ankylosing spondylitis or other spondyloarthropathies, with:
Recommended Reading: Part B Physician/practitioners Certificate
Talk To A Social Security Disability Lawyer For Free Today
SSDI should provide benefits to help you and your family. If you need help with your application, our Social Security Disability lawyers can help. At John Foy & Associates, we know what the SSA is looking for to approve a claim.
Well listen to your concerns and answer your questions during a FREE consultation. We do not charge you a fee unless we win you money. To get started for FREE today, call or contact us online.
Call or text or complete a Free Case Evaluation form
How Much Does Social Security Disability Pay Per Month
September 1, 2020 by Andrew Price
Once a claim for Social Security Disability Insurance benefits is approved, how much does Social Security Disability pay per month? Successful claimants want to know the amount of money they will receive each month. This amount will be different for everyone. Thats because the amount you receive is based on your average lifetime earnings before your disability began.
Social Security Disability payments are not based on how severe your disability / medical condition is or how much income you have today. Instead, the calculation takes into effect your average earnings before your disability made working impossible.
On average, most SSDI recipients receive between $800 and $1,800 per month. The average for 2020 is $1,258. Claimants receive reduced payments if they are also receiving certain disability payments from other sources.
Read Also: When Did Beethoven Start To Lose His Hearing
How Your Income Affects Your Ssi Payment
Your SSI payment will be reduced by the amount of any income that you have, except for certain amounts that Social Security may disregard. In particular, Social Security disregards the first $20 of any monthly income, and the first $65 of any earned income . Social Security also disregards one-half of the remaining income that you earn every month. The result is your “countable income.”
So, for example, if Sanjay earns $700 each month from working, Social Security disregards the first $85 to arrive at an earned income of $615. Then, Social Security disregards one-half of the remainder, leaving Sanjay with countable income each month of $307.50. To determine the amount of Sanjay’s SSI payment, subtract $307.50 from the federal base rate of $794, and Sanjay will receive $486.50. This example assumes that Sanjay is not eligible for a state supplement. If he were eligible for a state supplement, then his SSI payment would be higher by the amount of the supplement.
There are other kinds of income that Social Security does not consider to be countable income. Here are some examples.
- Disabled students under 22 are able to disregard $7,770 in earnings annually.
- Individuals who are setting aside money in a PASS account are able to save that money without having it count as income that will reduce their SSI payment.
- Social Security does not count expenses for work that are disability related .
- Tax refunds and loans that you have to repay are also not countable income.
How Much Does Ssd Pay Per Child
Limits apply to the benefit payable to the child of a disabled parent. The general rule limits the payments SSD pay per child to 50% of the total SSD benefit paid to the parent. The per-child maximum increases to 75% if the disabled parent dies. There is, in addition to the per-child limit, a maximum benefit payable to all children and other members of a family who may be eligible. The total maximum allowable benefit payable to all children and other eligible members of a family ranges from 150% to 180% of the full SSDI benefit payable to the parent.
If there are multiple children eligible to receive benefits through a disabled parent, SSA adjusts what SSD pays per child to stay within the maximum range. To get an idea of how this works in practice, assume that a single parent is disabled and who are eligible for benefits, but the benefit payable to each child would be reduced below the 50% generally payable per child.
The reason for the reduction in the per-child benefit is that the parent receives a full benefit. If each of the three children were to receive 50% of the parents benefit, the total paid out to the family would be 250% of the total benefit awarded to the parent. As a result, the benefits payable to each of the children will be reduced to stay at or below the maximum that can be paid to the family.
Recommended Reading: Is Adhd Mental Retardation
How The Social Security Administration Evaluates Your Application
When the Social Security Administration reviews your application for SSDI benefits, they look for evidence that your disability prevents you from working and earning a living. As of 2020, if you make more than $1,260 per month, you cannot qualify for benefits.
If your income falls below income limits, your approval depends on the following:
- The seriousness of your condition
- Whether or not the SSA lists your condition as disabling
- Your ability to do the same work you were doing before the disability, and
- If you have transferable skills that qualify you for another job.
In addition, the SSA expects your condition to last more than a year or result in early death.
Does Disability Pay More Than Social Security
Applying for Disability benefits has a reputation as a time-consuming and inefficient process. Consequently, many people entering their 60s who could potentially qualify for disability benefits may opt to just elect for Social Security a couple of years early to avoid the hassle. However, this strategy has the potential to cost you a lot of money in the long run. Whether opting for disability would be the more remunerative strategy will depend on your age. A financial advisor could help you weigh the best options for your retirement goals.
Read Also: Wv Handicap Placard Form
Reduction Of Disability Payments
In some cases, your SSDI benefits may be reduced.
If a person eligible to receive SSDI also receives a government-regulated disability benefit, then the SSDI benefits may be reduced.
A government-related disability benefit could be:
- Payments made by the Workers Compensation
- Public disability benefits
- Temporary disability benefits paid by the state
- Military disability benefits
To determine the amount by which your SSDI may be reduced, the SSA will calculate the total disability payments you are eligible to receive and if you get more than 80% of your average income before the disability, the SSDI will be reduced.
The following disability, on the other hand, should not affect your SSDI payouts:
- Private long-term disability insurance
Does Social Security Pay For Funeral Expenses
The Social Security Administration pays a small grant to eligible survivors of some beneficiaries to help with the cost of a funeral. In 2020, this amount was set by law at $255 for SSI recipients. The heirs of a beneficiary who has passed have some flexibility in how this benefit is paid out and what it may be used to pay for.
Recommended Reading: What Happens To My Disability When I Turn 65
Adults Disabled Before Age 22
An adult who has a disability that began before age 22 may be eligible for benefits if a parent is deceased or starts receiving retirement or disability benefits. We consider this a “child’s” benefit because it is paid on a parent’s Social Security earnings record.
The disabled “adult child” including an adopted child, or, in some cases, a stepchild, grandchild, or step grandchild must be unmarried, age 18 or older, have a disability that started before age 22, and meet the definition of disability for adults.
Example
It is not necessary that the disabled “adult child” ever worked. Benefits are paid based on the parent’s earnings record.
- A disabled “adult child” must not have substantial earnings. The amount of earnings we consider “substantial” increases each year. In 2021, this means working and earning more than $1,310 a month.
Working While Disabled: How We Can Help
How Much Does Social Security Disability Pay Per Child
You may not immediately think of children as beneficiaries of Social Security disability, but the Social Security Administration reports paying $4.8 billion in benefits last year to four million children of parents who were deceased, disabled, or retired. That was in addition to the benefits the SSA paid to children who were disabled or blind and qualified for benefits through the Supplemental Security Income program.
Eligibility standards for a child to receive benefits vary, as does the amount paid, depending on the particular circumstances. The following information may help you get a better understanding of benefits to children, but the best source for guidance to determine how much would Social Security disability pay per child in a specific situation is to consult with an experienced Social Security disability advocate at London Disability.
Read Also: 80 Va Disability Rating