How Much Can You Receive in Social Security Disability Benefits? 

If you qualify for Social Security Disability Insurance (SSD or SSDI), your monthly payment is based on how much total money you earned before your disability started. You might be surprised to learn that your Social Security Disability Benefits amount isn’t based on how much income you make or how severe your disability is. Most people who receive SSD get somewhere between $800 and $1800 each month. However, your payment may be reduced based on disability payments that come from additional sources. We’ll discuss those below. 

How Much Does Disability Pay? 

Monthly SSDI payments are unique to each applicant. This is because the Social Security Administration (SSA) uses a formula to calculate an individual’s benefits, up to a maximum amount of $2,861 as of 2019. 

Disability and retirement benefits are both based on how much income you’ve paid Social Security taxes for, also known as “covered earnings.” The SSA looks at your average indexed monthly earnings (AIME) which are your average covered earnings over several years. They then apply a formula to determine your primary insurance amount (PIA) which is the base amount the SSA utilizes to decide on your benefit payment. 

In order to discover your history of covered earnings, you may look at your yearly Social Security statement, found on the SSA website. If you’d rather provide your own salary information instead of relying on the SSA’s estimation of your future income and your recorded earnings record, you may call your local office and speak to a representative who can help you determine the benefits you’re eligible for. You may use the Social Security Administration’s SSDI calculator online. Their site also has a Social Security Disability Benefits pay chart. It should be noted that only people over 60 who don’t receive benefits and don’t have an online SSA account will receive printed statements each year. 

How Do Other Disability Payments Reduce SSDI Benefits? 

Disability payments that you receive from long-term, private disability insurance policies do not change your SSD benefits. However, if you receive disability payments from the government, like temporary disability benefits from your state or workers’ compensation benefits, they can affect your SSD payments as such: By law, you can’t collect more than 80 percent of your average earned income before you became disabled. If your benefit payments add up to more than 80 percent, your SSDI will be reduced. VA and SSI benefits, however, will not reduce your SSD payments. 

How Does Backpay Work? 

You may be able to receive retroactive payments, called backpay, going back to the original date you applied for Social Security Disability benefits. The amount you receive is based on your monthly benefit amount and the number of months between the date you applied and the date of your disability benefits started.  

If you’re applying for Disability Benefits, understanding all of the rules and regulations can be lengthy and confusing. A benefits attorney at the Disability Help Center can assist you in applying and defending your application to get you the benefits you deserve and maximize your payment. Call us today at 1-888-418-8860 today for a free consultation.