Does Disability Have a Face?

A man holds his hand over his chest.Does the word ‘disability’ conjure up an image in your mind?

For me, it’s the image of John.

His disability benefits have been a lifeline to John and his family.

 

John is a beneficiary I met while touring one of our field offices several years ago. His story is familiar — a man working hard to support his family — until he was diagnosed with congestive heart failure.

He continued to work until his condition no longer allowed him to. After open heart surgery, John was unable to go back to work. He told me that washing his hair or going up a flight of stairs left him out of breath and with a heart that threatened to pound out of his chest. To keep a heartrate normal, he took several medications twice a day — medications he couldn’t afford if he didn’t qualify for Social Security disability.

His disability benefits have been a lifeline to John and his family.

Like John, 34 million other Americans live with severe, disabling conditions that cause them to be unable to work. I’m sure you’ve heard stories and speculations about the disability program and the people who benefit from it. Some people think Social Security is a handout and that those who receive benefits are milking the system.

In reality, Social Security disability insurance (SSDI) is coverage that workers earn. John worked for more than 25 years before applying for disability. When he needed help, Social Security — the system he paid into his whole adult life — was there for him.

This is what Social Security does —provides some measure of protection for workers and their families from the loss of income because of disability. Our agency touches the lives of nearly every American, often during times of personal hardship, transition, and uncertainty. But there are misconceptions about how it works.

With this in mind, Social Security created our Faces and Facts of Disability website. Through this website, we share stories of people receiving disability benefits, while disproving the myths about the SSDI program. Through literature, videos, and personal testimony, the site offers an inside view into the heart of what we do.

We want to tell you the story of Larry, who lives with congenital heart failure. He is able to work only part-time and hopes to one day get better and work full time. You can also meet Kira, a remarkable young woman who says that without Social Security benefits, she wouldn’t be able to support herself and be independent.

Christine’s story is another. She lives with Guillain-Barré syndrome — a crippling disorder. She tells us:  “Although my condition limits movement and confines me to a wheelchair, receiving disability benefits remove a number of roadblocks from my life.”

You will find more stories on our Faces and Facts of Disability website. We invite you to come see the faces and learn the facts.

 

 

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67 thoughts on “Does Disability Have a Face?

  1. I am receiving a disability from VA. Am I entitled to further disability from susses security? Thank you for letting me ask these questions.

  2. Mr. Walker – As far as I know, SSI was not an original part of SS and it is probably one of the major reasons the SSA has gone into deficit sine sometime in 2010.

    Why is the $2.6+ trillion is “pay before all other” treasury instruments in the name of the SSA not been tapped since that time instead of allowing the shortfall to be added to the annual deficit and be included in our 18 trillion and increasing national dept.

    Why isn’t SSI not the “Welfare” part of the old HEW, now HHS?

    I would gladly not take my SSA, but allow it to help those would did not plan for their retirement and just look for the government to take care of the (the 47% of the nationals adults known as low information voters and, who, also, you look to for your control of elections and perpetuate a “slave plantation” as you move our nation from a Republic, through Democracy (control by the table) to socialism.

    You need to put a stop to this before you destroy our nation. If you do not understand this, then you have no place at any level of government, whose purpose should be to make itself continually smaller, less costly and allow all citizens to be more self reliant.

    If you can not see this, then you must know you are the problem and need to be replaced by someone who works to find solutions and put themselves out of a job.

    Disappointedly!

    • That isn’t correct. SSI is not a part of Social Security. Quick definition: “The Supplemental Security Income (SSI) program pays benefits to disabled adults and children who have limited income and resources. SSI benefits also are payable to people 65 and older without disabilities who meet the financial limits.” A complex issue. Social Security provides retirement, disability and survivors’ benefits. The “I paid for it” theme falls flat, though. Millions of elderly widows — my own mother included — are able to survive because of Social Security, even though so many of them were never in the workforce, paying into Social Security. It works because so many who do pay into Social Security for years don’t live long enough to receive any, or much, benefits. As poverty in the US has increased significantly since the 1980s, it means that fewer people are living long enough to retire.

      Through the years, funds have shifted from one part of Social Security to another to reflect changes in caseloads. The only danger to Social Security comes during those times (every 15 yrs or so) that govt suddenly launches the campaign claiming that the Social Security surplus is so massive, that we should let legislators “borrow” this money to meet more immediate needs.

