How Much In Social Security Disability Benefits Can You Get?

If you are eligible for Social Security Disability Insurance (SSDI, or sometimes just SSD) benefits, the amount you receive each month will be based on your average lifetime earnings before your disability began. It is not based on how severe your disability is or how much income you have. In addition, if you are receiving disability payments from other sources, as discussed below, your payment may be reduced.

Calculating Your Social Security Disability Payment

The amount of money you will receive from Social Security on a monthly basis is unique for every individual. This is due to the fact that the Social Security Administration (SSA) uses a complex weighted formula in order to calculate benefits for each person. 

First, Social Security only counts income on which you've paid Social Security taxes—called "covered earnings." Your average covered earnings over a period of years is known as your average indexed monthly earnings (AIME). A formula is then applied to your AIME to calculate your primary insurance amount (PIA)—the base figure the SSA uses in setting your benefit amount. The formula consists of fixed percentages of different amounts of income (called "bend points," which are adjusted each year). For example, in 2011, 90% of the first $749 of your AIME is added to your PIA, plus 32% of your AIME from $749 to $4,517, plus 15% of your AIME over $4,517. The amounts are added up to come up with your PIA. 

Most SSDI recipients receive between $300 and $2,200. The average SSDI payment in 2012 is $1,111. 

To see your entire covered earnings history, you can check your annual Social Security Statement. While the Social Security Administration stopped mailing out annual Social Security Statements in 2011, you can now check your statement online at www.ssa.gov/mystatement/. (If you want to enter salary information yourself rather than rely on your earnings record and Social Security's estimate of your future earnings, you can use the SSA's online benefits calculator at www.socialsecurity.gov/planners/benefitcalculators.htm.) You can also call your local Social Security office and they will be able to help you estimate what your benefits would be.

Reducing Your Payment by Other Disability Payments

If you receive disability benefits from private long-term disability insurance benefits, these benefits will not affect your SSDI benefits. However, you receive public disability benefits, such as workers' comp benefits, temporary state disability benefits, they can affect your SSDI benefits. SSI and VA benefits will not reduce your SSDI benefit.

You cannot receive more than 80% of the average amount you earned before you became disabled in SSDI and other disability benefits. If you do, your SSDI benefit will be reduced.

Social Security Backpay

How much you will receive in backpay is dependent on your SSDI monthly amount. And how much you will get in backpay will be determined by what your established date of onset (EOD) is. Learn more about SSDI backpay.