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Quick Answer
If you find yourself disabled, you understand the importance of financial security. This is why the Social Security Disability (SSDI or SSD) program was started. Millions of Americans rely on SSDI to meet their basic needs, but what they may not understand when they apply is how much their payments could be worth.
You may just now be applying for SSDI, or perhaps you already receive it. What amount of payments should you realistically be receiving?
Knowing the answer to this question can help you prepare for the future. It can also allow you to take legal action to increase your payments. It’s time to speak with the attorneys of Pond Lehocky. We assist clients with all matters related to SSDI. It’s part of our commitment to helping clients gain the financial stability they need.
How Is SSDI Calculated?
SSDI is calculated in much the same way that Social Security retirement benefits are. The Social Security Administration (SSA) considers the amount of work a person does. More specifically, the SSA looks at a person’s work income. These are earnings on which workers pay Social Security taxes.
The first thing the SSA will do is calculate your average monthly income. This is also called average indexed monthly earnings, or AIME. To come up with this, the SSA decides which of your working years you earned the most amount of money. It then calculates an average across these years.
Once AIME is determined, the SSA plugs it into a formula. The formula will then come up with what is called the primary insurance amount (PIA). PIA is considered to be the full retirement benefit amount, or base figure.
Which Factors Affect the Amount of Social Security I Can Receive?
Determining your specific monthly payments requires considering a few factors. These include:
Your Work History
As a general rule of thumb, an individual needs 40 work credits for retirement. These credits affect your SSDI benefits payments as well. A person must meet both a recent work test and a duration work test to qualify.
Age When the Applicant Becomes Disabled
Both of the above tests depend heavily on a person’s age when they become disabled. Older workers can usually meet these requirements fairly easily. Younger workers can potentially satisfy the work credit requirements as well. Even with fewer work years, they may pass these tests.
However, a shorter work history usually translates into a lower AIME. This means lower benefits. So if you become disabled at a younger age, your benefits will probably not be as high. Talk to our team if you have concerns about your age and how it could impact your disability.
Other Benefits
Do you currently receive other benefits? Whether state or federal, these could impact your SSDI amount. A prime example is workers’ compensation. Many disabled individuals also qualify for workers’ comp if they were hurt on the job. But these payments could reduce your SSDI.
Complicating this is the fact that workers’ comp will run out at some point. While you receive it, your SSDI amount may be lowered. Once it ends, however, your SSDI should increase to the full amount. In other words, you should receive the amount you would have without workers’ comp.
Working
You are allowed to work and collect SSDI. However, the SSA has rules about how much you can earn while collecting SSDI. Someone who works more than a certain amount has substantial gainful activity (SGA). The SGA is the maximum amount of money someone can earn while receiving disability.
For persons who are not blind, the 2026 SGA will be $1690. For blind persons, it will be $2830. If an SSDI recipient earns more than these amounts, they may not qualify for SSDI.
Are There Typical or Average Amounts of SSDI?
Every individual case of disability is different. Nonetheless, it helps to consider the average SSDI payment. The maximum monthly benefit amount that someone can receive (in 2025) is $4,018. But SSDI will usually fall between $1,300 and $1,600 per month for most people. If the amount you receive is below this, talk to our disability benefits attorneys.
How Can I Estimate My Payments?
There are some additional steps you can take to determine how much your SSDI should be. These are useful if you are just starting the application process. But they may also help if you currently receive disability:
Use the SSA’s Online Calculators
The SSA has free online SSDI calculators that you can use to get an estimate. These are merely estimates, of course, so your actual amount may vary.
Review Your Social Security Statement
You can create an online account with SSA to check your Social Security statement. Your statement will include estimates of disability benefits. It will also include your work history. As mentioned above, this information is vital for calculating your disability payments.
Talk to Pond Lehocky Disability
Perhaps the best way to determine your disability benefits is to speak with our lawyers. We are experienced SSDI benefits attorneys who work on behalf of everyday Americans. We know the laws, and we know how a person’s work history and other factors impact SSDI. Also, we can help you each step of the way in filing for disability.
Will My Disability Amount Go Up?
Social Security makes annual cost-of-living adjustments (COLA). This adjustment, which helps recipients deal with inflation, will change your disability amount. In 2025, for instance, SSDI payments increased by 2.5% due to COLA.
Connect with Us to Learn More
SSDI benefits calculations are never simple. However, they have real consequences for disabled workers. Let our attorneys help take some of the stress out of the process. We can help you apply for and collect the benefits that you need. We can also help you better understand how the SSA makes its decisions.
That’s the level of legal service you can count on from Pond Lehocky Disability. Contact us today to get started with your SSDI benefits.