      • You said “Millions of elderly widows — my own mother included — are able to survive because of Social Security, even though so many of them were never in the workforce, paying into Social Security.” This is only if their spouse DID pay into it. Your elderly mother most likely took care of home and children, making it possible for her husband to earn a living. To say that she did not “earn” Social Security is rather unfair. She worked hard, and her husband paid into the system knowing that his widow would be taken care of.

  3. Allegations of “widespread fraud” are at the heart of this generation’s attacks on disability benefits. The solution would be a public education campaign. By reason of the extremely stringent rules and requirements related to disability benefit eligibility, we can truthfully say that there is virtually NO fraud within the system.

    That said: For years, middle classers have been entirely willing to throw the poor off the cliff in hopes of saving their own butts. SSDI is for those who became disabled after being in the workforce for a certain number of years, and SSI is for those who became disabled before they were old enough to join the workforce/work for long enough to qualify for SSDI. We see an appalling willingness to raise the “I paid for it” banner as an excuse for sacrificing those on SSI, and that’s unacceptable.

    • Oh there is fraud; no doubt about it. If lawyers can spend their entire careers handling social security disability appeals that should explain it right there. Aside from the “fast track” conditions it all depends on subjective factors. I have supported someone through this process and believe me it’s an eye opener. This person was denied despite many appeals with a lawyer. He was bi-polar and had severe anxiety disorder,depression. When he would get a job he always thought the boss didn’t like him or his coworkers didn’t and this paralyzed his success in job after job. As it turned out his social anxiety improved and he has experienced some success but it remains a difficult journey. Others can get it very easy for back problems or bi-polar or depression. There is no specific criteria which would prevent fraud. I wish there was………..

      • Can you link to some data that supports what you’re saying?
        The critieria for receiving SSDI or SSI benefits (as an adult or child) are available at SSA’s website, the general definition of disability, and the Listing of Impairments is another source–the Listings are very specific. You might also want to look at the ALLOWANCE rates for benefits at the different adjudicatory levels–they range from about 15-40% at the initial (first step) (depends on which state) to some administrative law judges having an allowance rate of 15% at the hearing level. But look for yourself, the statistics are on SSA’s website.
        Most of the fraud I’ve read about is connected with the Medicare & Medicaid programs (which SSA does not administer) and is by health care providers-pharmacists, MDs, dentists and it’s in the hundreds of thousands and millions. Special prosecutorial (federal/state) attention to those programs to catch fraud was initiated during the Clinton adminstration and as far as I know has continued.

        There’s some fraud in probably every program–there are adult foster care providers who don’t report the death of a SS disability beneficiary, occasionally I’ve read about an adult child failing to report the death of an elderly parent so he/she can receive those benefits.

        Not much compared to defense contractor fraud in the US and the billions in “assistance” and “reconstruction” money that’s disappeared or been wasted in Afghanistan and Iraq.

        • Perhaps fraud was not the correct term. I apologize. What I meant was despite the seemingly strict criteria and guidelines the results are extremely inconsistent. Yes the person I helped guide through the process had a specialized disability lawyer that handled the appeals to no avail. The other case I am most familiar with was denied representation because she had received the social security disability but let it lapse because she felt guilty accepting it. Apparently lawyers only accept clients that have never received benefits and not those that want it reinstated.

    • I don’t agree. SSI or Supplemental Security Income benefits are paid from the general fund, they aren’t paid from any or other of the Social Security trust funds. When passed (LBJ administration or long after the original SS statutes were passed), it was believed it would mostly help elderly women. Women who were widows and had outlived any savings they and their husband had managed to accumulate during their working lifetimes (often the women had worked little–cared for children, etc., instead). SSI kept them alive.

      People who have never worked may be eligible for SSI (it has pretty stringent income and resource eligibility limits), people who have worked but not earned much may ALSO qualify for SSI. The requirements are that (1) you be over 65 and have very low income and resources OR (2) you are less then 65 but disabled and very low income/resource.
      You can check this information at SSA’s website.

  4. Yes, Disability does have a face. But are what are some of the faces that is should not have? Let me offer one example. You live in Puerto Rico and you speak Spanish and you don’t speak English I and most people would consider that “normal”. Lately Social Security has been talking about the inability to Speak English as a disability. That I hope is not true. People can easily be taught to speak English and that is just good old Common Sense. I think the social Security Administration should be Judicious in spending the hard earned dollars of the everyday Tax Payer. I just wanted to share my opinion and I just did. Thank you for reading. PT.

