In 2025, the SSA modified SSDI disability benefit amounts, raising the maximum monthly payment to $4,018. This is the maximum amount that a beneficiary can get; however, not everyone will receive it. The precise amount you earn relies on two major factors:
SSDI is a government program managed by the Social Security Administration (SSA) that pays financial benefits to workers who have a condition that prohibits them from working. To be eligible, you must have worked and paid Social Security taxes (via FICA deductions on your wages) for a specific number of years.
Requirements that must be met to receive SSDI
Furthermore, you must fit the SSA’s definition of disability, which normally states that you are unable to conduct meaningful work due to a medical condition that will persist at least one year or result in death.
The Social Security Administration (SSA) determines your compensation based on your typical wages prior to becoming incapacitated. If you earned a high income and paid more Social Security taxes, you are likely to receive a larger reward.
To be eligible for the maximum amount, you must have worked for at least 35 years and have met the Social Security tax (FICA) maximum limit on multiple occasions. Furthermore, the SSA’s criteria state that you must have acquired 40 work credits, which is roughly comparable to 10 years of labor.
What if you also receive SSI benefits?
Supplemental Security Income (SSI) is a separate program that assists low-income individuals with disabilities, independent of their employment history. If you get both SSDI and SSI, the maximum SSI amounts in 2025 are $967 for an individual, $1,450 for a couple, and $484 for an essential support person.
These amounts are in addition to what you receive from SSDI; however, bear in mind that SSI has income and resource limits, so not all SSDI beneficiaries qualify for SSI and may exceed the limits, resulting in reduced payments.
When are SSDI benefits paid in February 2025?
SSDI payments are made on specified days each month, based on your date of birth and when you began receiving benefits. Below is the payout schedule for February 2025:
- February 3: For beneficiaries who began receiving their pension before May 1997. These payments do not depend on the date of birth.
- February 12: For beneficiaries born between the 1st and 10th of any month, who began receiving benefits after May 1997.
- February 19: For beneficiaries born between the 11th and 20th of any month, who began receiving benefits after May 1997.
- February 26: For beneficiaries born between the 21st and 31st of any month, who began receiving benefits after May 1997.
The SSI payment will be pushed from Saturday, February 1, the intended date, to Friday, January 31, because the SSA does not pay benefits on weekends or holidays.
