The SSDI program, the acronym for the name of the program Social Security Disability Insurance, is a federal program in the United States that provides monthly benefits to people who have a disability that prevents them from working.
To be eligible for SSDI benefits, generally, a worker who is disabled must meet a series of requirements. First, you must have worked and paid Social Security taxes with enough work history to have accumulated several work credits, depending on your age at the time you became disabled.
A work credit is a unit used by the Social Security Administration (SSA) that is earned annually by paying Social Security taxes on your income. The amount of money you need to earn to get credit changes every year.
Typically, 40 credits are required to qualify, with 20 of those credits earned in the last 10 years before disability. If you become disabled before age 31, credit requirements may be less strict. You can check your work history and the number of credits you have accumulated through your My Social Security account at Login.gov.
How are SSDI payments distributed in January 2025?
The first SSDI payments with the COLA increase will begin to be delivered on Wednesday, January 3, 2025. However, this initial date only applies to:
- Beneficiaries who also receive Supplemental Security Income (SSI).
- People who started receiving SSDI benefits before May 1997.
For the rest of the beneficiaries, payment dates are distributed according to date of birth:
If you were born between the 1st and 10th of the month, you will receive your check on Wednesday, January 8th.
Those born between the 11th and the 20th will receive their payment on Wednesday, January 15.
Finally, those who turn between 21 and 31 will receive their check on Wednesday, January 22.
SSDI Disability Benefits Increase Starting January 2025
The cost of living adjustment depends directly on the monthly amount you receive. For every $100 in your 2024 check, you’ll get an extra $2.50 in 2025. So a beneficiary who receives $1,000 a month will get $25 more a month, which translates to an extra $300 a year. Likewise, if your monthly check is $2,000, you will receive $50 more per month or an additional $600 at the end of the year.
According to data we took from the official SSA website, the maximum amount of SSDI that a person who meets the requirements can aspire to from January 2025 will be $4,018.
For people who are not blind, the substantial earnings (SGA) limit that can be earned while receiving SSDI benefits is $1,620 per month. Those who exceed this limit may see their benefits reduced or completely withdrawn. For blind people receiving SSDI, the earnings limit is higher, set at $2,700 per month.