    • The inability to speak English is not considered a disability. There must first be a severe disability that prevents the person from working. The ability to speak English only comes into play when the examiner is considering whether it is possible for the severely disabled person to earn enough despite his/her disabilities. Yes, the procedures should specify the “local language” rather than “English”, but know that the people that these poorly worded procedures are applied to are also truly disabled. The rules for qualifying for disability are very stringent.

  5. My friend is 59 and has had lung cancer,3 heart attacks,been diagnosed with CHF, COPD, had stent placement, depression,panic attacks and acrophobia. She was denied social security disability. She wants to work. She loves her field of preschool childcare but every time she gets a job she gets sick. She has no endurance. SHE IS DISABLED!! She is appealing but I find this totally outrageous. What do you think?

    • She should ask for a reconsideration, especially if she can provide additional medical records. If she’s denied on reconsideration, she can ask for a hearing. The disability rules are very strict, and the illness has to be expected to last over a year. If the medical records made the examiner think that she might recover within a year, she would be denied. She should make sure to get her doctors to document ALL her diagnoses. Sometimes people only submit their worst diagnosis for consideration, but if there are multiple disabilities, they should _all_ be documented, as that may make a difference in the decision.

    • We are sorry to hear that your friend’s application for disability benefits did not go the way she had hoped, but she does have a couple of other options. First, Social Security wants to be sure that the decision made about her disability claim is correct. If she does not agree with our decision, she has the right to file an appeal. She must make a request within 60 days from the date she received her notice of denial. She can File an Appeal Online . If she needs help with filing the appeal, she can contact her local Social Security office. She can locate her local office by using the Social Security Office Locator. For more information read our publication on The Appeal Process.

      Also, she may be eligible to receive social services from the state in which she lives. These services include Medicaid, free meals, housekeeping help, transportation or help with other problems. To find out whether she may qualify and if she needs to file a separate application call the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services at 1-800-633-4227 (TTY, 1-877-486-2048). She also can get information about services in her area from her state or local social services or welfare office. We hope this helps!

      • How do I expose a discriminatory judge? An ALJ who ignored the records and fax of a medical professional as well as his patient. Please tell me where I can do this oh and by the way the 60 day thing when you have a mental disability dates and times as well as everything else are near impossible to keep an order for a lack of a better term as you can see I’m having trouble finding words now. What I’m trying to say is if you don’t know about the 60 days and the 60 days goes by your screwed……..
        And before you tell me we clearly state that it’s in the forms we send you, well when you have a mental disability such as mine it is nearly impossible to not just obtain mail but an overwhelming fear , moreover a feeling of terror that plagues you day in and day out,
        you are completely unable to do the things that a normal person does. So how can you expect someone with a mental disability to follow rules or stipulations that someone who doesn’t have a mental disability and follow it’s like telling a blind person to walk without stick and then telling them they shouldn’t have tripped over the rock I maybe messed up in the head by now that makes sense and I know that I’m getting screwed over by this BS system in this BS corrupt judges who are above the law and are not required to follow their own protocol or their own job description or the rules that their opinion should not be engaged in the decision-making but more rely on the facts of the case dammit I am so angry you have no clue and it worsens every day which makes it even more difficult to jump through the hoops that you place out expecting the week to fall!

    • It is a real tragedy, what I see when I see the words social security disability is the face of poor, homeless hungry people!! I am on as disability and after my bills I don’t have enough for grocery’s for the month! I am thankful I finally got it but took 6 years to get approved!! Its disgusting!!

  6. iv been applying for this benefits and they still havnt approved my disability and if you want to see the truth I have copy’s of my doctor stating that I can’t work!!!!!! I NEED HELP

    • Hello cyndee and Marky. The advisable procedure to get approved and begin collecting disability is through an attorney. Find an attorney near you who specializes in disability claims. They know dos and don’ts of disability claims and can have far better claim results than individual claimants. A disability attorney’s percentage is regulated by social security disability law and is a reasonable fee for their services. Enlisting an attorney is the best – most successful – procedure. I was on disability for about 5 years before turning full retirement age and transferring to regular social security.

