How Are SSDI Payments Calculated? (Updated for 2024)
Atticus offers free, high-quality disability advice for Americans who can't work. Our team of Stanford and Harvard trained lawyers has a combined 15+ years of legal experience, and have helped over 10,000 Americans apply for disability benefits.
In 2024, the maximum amount you can earn from Social Security Disability Insurance (SSDI) is $3,822 per month (up from $3,627 in 2023). That’s a nice sum, but most people won’t get that much. The average SSDI benefit is only about $1,537.
Calculating how much you’ll earn means figuring out your primary insurance amount (PIA), which depends on how much you’ve paid into Social Security from previous paycheck withholdings. So, how much can you expect? Let’s walk through the calculation.
The fastest way to check your SSDI payment amount
Before we get into any numbers, there’s an easy way to see exactly how much you’ll get from SSDI — no calculator required.
Create a free mySocialSecurity account and the SSA will tell you precisely how much you can expect to get from SSDI each month. (If you plan to apply for SSDI, you’ll need to make an account anyway.)
Setting up your account is kind of a pain — the process takes about 15 minutes and you'll need to verify your identity by entering your personal information and by using facial recognition that requires a camera. But it’s completely free and your information is secure.
With an SSA account you’ll also be able to see your income history, how many work credits you have, and your retirement benefits status. If there are any errors in your record, you can also correct them to potentially increase your SSDI benefit.
Estimate your disability benefit amount in just a few steps
We'll use the Social Security Administration's formula to estimate your monthly benefit.
Average
monthly check
$1,489
Social Security disability pay chart
Social Security Disability Insurance (SSDI) provides higher monthly payments than Supplemental Security Income (SSI). Here are the average monthly payment and maximum payment amounts for 2024:
Disability program | Average monthly payment | Maximum monthly payment |
|---|---|---|
Social Security Disability Insurance | $1,537 | $3,822 |
Supplemental Security Income | $697.89 | $943 |
Check out the 2024 payment schedule to see when you will receive benefits payments each month.
How is SSDI calculated?
It all starts with the Social Security Administration (SSA) calculating your average indexed monthly earnings (AIME). Your AIME is based on how much you’ve earned and how much Social Security tax you’ve paid while you were working. Your AIME allows the SSA to determine your primary insurance amount, or PIA. Your benefits amount is based on your PIA.
Calculate your AIME
To start calculating your average indexed monthly earnings, the SSA first indexes your wages. This essentially means they adjust them to reflect how the cost of living has changed over the years.
The SSA looks at up to 35 years of your wages, but $100 earned 20 years ago is worth more than $100 today because of inflation. Indexing your earnings allows the SSA to ensure that your SSDI benefit helps you maintain the same quality of life you have in today’s economy.
Next, the SSA will average your indexed earnings for up to 35 years of your work history. The good news is that the SSA chooses your highest-earning years. So if you worked and paid into Social Security for 40 years, they’ll choose the 35 years that your earnings were highest to calculate your AIME.
Once they come up with your AIME, they calculate your primary insurance amount (PIA).
Calculate your PIA
Your primary insurance amount is determined by breaking your AIME into three separate slices. In 2024, the first slice covers your first $1,174 of earnings. The second covers earnings between $1,175 and $7,078. The third slice accounts for earnings above $6,721. (The dollar cut-offs for those slices generally increase annually.)
The PIA formula says that your 2024 monthly SSDI benefit is worth:
90% of the first slice (your first $1,174 of AIME) PLUS
32% of the second slice (any AIME between $1,175 and $7,078) PLUS
15% of the third slice (any AIME over $7,078)
The SSA rounds down to the next-lowest $0.10 multiple. So if your PIA calculation comes out to $1,358.32, your benefit check would be rounded down to $1,358.30.
Example SSDI calculation
The math gets a little complicated, so let’s look at an example. Let’s say the SSA calculated your average indexed monthly earnings at $5,000. Breaking that into slices, you can see that your SSDI check will be worth:
90% of the first $1,174, or $1,056.60 PLUS
32% of $3826 (your $5,000 AIME – the $1,115 in the first slice), or $1,224.32
The 15% slice isn’t applicable because your AIME wasn’t more than $7,078
That would bring your monthly check from SSDI to $2,280.92 ($1,056.60 from the first slice + $1,224.32 from the second).
How much does disability pay?
The SSA is a federal organization so the calculations above apply no matter where you live in the country. That said, because average salaries and hourly wages vary based on location, knowing what people are getting in your home state can help you get a feel for what to expect.
According to the SSA's most recent Annual Statistical Report, the average monthly SSDI check was $1,489.00. You can find the average for your home state below.
State | Average monthly payment |
|---|---|
Alabama | $1,454.98 |
Alaska | $1,473.09 |
Arizona | $1,542.92 |
Arkansas | $1,415.43 |
California | $1,524.99 |
Colorado | $1,497.71 |
Connecticut | $1,549.41 |
Delaware | $1,599.97 |
District of Columbia | $1,321.04 |
Florida | $1,521.74 |
Georgia | $1,485.38 |
Hawaii | $1,532.11 |
Idaho | $1,456.79 |
Illinois | $1,495.07 |
Indiana | $1,480.12 |
Iowa | $1,412.23 |
Kansas | $1,439.17 |
Kentucky | $1,446.53 |
Louisiana | $1,421.25 |
Maine | $1,395.33 |
Maryland | $1,542.21 |
Massachusetts | $1,493.30 |
Michigan | $1,508.94 |
Minnesota | $1,475.73 |
Mississippi | $1,416.49 |
Missouri | $1,441.07 |
Montana | $1,407.08 |
Nebraska | $1,391.82 |
Nevada | $1,562.44 |
New Hampshire | $1,528.42 |
New Jersey | $1,648.06 |
New Mexico | $1,398.19 |
New York | $1,540.57 |
North Carolina | $1,483.98 |
North Dakota | $1,388.96 |
Ohio | $1,422.89 |
Oklahoma | $1,423.04 |
Oregon | $1,459.64 |
Pennsylvania | $1,493.44 |
Rhode Island | $1,464.35 |
South Carolina | $1,512.46 |
South Dakota | $1,391.16 |
Tennessee | $1,446.63 |
Texas | $1,463.70 |
Utah | $1,473.63 |
Vermont | $1,398.34 |
Virginia | $1,497.40 |
Washington | $1,494.32 |
West Virginia | $1,465.15 |
Wisconsin | $1,460.01 |
Wyoming | $1,485.89 |
For a complete breakdown of how much SSDI and SSI are worth in your area, read our state-by-state guide to disability benefits.
