Social Security Disability Insurance (SSDI) is a federally funded program meant to assist individuals when they are affected by a long-term disability inhibiting their ability to work for longer than 12 months. Social Security Disability Insurance (SSDI) is meant to be a safety net; ensuring that individuals can maintain their quality of life while they get better, and hopefully, have the opportunity to return to the workforce again.
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- Social Security Disability Insurance (SSDI): A federal program that pays monthly benefits to people who cannot work because of a long-term disability.
- Average Indexed Monthly Earnings (AIME): The average of your past wages, adjusted for inflation, that Social Security uses to calculate your SSDI payment.
- Work Credits: Points you earn by working and paying Social Security taxes that help determine if you qualify for SSDI.
- Federal Poverty Level (FPL): A yearly income number the government uses to decide who is considered living in poverty.
- Cost of Living Adjustment (COLA): A yearly increase in Social Security benefits to help keep up with rising prices.
For applicants filing or appealing for the first time, you might be curious as to the monthly benefit figure you will receive. In our post today, we will break down the average SSDI payment amounts, explain how benefits are calculated, and help you understand what to realistically expect.
The Current Average SSDI Payment By the Numbers Available
SSDI Payments can vary from claimant to claimant because they are based on an individual’s work earnings. However, according to the SSA, these are the figures you can most likely expect:
- Current average: $1,537 per month
- Most common range: $1,300-$1,600 per month
To help you understand these figures better, the Federal Poverty Level is $15,650 in income per year. This figure divided by 12 months is 1,304.17 per month. With this in mind, most payments for most SSDI recipients are about 130% of the Federal Poverty Level.
The Maximum and Minimum Benefit Payments While On SSDI
The Maximum Monthly Benefit Payment on SSDI for 2025
According to the SSA, the maximum, monthly SSDI benefit payment you can earn per month is $4,018. However, very few successful claimants receive this amount because you will need to have earned at or near the Social Security wage cap for most of your working years.
The Minimum Monthly Benefit Payment on SSDI for 2025
There is no set minimum figure for SSDI benefit payment amounts. While it is possible to receive under $500 per month while on SSDI, receiving benefit payment amounts on this side of the spectrum is also rare.
You Still Can Have Options With A Low(er) SSDI Benefit Payment
If you happen to fall into a unique circumstance where your monthly SSDI benefit payment is low, you may still have additional options for financial support. In some situations, individuals with limited income and resources may qualify for Supplemental Security Income (SSI) concurrently with SSDI. This can increase their total monthly benefit up to the federal SSI payment limit. Our team cannot emphasize this enough: Eligibility for SSI depends on strict income and asset rules, so not everyone with a low SSDI payment will qualify.
What SSDI Benefit Payment Amounts Can Look Like Based on Your Income
Your SSDI payment depends on your lifetime earnings. We’ve provided some realistic examples of what monthly benefits can look like at different income levels.
- Very low lifetime earnings: Minimum wage workers → $400–$900/mo
- Low–moderate earnings: $40K–$50K per year → $1,300–$1,500/mo
- Moderate–higher earnings: $60K–$80K per year → $1,700–$2,200/mo
- Higher earners: Six-figure earners ($100K+) → $1,800–$3,300/mo
- Maximum possible SSDI: Highest taxable earners → Around $3,700+/mo (2025)
How SSDI Is Calculated
Social Security Disability (SSDI) is based on how much money you earned while working and the work credits you accumulated, not on how serious your disability is. The Social Security Administration looks at your past paychecks, turns them into an average called your AIME (Average Indexed Monthly Earnings), and then uses a formula based on that number to figure out your monthly benefit. People who earned more over their lifetime get a higher SSDI payment, and people who earned less get a smaller one.
The Financial Realities of SSDI Benefit Payments
Unfortunately, even with the support programs and safety nets meant to help people with long-term disabilities who can no longer work, 1 out of 4 SSDI recipients live below the poverty line. Also, while there are Cost of Living Adjustments (COLA) to help benefit payment amounts keep up with inflation, there is no adjustment made for regions/locations with higher costs of living.
Partner with Your New Mexico Legal SSDI Appeals Representatives
At Michael Armstrong Law, we fight to ensure you get the maximum benefit payment amount you deserve. We have decades of experience serving the community of Albuquerque and Greater New Mexico, assisting them with appeals for denied Social Security Disability Insurance applications. We are ready to partner with you today and help you tell your story, whether in before an administrative law judge or in federal court.