      • Until SSA employees and those awful judges start following THEIR OWN RULES having an attorney to discuss the merits of your case won’t help at all! They deny you if they have indigestion, if the sky is blue, if their wife burnt the toast. It’s spelling.

  7. I applied for disability in December for advanced retinitis pigmentosa I have now only 10 per cent of my vision left and had to give up driving. I was told it would take 3 to 5 months to get a decision . It has now been over 5 months. The status of my claim says still reviewing the medical portion of my claim no decision has been made, How long can it take?

      • My question was ,I was told when I filed my application I would have a decision within 3 to 5 months. It has been more than 5 months and I haven’t been approved or denied . The only answer I get is the medical potion of my claim hasn’t been looked at yet. They claim to have all my medical records since shortly after I filed my claim. My question is how long can it take for them to get around to reviewing my medical records

    • Thanks for your question. The length of time it takes to receive a decision on your disability claim can vary depending on several factors. Primarily, the nature of your disability, how quickly we obtain medical evidence from your doctor or other medical sources, and if your claim is randomly selected for a quality assurance review of the decision.

      You may be able to get more detailed information on the status of your claim by contacting your local Social Security office. Or, you can call our toll free number, 1-800-772-1213 (TTY 1-800-325-0778) and ask to speak with one of our representatives, who are available Monday through Friday from 7:00 a.m. to 7:00 p.m. You will generally have a shorter wait time if you call later in the week. We hope this helps.

      • I called the 800 number and keyed in to speak to an agent the wait time told to me would be 30 mins if I wanted to stay on the line. I didn’t have enough mins left on my prepaid phone to hold. I called the local office and was told all I could do was wait , there was a huge back log and my app was in que to be looked at by the medical panel , the 3 to 5 months means when ever they get around to looking at it.I began working and paying into social security at age 15 I have worked every year and payed into it until last year when my eyesight became so bad I could no longer drive. My condition retinitis pigmentosa is on the list of disabling conditions and there is no known treatment or cure. Mine is in an advanced state and I will lose 5% of the vision I have left each year-I only have 10% left now and my means deviation is greater than -22 in both eyes which is listed as severe enough in the social security guidelines to warrant disability . Of course the fact I’ve had two heart attacks with 3 stints and 4 feet of my bowels removed and am on an ostomy bag now should be enough. Make no mistake I’m sure I will be denied and have to give an attorney 25% of what I paid into before the government will grant my claim

      • This sounds good. I tried calling and its ridiculus over 30 minutes on line and when they answer they transfer me to a survey. Still cannot log on line they say i have a freez ed inf from my credit berue,like if its easy to deal with this people.This is a joke.A nd yes know with relation with Cuba its going to get worth,They give them prefernce..Nothing againt them I was born there,the only diference i worked 40nyears in US….Mine its not free.

    • Well sorry to say,that if you are not from another country it would take you more than three years to get answers..Im on the same page,back problems,artritis.gout ,sleep apnea,carpol tunnel,Copd,faybromialgia,depresion,anxiety e.c.t. and been waiting now 2 years..I know people that had nevr worked in this country and they been recivin SSI for 30 years. GOOD LUCK.

  8. Excellent description of the impact of Social Security benefits on people with serious health problems and other hardships coming from them. For me, not having those benefits would have mean death before reaching the age of 50. Without the possibility to work and no income after years of sickness and a cardiac crisis that sent me to the hospital for weeks, I did not have anything else to cling to survive. Social Security benefits saved me.

    • Thanks for your feedback, J.L. We value your opinion of us and look forward to many more years of serving you in the future.

      • I’m in the same boat but was denied disability. If I die before reconsideration you’re not invited to the funeral and I mean that sincerely. Your alj threw a temper tantrum like an infant and ignored your own rules to deny me. Your system is full of baloney

    • How long from the time that you applied did it take to begin receiving benefits and how many times were you denied before you received your disability?

  9. Ask not who has a qualifying disability, but who must go to prison for up to 12 months for deprivation of relief benefits if disability benefits are cut to 80% as threatened by the Actuary, Commissioner and Treasurer in 2016. The answer to the pain in the OASDI tax rate calculation, that I got wrong twice before taking a week and getting it right, = 2.3% DI and 10.1% OASI until 2018 when it shifts to 2.2% DI and 10.2% OASI for the medium term. This would not cost taxpayers anything. To avoid the OASDI deficit in 2020 it is necessary to tax the rich by eliminating the limit on taxable income. An OASDI Without Income Limit Law (WILL) would increase OASDI revenues by 30%, x 1`.3, by taxing the richest. This is so much money SSA would have to be held responsible for SSI program costs from the General Fund. Revenues in excess of OASDI and SSI program costs, would be shared to reduce or eliminate the federal budget deficit.

