How Much Money Can You Expect from SSDI?

If you are disabled and unable to work, you may wonder whether you should pursue a claim for disability benefits from the Social Security Administration. You may also wonder how much you might receive if your claim is approved. After all, these benefits can be extremely helpful from a financial perspective when you’re unable to work as you otherwise would. Let’s take a closer look at the types of benefits available and how those benefits are calculated.

What Types of Disability Benefits Are Available?

The Social Security Administration offers two types of benefits for disabled individuals. Regardless of the type of benefit received, it will be necessary for the applicant to prove that they have a qualifying medical condition that has rendered them disabled for at least one continuous calendar year or more. The types of benefits offered include:

• Social Security Disability Insurance: SSDI benefits are disability benefits that the Social Security Administration pays to individuals who are “insured.” Some people hear the word “insured” and think it means a certain type of insurance policy must be obtained to receive benefits. In fact, however, to the Social Security Administration, being “insured” means that an applicant has worked a job for a sufficient length of time, through which they regularly paid a portion of their salary into the Social Security system through employment taxes.
• Supplemental Security Income: Unlike the case with SSDI benefits, those who apply for SSI benefits need not be “insured.” Instead, eligibility for SSI benefits depends on having income and resources below a certain annual limit established by the Social Security Administration. That limit typically changes annually as a result of various economic factors, so consulting with an attorney regarding your personal eligibility is important.

Depending upon your particular circumstances, you may qualify for one or both types of benefits.

How Are Disability Benefits Calculated?

It is first essential to remember that neither type of benefit offered by the Social Security Administration is calculated based on your particular condition. While there are very rare exceptions to this rule (such as in the case of blindness when individuals do receive more money), for the most part, the calculations of benefit amounts are not based on a particular medical condition or its severity.

Instead of basing calculations on the severity of the condition itself, the Social Security Administration will look at a variety of other factors, depending on the particular type of benefit. When calculating SSDI benefits, the SSA will primarily consider work and earnings history. As a general rule, the longer a person worked and the higher their salary, the greater the benefit amount will be, up to a specific limit. The maximum benefit amount limit typically changes annually. In 2025, the maximum amount of SSDI benefits is $4,018 per month.

Unlike SSDI and SSI benefits are not calculated on the basis of work and earning history. Instead, they are generally determined based on an individual’s income and resource level. As a general rule, the lower an individual’s overall income and resource level, the greater the benefit amount will be, up to the monthly limit. The maximum monthly SSI benefit in 2025 is $967 per individual and $1,450 per couple.

When Will Disability Benefits Be Paid?

Aside from determining how much they might receive, many who are seeking disability benefits often want to know when and how benefits will be paid. Typically, SSDI benefits are paid on a set schedule, which is based on birthdate for those who began receiving benefits after May of 1997. The general payment schedule is as follows:

• If the recipient’s birthdate falls on the first through the 10th of the month, the SSDI payment will be made on the second Wednesday of each month.
• If the recipient’s birthdate falls on the 11th through the 20th of the month, SSDI benefits will be paid on the third Wednesday of each month.
• If the recipient’s birthdate occurs between the 21st and the 31st of the month, the SSDI benefits will be paid on the fourth Wednesday of that month.

Those who receive SSI benefits will not follow this schedule and will usually receive their benefits on the first of the month. If the first of the month falls on a weekend or a holiday, benefits are usually paid on the Friday preceding the holiday or weekend.

Call Disability Experts Today

At Disability Experts, we understand the financial difficulties that disabled individuals often experience. We know it can be extremely stressful to worry about how you’ll pay your bills and provide for yourself and those you love when you can’t work. That’s why we’re here to help. We’ll walk with you through every step of the process, from discussing your claim and how much you might receive, to pursuing that claim with the legal knowledge and expertise you need on your side. We’ll keep you informed and involved each step of the way. You deserve nothing less. If you’re ready to get started, give us a call today. We look forward to speaking with you soon.