How to increase your SSDI payment
Unfortunately, the only way to increase your SSDI payment is to increase your AIME, which means working at least a year with higher income to figure into your average earnings. If you’re thinking about applying for disability, that’s probably not realistic for you.
You can take steps to make sure you’re getting as much as possible, though. In your mySocialSecurity account, go over your earnings history. If you see any years that are missing or underreported, fixing the mistake with the SSA would increase your AIME and your SSDI payment.
Types of income that lower your SSDI payment
Most people don’t need to worry about this, but there are a few types of income that could decrease your SSDI check.
Workers’ compensation: It's possible to qualify for SSDI on workers’ comp. In total, your SSDI and workers’ compensation payments can’t equal more than 80% of your income from your last job. So if you do qualify for both, the SSA will offset your SSDI payments based on your workers’ compensation amount.
State disability benefits: Only California, Hawaii, New York, New Jersey, and Rhode Island offer short-term disability programs. You can still get SSDI but while you're receiving the state payments, you will get a reduced SSDI payment.
Other government pensions: If you pay into a state pension instead of Social Security, for example, it can reduce what you’re eligible for when it comes to SSDI.
Will my SSDI payments ever change?
Yes. In fact, they’ll most likely automatically increase each year. The SSA modifies SSDI payments annually based on a cost-of-living adjustment (COLA). The 2024 COLA means an 3.2% bump to peoples’ checks.
You don’t need to do anything to see that increase. Your check should simply go up after the COLA takes place each year. The annual increase also doesn’t affect your usual SSDI payment schedule.
How is SSDI back pay calculated?
The SSDI application is a lengthy process, and you do get paid for the time you spend waiting for a decision on your claim. That back pay is worth the same monthly amount. The only difference is that you get one lump sum for all the months you spend awaiting a decision (minus five months, which the SSA believes is an acceptable processing time).
Can you get SSDI and SSI at the same time?
Yes, in certain cases. However, the amount of your SSDI payment reduces the SSI payment you’re eligible to receive. In most cases, someone who qualifies for SSDI will get a big enough payment that they’re ineligible for SSI.
Learn more about who can get SSI and SSDI at the same time.
How to apply for SSDI and win benefits
While SSDI offers a nice monthly payment, getting approved isn’t an easy or quick process. Be prepared to navigate the multi-step application process. Most applicants have to go through a couple of rounds of appeals and some people may need to apply multiple times.
The good news is that you don’t have to go it alone. Professional help from a disability lawyer increases your chances of winning by three times. To quickly find out if you’re eligible for SSDI and to get connected to legal support (if you want it), take our free 2-minute disability quiz.
Find disability lawyers near you
- | - | - | - |
Recommended articles:
Which Disability Benefits Do I Qualify For?
How Much Can I Make on SSDI or SSI in 2024?
Frequently asked questions about disability benefits
What do you get with disability benefits?
How much do disability benefits pay?
SSDI pays up to $3,822 per month in 2024, but the average SSDI check is around $1,500. Your exact check is based on your income and tax history. SSI pays up to $943 per month with your other monthly income subtracted from that maximum amount to find your benefit amount.
When should I apply for disability benefits?
We recommend you apply for benefits as soon as you know you’ll be unable to work. The application process can take a while — a year or longer for the average person. The sooner you submit your application, the sooner you can get benefits.
Do I need a lawyer to apply for disability benefits?
Not technically, but hiring one is worthwhile for most applicants. The SSA denies most initial applications and a lawyer increases your chances of winning an appeal. If you’re applying for state benefits or private disability benefits, you probably don’t need a lawyer.
Are there other types of disability benefits?
Beside Social Security disability, there are short-term disability benefits for people in a very small number of states. Injured workers can access workers’ comp and veterans can apply for VA disability. Anyone who already had a private disability insurance plan can also file a claim for those benefits. Learn more about the types of disability benefits.
How long has your condition made it hard to work?
Jackie Jakab
Lead Attorney
For Clients
For Lawyers
At the bottom of many websites, you'll find a small disclaimer: "We are not a law firm and are not qualified to give legal advice." If you see this, run the other way. These people can't help you: they're prohibited by law from giving meaningful advice, recommending specific lawyers, or even telling you whether you need a lawyer at all.
There’s no disclaimer here: Atticus is a law firm, and we are qualified to give legal advice. We can answer your most pressing questions, make clear recommendations, and search far and wide to find the right lawyer for you.
Two important things to note: If we give you legal advice, it will be through a lawyer on our staff communicating with you directly. (Don't make important decisions about your case based solely on this or any other website.) And if we take you on as a client, it will be through a document you sign. (No attorney-client relationship arises from using this site or calling us.)
- This website is lawyer advertising.
- Cal. Bar #23984
- © 2024 Atticus Law, P.C.
Terms | Privacy | Disclaimer