  10. As i read all this storys i have to share mine.I worked all my live and contribute to social security for more than 45 years.I had to retired early because of lower back pain due to the fact that i was a bus operator for 28 years.,Among other problems that i have which are about 10 dissability conditions.not to name.
    I been waiting for over two years and nothing,I figure out this is the way they treat people that had contribute all their lives..And yes they give people from other countries that had never worked SSI..This is where they are drainnig the system.

    • Update , I finally got through and spoke to a real person about my claim that I filled 6 months ago , they told me they had actually made a decision on my claim but it was selected for quality assurance review and they have 60 days to review the decision that they made. So while I wait unable to support myself and get harassed by bill collectors and my credit gets ruined I wait for something I paid into with the promise it would be there for me if I became disabled. There is something seriously wrong with this system. I was also unable to create an online account and told it was because of my credit report. It is truly sad the way our public servants whom are paid by our hard earned taxes treat the disabled .

      • Don’t blame the underpaid, overworked public servants. Blame Congress. Congress mandated that 50% of all allowed disability claims must undergo a quality review (do a web search of PER or pre-effectuation review). That’s a huge workload for the QA team, and I’m convinced it is way more than necessary to ensure quality. (Most factories do QA on much smaller percentages). Maybe if Congress would let them do fewer allowance reviews and more disallowance reviews, there would be smaller hearing backlogs too.

      • Samuel, disability claims are randomly selected for a quality assurance review of the decision. We need to be sure that every decision we make about a Social Security or Supplemental Security Income (SSI) claim is correct. We certainly understand your frustration, and apologize for the inconveniences that you are experiencing. You will be notified in writing once a final decision is made on your claim.

        People applying for disability benefits may be eligible to receive social services from the state in which they live. These services include Medicaid, free meals, housekeeping help, transportation or help with other problems. You can get information about services in your area from your state or local social services or welfare office.

        We are sorry you are having difficulty with your personal my Social Security account. For assistance in creating an account, please call us toll-free at 1-800-772-1213. After you hear “Briefly tell me why you are calling,” please say “Help Desk” for help with a my Social Security account.

        • Thank you for your kind words please understand I don’t mean to insult the hard working dedicated people who work for the SSA I know the workloads are horrible and the you guys rarely get a thank you. Please allow me to say thank you for allowing me to whine and make comments . it has made me feel better to get it off my chest while I wait for the process to work. I’m sure there are people worse health is much worse than mine (terminally ill etc.) I’m not used to being shut up in the house in the house and for many years my work was all I had to look forward to. Thank you again for your helpful information and taking time to respond.

    • I am going on 2 years myself, with nothing 0 income I find it hard to swallow how simple for some with far less disabling conditions while I starve and loose everything

    • I’ve worked over 30 years and contributed over $30,000. I’m disabled but have been denied. The process is a joke and I wouldn’t even apply again, which is what they’re hoping I’m sure but my counselor said to and she will give me extra sessions to deal with the stress of applying. Can you imagine? I need extra therapy to deal with the nonsense of applying. That’s just appalling!

  11. We get all this exciting information coming to the people
    but no way to email or contact those who can help.

    Please advise how to get help by the people.

    Thank you

  12. Ok, I know a lady who live in Haiti and every six months, she come to Boston pretend to be sick and never work in this country. She gets medicare A&B food stamps and get check deposited on her account. That same lady have a hotel in HAITI AND IS RENTING PLACES TO OTHER RICH PEOPLE FOR BUSINESS PURPOSES. HOW THE HECK SHE CAN BE BE A MILLIONAIRE IN HAITI AND COLLECTED DISABILITY CHECK WHEN SHE NEVER WORK IN THIS COUNTRY? That make me sick, because I have been here for 47 years and always work, now I am retired and collecting SSC and a little pension and can hardly get money to pay mortgage. This lady is stealing money from people in this country who really need help and is having a hard time getting it. DO SOMETHING ABOUT it. not too many HAITIAN people on disability are really sick, trust me. don’t trust putting my name in this spot.

