For Social Security disability benefit recipients, the SSA has announced a 2.5% cost-of-living adjustment. This cost-of-living adjustment, COLA for short, can help to offset the effects of rising inflation on your quality of life while receiving Supplemental Security Income (SSI) or Social Security Disability Insurance (SSDI) benefits. In addition to understanding changes to Social Security disability benefit payments, it is important to familiarize yourself with 1) the payment benefit amounts associated with each type of recipient and 2) the structure and approximate calculations behind these Social Security disability benefit payments. To make your life even easier, the team at Michael Armstrong Long has put together a straightforward guide to help you understand the key points and payment structures behind SSI and SSDI respectively.
The Supplemental Security Income (SSI) Payment Chart for 2025
The 2.5% COLA increase was effective as of January 2025. The following SSI pay chart is now applicable for 2025 and is solely applicable for SSI benefit payments: You can find this information directly on SSA.gov for SSI Federal Payment Amounts for 2025
| SSI Payment Amounts for 2024 and 2025 | |||
|---|---|---|---|
| Type of SSI Recipient | 2024 Annual Amounts | 2025 Annual Amounts | 2025 Monthly Amounts |
| Eligible Individual | $11,321.49 | $11,604.53 | $967 |
| Eligible Couple | $16,453.84 | $17,404.87 | $1,450 |
| Essential Person | $5,673.73 | $5,815.57 | $484 |
The Social Security Disability Insurance Calculations and Structure for 2025
Unfortunately, the calculations for SSDI are individual-specific and pertain to your earnings covered by Social Security (you paid Social Security taxes on these earnings). Social Security Disability Insurance (SSDI) operates under a different formula than SSI. Most importantly, it requires the fulfillment of these elements for eligibility:
- You must have worked long enough in an occupation covered by Social Security to earn sufficient work credits. Typically, this is the accumulation of 40 work credits within a consecutive, 10-year period.
- Your condition must meet the Social Security Administration’s (SSA) strict definition of a qualified disability.
- The disability must be expected to last at least a minimum of 12 months or result in death.
- You must be unable to perform Substantial Gainful Activity that exceeds the SGA limit as defined by the SSA ($1,620 per month for non-blind individuals and $2,700 per month for statutorily blind individuals).
The details of the exact calculation can be confusing, but we find that most SSDI payments will range from $1,200 to $1,600 per month. The SSA uses your average indexed monthly earnings (AIME) over your covered earnings (you paid Social Security taxes on these earnings) over multiple years in order to calculate your SSDI benefit payments.
Important Parting Notes About SSDI And SSI Benefit Calculations
If you are represented in your SSDI case by an attorney or non-attorney representative, please be advised that this individual cannot negotiate your monthly benefit. The benefit formulas are strictly developed by Social Security’s own rules and regulations. We have found that using the SSA’s disability calculator or calling the SSA at 1-800-772-1213 is the best option for receiving further info on estimating your probable SSDI benefit amounts.