SSDI payments are based on your covered earnings.
If you are unable to work due to an injury or medical condition, you may be eligible for benefits through the Social Security Administration. Social Security Disability Income, commonly called SSDI, is a type of disability benefit that is available to people who qualify for benefits based on their inability to work due to a disability or severe medical condition.
Qualifying for SSDI can be a difficult process; a skilled Social Security Disability attorney can help you obtain these benefits through the initial application and any appeals. The question many people have is how much they will receive if they are approved for benefits. The amount of SSDI payments that you will receive will depend on a number of factors, including how much you paid into the system when you were able to work and your other sources of disability income.
The primary factor impacting how much you will receive for your SSDI benefits is your covered earnings. Covered earnings are the wages that you have paid into the Social Security system. Most jobs pay covered wages, so when you see your paycheck, you will likely notice that some part of your salary has been withheld for Social Security taxes or FICA. The Social Security Administration will perform a calculation, known as the average indexed monthly earnings, or AIME, to determine the average amount that you have received in income and paid into the Social Security system over a period of time.
Once your AIME has been determined, Social Security then will apply a formula to this number to determine your primary insurance amount, or PIA. This will be determine how much you receive in your monthly SSDI payments. Your other sources of income and whether or not you have assets such as a house will not impact whether or not your receive SSDI benefits. The severity of your disability or medical condition will also not impact whether or not you receive SSDI benefits.
If you receive public disability benefits, such as workers’ compensation, government retirement disability benefits (local or state), military disability benefits or temporary state disability benefits, this income could reduce your monthly SSDI payment. However, private sources of disability income — such as private disability insurance payments or a private pension — will not impact your SSDI benefits. Importantly, even if your disability benefits from the federal government are decreased, you may still qualify for different types of disability benefits in your state. A skilled Social Security Disability attorney can help make sure that you are getting the benefits that you are eligible for based on your disability and the laws in your state.
If you suffer from a disability, medical condition, or other injury that limits your ability to work or prevents you from working entirely, you may be eligible for Social Security Disability benefits or other forms of disability benefits. At the Law Offices of Larry H. Parker, our attorneys are highly skilled and compassionate, and will work hand in hand with you to make sure that you get the benefits that you need to move forward with your life. Contact our office today at 800-333-0000 or info@larryhparker.com to schedule a free initial appointment and learn how we can help you apply for Social Security Disability benefits.