    • Bernadette, you can report suspected fraud online to our Office of the Inspector General, where reporting is easy, safe and secure. You can remain anonymous, but keep in mind that your decision for anonymity may limit our ability to conduct a complete investigation.

  13. Dear SIR ;
    I ask from service SSN sent me number socail security vai name mostafa antra to morocco
    thank you for your service
    sincerely

  14. I have RA and I’m on disability. I also work 18 hour in a week,so I can keep my companies insurance. My RA is getting worst and I don’t know if I will be able to work 3 years before I turn 65 years old. What can I do if I can’t work any more?

    • Hi Connie, and thank you for contacting us! If you are receiving Social Security disability benefits, and declined Medicare benefits because you’re working and covered under an employer’s group health insurance program, you could qualify for a “Special Enrollment Period” when you stop working.
      For security reasons we don’t have access to personal information in this Blog. In your situation, it is best if you contact your local office or call our toll free number at 1-800-772-1213 Monday through Friday between 7 a.m. and 7 p.m. for assistance.

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  16. I have a question: I’ve been on disability since approx. 2011. Before long, SSA will (I believe) check to see if I’m still disabled.

    I have an anxiety disorder, and have to psych myself up just to go into town. I live near a small town. The nearest SS office is maybe two hundered miles away.

    What happens if I can’t get there? My benefits are all I have

    • We understand your concerns Cary C., and thank you for your questions. The Social Security Administration conducts Continuing Disability Reviews from time to time to make sure the individuals receiving checks are still eligible to get them. The review depends on how severe your medical condition is and the likelihood it will improve. Generally, if medical improvement is possible, we will do a continuing disability review (CDR) approximately every 3 years. If not, we may review it less frequently. You will be notified by mail, when and if we need to review your case. You will be given enough time to respond and contact us for further instructions. You can call your local office or our toll free number at 1-800-772-1213 Monday to Friday between 7 a. m. and 7 p. m.
      For more information, please read our publication: What You Need To Know – Reviewing Your Disability.

  17. Is it true if you get SSD and you want to marry someone else who also receives SSD…. One of them will loss part or all of their check even though they both worked and have earned their own SSD?

  18. Paid into social security for 40 years, served my country for 10 years including combat. One day i am healthy employed contributing member of society, the next day i am paralyzed from the neck down.Was stricken with guillian-barre syndrome and left without the ability to walk, can hardly breathe and the joint pain is unbearable. Was denied benefits and now appealing. The process to get my benefits will now take up to 3 years. In the meantime i have lost my job, my health insurance, i am in the process of losing my home and not sure where i will live or get my next meal. Living on the streets is really my only option. I look back and can remember spending hours crying for my fellow soldiers that lost their lives fighting for their country. Now i realize that they were in fact the lucky ones.

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  20. My spouse applied in June 2015 and was approved for disability benefits in April 2016. In the acceptance letter, it was stated that the benefits from June 2015 to April 2016 was being held to be paid at a later date. Why is it withheld and when will it be paid? Her employer wants to reduce her disability retirement payment in half due to what she should receive but SS has withheld a year of disability, and we would like to know why and when it will be paid.

    • Hi Herb. Generally, we try to establish and start your regular monthly payments before releasing any Social Security Disability back pay. Then, we must review records and do additional calculations before back benefits can be paid. We attempt to resolve all claims promptly, but there may be delays due to the high volume of pending cases in our payment centers. We apologize, but for security reasons, we do not have access to information about your spouse’s account in this venue. Please continue working with your local office in this matter, or call our toll free number at 1-800-772-1213. Our representatives are available Monday through Friday, between 7 a.m. and 7 p.m. Thanks.

  21. What is the maximum amount any given individual can get out of SSDI per month? I cannot find it in the SSA regs. I know it’s based on the amount you pay in over the years you work, etc.. But there has to be a cap at some point. Does anyone know what that cap is and can you provide me with a link that proves it? I believe it is around $2560. or in that range and I have a friend who says there is no cap and that he is receiving over $4K/month. I don’t believe him and therefore, trying (yes as stubborn as I am) prove him wrong. Thanks so much everyone!! 🙂

    • Hi Helen! The estimated average Social Security disability benefit amount for a recipient of Social Security Disability Insurance (SSDI) in 2016 is $1,166 per month. Visit our Fact Sheet for additional information.

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