What is the Minimum Amount of Social Security Disability Benefits?

One of the most pressing questions our Columbus, Ohio, long-term disability clients ask us concerns how much they can expect to receive in Social Security Disability benefits each month. We understand. Being unable to work due to a chronic or fatal health condition often means not being able to afford housing, food, health care, and the other necessities of life.

We can quote them statutory minimums and maximums. We can also produce an estimate based on all the information they provide, but the exact answer can only come from the Social Security Disability Insurance (SSDI) program itself.

As a matter of law, the minimum Social Security disability benefit in Ohio for 2019 will be $926 per month. The maximum monthly payment for an individual who qualifies to receive SSDI benefits will be $2,861. The lowest and highest baseline amounts change each year to reflect the cost of living adjustments made to account for inflation.

Now comes the complicated part. Almost no one can budget for receiving exactly the smallest or largest Social Security disability payment.

SSDI benefits are based on the average of the recipient’s 10 highest-earning years during which he or she paid into the Social Security program. A correcting variable is applied if the applicant has fewer than 10 years of Social Security credits.

An SSDI beneficiary whose spouse also qualifies for Social Security disability will receive a different amount from a beneficiary who does not have a disabled spouse. Regardless of household dynamics, if the disabled beneficiary is a child, his or her monthly payment is calculated based on the earnings of the parent or guardian who applied for benefits on the child’s behalf.

Once an individual’s monthly SSDI benefits payment is determined, that amount can be diminished if the beneficiary earns income from work or receives other government-paid disability benefits such as workers’ compensation. Importantly, and to the relief of many, SSDI payments do not get adjusted downward for individuals who qualify for Medicaid, a military service-related disability, or federal Supplementary Security Income. It is also possible to access the long-term disability insurance coverage from a privately purchased policy while receiving a full allotment of SSDI benefits.

Since the calculation of Social Security disability benefits differs for each person, consulting with an experienced and knowledgeable long-term disability attorney to arrive at an estimate makes sense. You can schedule an appointment to do that by calling the Columbus offices of Agee Clymer Mitchell & Portman at (614) 678-3318 or connecting with us online.

Mike

Find top rated attorneys and law firms profiles with Find Attorneys Directory, the best and free online attorney directory. Guest bloggers can also publish their articles here as other bloggers are doing.