Collecting Disability Payments: How Much Does Social Security or SSI Pay?

The amount you'll receive, and when you'll receive it, is a little complicated.

Calculating Your Social Security Disability Payment

Your monthly disability payment is based on your average lifetime earnings before you became disabled. The severity or type of disability does not factor in, although payments from other sources can.

When Is a Lump Sum Disability Payment Awarded?

When you are owed disability back payments from the date you applied, or earlier, you may be paid in a lump sum - often referred to as "backpay".

How Far Back Will Disability Pay?

Because the application and determination process is often so long, Social Security will pay you retroactively once you are approved. Here's how backpay works.

How Long Do Social Security Disability Benefits Last?

Assuming your disability doesn't improve and you remain unable to work, your benefits should last until you reach retirement age, at which point you'll switch over to retirement benefits.

What is Supplemental Security Income (SSI)?

SSI is a type of Social Security benefit that allows disabled individuals to collect a monthly payment, even if they haven't paid into the system through taxes.

SSI Disability Benefits and Requirements

Often, those who haven't paid into the SSDI program can still collect $733 per month in SSI disability.

Does SSI Disability Pay Retroactively?

If you are awarded SSI disability benefits, you may receive back payments from your application date.

Do I Have to Pay Taxes on Disability Income?

Whether or not your disability benefits are taxable will depend whether your income and your spouse's income are below certain amounts.

Can Your Disability Benefits Be Taken Away?

Social Security disability benefits are rarely terminated due to medical improvement, but SSI recipients can lose their benefits if they have too much income or assets.

Getting Medicare or Medicaid if Approved for Disability

Persons with disabilities (according to Social Security's definition) should be able to get free health care.

Calculating Disability Benefits for Children of Disabled Parents

A minor child of a disabled person who receives Social Security Disability Income (SSDI) can receive a monthly cash benefit check until the child turns 18.

Collecting Social Security Benefits of a Deceased Spouse

There are several ways the "surviving" spouse may be able to collect benefits from Social Security. It gets a little complicated.

Social Security Survivor Benefits: Eligibility and Filing

If a disabled person who was receiving SSDI dies, the money that they were receiving can potentially go to his or her dependents.

Social Security Disability and SSI for Children

In some cases, children may be able to get supplemental security income (SSI) disability benefits.

Social Security Disability Benefits for a Disabled Adult Child

Disabled adults who don't have enough work credits can sometimes use their parents work credits to qualify for SSDI benefits.

Disability Benefits for the Divorced Spouse of a Disabled Worker

If your ex-husband or wife became disabled and he or she earned enough Social Security credits to be entitled to SSDI, as a divorced spouse, you may also be entitled to benefits.