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Family Benefits

When you start receiving disability benefits, certain members of your family may qualify for benefits based on your work, including your:

• Spouse.
• Divorced spouse.
• Children.
• Adult child disabled before age 22.

If any of your qualified family members apply for benefits, we will ask for their Social Security numbers and their birth certificates.

If your spouse is applying for benefits, we may also ask for proof of marriage and dates of prior marriages, if applicable.

Maximum Family Amount

Each family member may be eligible for a monthly benefit of up to 50 percent of your disability benefit amount. However, there is a limit to the amount we can pay your family.

The total varies, depending on your benefit amount and the number of qualifying family members on your record. Generally, the total amount you and your family can receive is about 150 to 180 percent of your disability benefit.

If you have a divorced spouse who qualifies for benefits, it will not affect the amount of benefits you or your family may receive.

In 2024, the maximum Social Security disability benefit for a disabled worker receiving Social Security Disability Insurance (SSDI) is $3,822 per month, according to the Social Security Administration (SSA). That figure is expected to rise in 2025 due to a cost of living adjustment (COLA).

However, average benefits are much lower. On average, a disabled worker will receive $1,537 per month from the SSA in 2024, and the estimated average monthly benefit payable to a disabled worker and their family is $2,720.

Family members who may be eligible to receive a monthly benefit of up to 50% of a disabled worker's benefit include a spouse, divorced spouse, children, and/or an adult child disabled before age 22. The total amount that a disabled worker and their family can receive is about 150% to 180% of the disabled worker’s benefit.

This benefit is based on a worker's average lifetime earnings, not on the severity of an individual’s disability.

If you’ve kept your annual Social Security statement that you receive in the mail, you can find what you are likely to receive on the first page. The SSA mails these paper statements beginning three months before your 60th birthday, unless you have an online "my Social Security" account. You can access this account at any age to assess your earnings and estimated benefits. The SSA also has a set of calculators that can help you estimate your benefits.

Key Takeaways

• The total amount that a disabled worker and their family can receive is typically 150% to 180% of the disabled worker’s benefit.
• Though there are some conditions that the Social Security Administration (SSA) considers so severe that they automatically render an applicant disabled, most cases require careful screening by the SSA.
• There is a mandatory waiting period of five months before you can start receiving benefits.
• Benefit amounts change annually based on inflation.

What Are Social Security Disability Benefits?

Social Security disability benefits come from payroll deductions required by the Federal Insurance Contributions Act (FICA). This Act also covers the cost of Social Security benefits, such as retirement and survivor benefits. Some of this funding goes into the Disability Insurance Trust Fund and pays for disability benefits.

To qualify for Social Security disability benefits, you must have worked in jobs covered by Social Security for a certain length of time.

In general, you need 40 credits, with 20 over the last 10 years, ending with the year you became disabled. Younger workers may qualify for SSDI with fewer credits.

You must also have a medical condition that meets Social Security’s definition of disability.

Social Security Disability Insurance (SSDI) should not be confused with Supplemental Security Income (SSI), which pays benefits to those 65 and older and people with disabilities with little or no income and resources. Although these two programs sound similar, they are different.

Social Security Disability Evaluation Process

There are some conditions that the SSA considers so severe that they automatically render an applicant disabled. However, many conditions require careful screening. For those, applicants must answer these five questions:

1. Are you currently working? If you are working, you are not blind, and your earnings average more than $1,550 in 2024, then you will not be considered disabled.
   If you are not working, or if your income falls below Substantial Gainful Activity (SGA) limits, move on to question two.
2. Is your condition severe? If Social Security determines that your condition does not interfere with basic work-related activities for at least twelve months, then you will not be considered disabled. If your condition has or will interfere with basic work-related activities for at least twelve months, move on to question three.
3. Is your condition found in the list of disabling conditions? Social Security maintains a list of disabling medical conditions that automatically qualify you as disabled.
   If your condition is not one of these, then Social Security will determine if it is severe enough to qualify. If it is deemed severe enough, you will be considered disabled and your application will be approved. Move on to question four.
4. Can you do the work you did before? If your condition does not interfere with your ability to do the work that you used to do, then you will not be considered disabled. If it does, move on to question five.
5. Can you do any other type of work? Finally, if you can’t do the work that you did previously, then Social Security will determine whether you can do some other type of work. If Social Security determines that you can adjust to other suitable work (taking into account your medical condition, age, education, previous work experience, and other factors), then you will not be considered disabled and your claim will be denied. If you cannot adjust, then your claim will be approved.

In addition, qualifying conditions must be expected to last at least one year or result in death.

When Payments Begin

Many people believe you have to be disabled for a certain period of time before you can apply for Social Security disability benefits. That isn’t true. You can (and should) apply as soon as you believe that you are disabled.

However, there is a mandatory waiting period before you can receive payments. According to the SSA, you will receive benefits after a five-month waiting period, beginning in your sixth month of disability. When you start getting them, whether or not they are taxable depends on your income.

To prevent a large bill at tax time, fill out Form W-4 V: Voluntary Withholding Request and send it to the SSA. If you do this, your Social Security benefits will already have taxes withheld when you receive them.

How Much Does Social Security Disability Pay a Month?

SSDI benefit payments are based on each individual’s average lifetime earnings that are covered by Social Security. Other benefits, such as workers' compensation, could lower how much you receive from SSDI. To find out what you could get, check out the SSA’s online benefits calculator.

How Long Does Social Security Disability Last?

Normally, unless your medical condition improves, you’ll continue to receive Social Security disability payments. As some conditions do improve over time, the SSA periodically reviews cases to make sure recipients are still eligible.

How Long After You're Approved for Disability Do You Get Your Money?

There is a waiting period. Usually, it can take several months for benefits to get paid, with the first payment arriving the sixth full month after the date the SSA determined your disability began.

So, for example, if the SSA determined that your disability began on March 15, 2024 and you applied on April 3, 2024, your first benefit would be paid for the month of September 2024.

The Bottom Line

You should apply for Social Security disability benefits as soon as you become disabled. It can take three to five months to get a decision, according to Social Security. This counts as part of the mandatory waiting period of five months after the onset of your disability.

You can apply on the Social Security website or by calling 1-800-772-1213.