The maximum Social Security Disability Insurance benefit in 2024 is $3,822 per month, but many people receive significantly less than this amount. A worker’s lifetime earnings are the primary factor in determining monthly SSDI benefits.
If you have worked and paid Social Security taxes for five of the last 10 years and have become totally disabled due to illness or injury, you may qualify for Social Security Disability Insurance (SSDI) benefits. Disability benefits may include a monthly payment and Medicare health insurance.
Social Security Disability Insurance benefits are monthly payments based on your work history and earnings before you became disabled. Like Social Security benefits for retirees, SSDI is funded by the FICA Social Security tax withheld from paychecks.
How to Get Social Security Disability Benefits
To qualify for monthly benefits from Social Security Disability Insurance (SSDI), you must:
- Have worked in jobs covered by Social Security.
- Have a qualifying medical condition that meets Social Security’s strict definition of disability.
You may qualify for a disabled worker’s benefit if:
- Your condition or disease significantly limits your ability to do basic work-related activities, such as lifting, standing, walking, sitting, or remembering, for at least 12 months or is expected to result in your death.
- Your condition is on the SSA’s list of medical conditions, which are considered severe enough to prevent a person from working or doing substantial gainful activity. If your condition is not on the list, the Social Security Administration must determine that it is as severe as a medical condition that is on the list for you to qualify for Social Security disability payments.
Once you are recognized as disabled, your monthly benefit amount will be based on your average covered earnings, known as your average indexed monthly earnings or AIME.
Your average indexed monthly earnings are based on up to 35 years of earnings. Total earnings are indexed to reflect changes in general wages and the standard of living over the years.
The SSA chooses the earnings years with the highest indexed earnings, adds up the earnings, and divides the total by the number of months in those years. The resulting figure is rounded down to the next lower dollar amount and is the worker’s average indexed monthly earnings.
A complex formula is then applied to calculate the primary disability insurance amount, which the SSA uses to set monthly benefit payments. Due to a cost-of-living adjustment, the monthly disability benefit is expected to increase in 2025.
Disabled workers eligible for Social Security Disability benefits are also eligible for Medicare after a 24-month qualifying period. The first 24 months of disability benefit entitlement is the waiting period for Medicare coverage. During this qualifying period for Medicare, the beneficiary may obtain health insurance through a former employer or the government’s Marketplace.
SSDI payments range widely depending on the disabled individual’s work history and earnings. If you reside in Dallas, TX, and have questions about seeking Social Security Disability benefits, an experienced SSDI benefits attorney at Kraft & Associates is available to assist you.
How to Get Supplemental Security Income
Social Security Disability Insurance benefits should not be confused with Supplement Security Income.
Supplemental Security Income (SSI) benefits is a separate disability benefits program for people with little income and few assets. SSI benefits are available to disabled people who did not have jobs that paid taxes into the Social Security system.
Eligibility for SSI is based on the applicant’s disability, income, and assets. A person might be eligible for SSI if they have:
- Little or no income
- Little or no resources
- A disability, blindness, or are age 65 or older.
In many cases, parents of a disabled child will obtain SSI benefits for their child when the child becomes 18 years old. If the parents have few resources, they may obtain SSI for a child sooner.
The maximum monthly SSI payment for 2024 is $943 for an individual ($11,316 per year) and $1,415 for a couple ($16,980 per year).
The SSI benefit may be less based on the recipient’s income, certain family members’ income, the recipient’s living situation, and other factors. For example, for every $2 an SSI beneficiary earns from work, their SSI payment is reduced by about $1. If an SSI recipient lives with a spouse, the spouse’s income may adversely affect the SSI payment.
Get Legal Help From Our Experienced Social Security Disability Lawyers in Dallas
If you are considering a Social Security Disability claim, our legal firm can advise you and protect your rights throughout the disability claims process. Our dedicated attorneys will seek the maximum benefit available for you or your loved one.
The law firm of Kraft & Associates, Attorneys at Law, P.C. has helped many disabled Texans seek the full disability benefits they are entitled to by law. Let us put our knowledge and experience to work for you. Contact us today at (214) 999-9999 or fill out our online form for help with a disability claim. If we cannot help you, we will attempt to refer you to an attorney or an agency that can help.
