How Much Can You Get on Social Security Disability?

Your Social Security Disability Insurance (SSDI) benefit amount depends on your work history and the earnings you paid Social Security taxes on throughout your career. Unlike other government programs, SSDI benefits are not based on financial need but rather on your lifetime earnings record with the Social Security Administration.

The Keener Law Firm has successfully helped thousands of disabled individuals secure their SSDI benefits throughout Georgia and nationwide. Our years of daily experience with Social Security disability claims gives us deep insight into how benefit calculations work and how to maximize your potential monthly payments.

How Does Social Security Calculate Your SSDI Benefit Amount?

The Social Security Administration calculates your SSDI benefit using a figure called your Average Indexed Monthly Earnings (AIME). It’s based on your highest 35 years of earnings. If you worked fewer than 35 years, the SSA includes zeros for the missing years, which can significantly reduce your benefit amount.

Your AIME gets converted into your Primary Insurance Amount (PIA) using a complex formula that weighs lower earnings more heavily than higher earnings. This progressive formula ensures that workers with lower lifetime earnings receive a higher percentage of their pre-disability income in benefits.

The SSA applies “bend points” in the calculation that favor workers with lower lifetime earnings. Here’s how it works: For 2025, the first $1,226 of your AIME is multiplied by 90%, the next portion up to $7,391 is multiplied by 32%, and any amount above that is multiplied by 15%.

What Is the Average SSDI Monthly Payment in 2025?

The average SSDI benefit payment in 2025 is approximately $1,580 per month, including the cost-of-living adjustment applied at the beginning of the year. However, your individual benefit could be significantly higher or lower depending on your earnings history. Benefits range from a minimum of around $971 per month to a maximum of $4,018 per month for high earners who become disabled in 2025.

What Happens If You Become Disabled Before Age 62?

SSDI benefits are available to disabled workers of any age who have enough work credits, unlike retirement benefits that can begin at age 62. If you become disabled before your full retirement age, your SSDI benefit equals 100% of your Primary Insurance Amount. That’s the same amount you would receive in benefits if you started getting Social Security Retirement benefits at your full retirement age.

This means younger disabled workers often receive higher benefits relative to their age than they would from early retirement. Your benefit remains steady throughout your disability, plus annual cost-of-living adjustments, until you reach full retirement age. When you do reach your full retirement age, your SSDI automatically converts to retirement benefits at the same amount.

How Do Work Credits Impact Your SSDI Benefit Amount?

You need 40 work credits total (roughly 10 years of work), 20 credits of which were earned in the 10 years before becoming disabled. There are some exceptions for younger workers.

In 2025, you earn one work credit for every $1,810 in earnings, up to a maximum of four credits per year. Younger workers need fewer credits – for example, workers who become disabled before age 24 may need as few as six credits total.

However, having more work credits often means you’ve worked longer and potentially earned more, which can increase your benefit calculation. We know this can be confusing. The Keener Law Firm helps clients understand their work credit status and how their employment history affects their potential benefits.

Can You Receive SSDI If You Never Worked or Had Low Earnings?

Probably not. In these cases, you may be able to receive Supplemental Security Income (SSI) instead, which is a need-based program with different benefit amounts and requirements.

Some individuals may be entitled to both SSDI and SSI benefits if their SSDI amount is very low. Your total monthly payment would be a combination of both programs, subject to SSI income limits and other restrictions. The maximum SSI benefit for an individual in 2025 is $967 per month.

How Soon Do SSDI Benefits Begin After Approval?

SSDI benefits begin in the sixth month after you’re the date the Social Security Administration determines to be your disability onset date, not your approval date. This five-month waiting period is mandatory for most SSDI recipients, regardless of when the SSA approves your claim.

Many SSDI benefits recipients receive retroactive benefits covering the months between when they should have started receiving benefits and when their claim was actually approved. These retroactive payments can be substantial, especially if your case took months or years to resolve through the appeals process.

Retroactive benefits are limited to 12 months before your application date, so filing your SSDI claim as soon after you become disabled is important for maximizing your potential back payments. At The Keener Law Firm, we emphasize the importance of early filing to protect our clients’ full benefit potential.

Do SSDI Benefits Increase Over Time?

Each year, your SSDI benefits increase with automatic cost-of-living adjustments (COLA) based on inflation measures.

The COLA for 2025 was 2.5%, providing a very modest increase to all SSDI recipients compared to 2024 levels. While you cannot typically increase your base benefit amount after approval, these annual adjustments are intended to help protect your benefits against inflation throughout your disability.

What Additional Benefits Might Your Family Receive?

Your SSDI approval may also trigger auxiliary benefits for your spouse and minor children. These family benefits can add substantially to your household’s total monthly Social Security income, sometimes increasing your total benefits by 50% or more.

Spouses over age 62 and minor children under 18 (or up to 19 if still in high school) could be entitled to benefits based on your work record. Disabled adult children can also receive benefits if their disability began before they reached age 22. Each family member can receive up to 50% of your benefit amount, subject to a family maximum.

The Keener Law Firm ensures that families understand all potential benefits available and helps them apply for any possible additional payments.

What Medical Conditions Typically Receive Higher SSDI Benefits?

The amount of your SSDI benefits doesn’t depend on your specific medical condition, only your work history and earnings matter.

The Keener Law Firm has successfully represented clients with a wide range of medical conditions, from physical impairments to mental health disorders, ensuring each client receives the full benefit amount their individual work history supports.

How Can Legal Representation Maximize Your SSDI Benefits?

Professional legal representation can significantly impact both your chances of approval and the benefit amount you ultimately receive. Experienced attorneys understand how to present medical evidence effectively, establish the most favorable disability onset date, and ensure accurate earnings records.

The Keener Law Firm’s proven track record in SSDI cases means we know how to build strong cases that result in approvals and maximum benefit amounts. We review your earnings history, work with medical professionals to document your disability, and handle all aspects of your claim from initial application through final appeals.

Don’t leave your SSDI benefits to chance. Contact The Keener Law Firm today to discuss your case and learn how our experience can help you secure the full benefits you’ve earned through your years of work and Social Security tax contributions.