How much you receive in disability benefits depends on what type of disability benefit you are seeking from the Social Security Administration. There are two main types of benefits: Social Security Disability Insurance (SSD) and Supplemental Security Income (SSI).
If you are filing for Social Security Disability Insurance, the amount of your monthly benefit is dependent on your income and how much you have paid in over the years from your past employment, whereas Supplemental Security Income normally is not based on your earnings but rather on your income and assets.
The amount of Social Security Disability benefits one receives will depend on the amount of income an individual earned in prior years. The best way to determine the amount of benefits you may receive from Social Security Disability benefits is to contact your local Social Security office and they will be able to calculate your maximum benefit for you.
For a Supplemental Security Income claim, the Social Security Administration will first determine whether you are financially eligible for benefits based on your income and assets because it is a need-based benefit. Social Security counts assets such as the income of a marital spouse in determining eligibility for Supplemental Security Income.
From a practical standpoint, you will not know if you would qualify for SSI until you actually attempt to process the claim due to how Social Security considers income and assets. A good rule of thumb is that most people who qualify for Supplemental Security Income are usually at the federal poverty/public aid level, and usually have a public aid medical card and food stamps. This is a program for the poor that do not have a substantial work history and also covers minors that might be disabled. Supplemental Security Income benefits are usually far less than those received for Social Security Disability based on earnings and in 2021 the max rate is $794 per month.
For any questions you may have about pursuing Social Security Disability or Supplemental Security Income, do not hesitate to reach us at 1-800-842-0426 for a FREE consultation.