Social Security Disability

Find a Lawyer in Your State

Need Help?

Find a Lawyer Near You

Submit your Social Security Disability claim details for a free, no obligation case review

Get Started:

Social Security Disability Facts and Statistics

Disabled workers and their dependents account for about 17% of all of the benefits paid out by the Social Security Administration (SSA). Disability benefits are in the form of Social Security Disability Income (SSDI) and Supplemental Security Income (SSI). The SSDI and SSI benefits are monthly payments from the federal government to a disabled recipient or the dependents of a disabled person.

To learn more about filing a social security disability claim, contact us today.

Many U.S. Workers Are Disabled

Right now, there are about 6.9 million disabled workers in the U.S.
About 4.7 of these workers get SSI, and another 2.2 million get both SSI and SSDI.
Nearly 3 of each 10 of today's 20-year-olds will become disabled before he or she reaches age 67, according to the SSA.
Seventy percent of the individuals in the private-sector workforce have no long-term disability insurance.

SSDI and SSI

The SSDI program was started in 1956. The federal SSI program didn't start until 1974, when President Nixon's administration replaced the 50 states' disability programs with SSI to eliminate the differences among the states' disability standards, benefits, and resources.

The amount of monthly SSDI a person will receive depends on how much he or she has worked and contributed FICA taxes. A person's prior employment provides the Social Security earnings that form the basis of the benefits determination. The maximum amount is about $1,000 per month, as of 2007.

The SSI program provided federal cash assistance up to $623 per month, as of 2007. State supplements may increase the cash assistance, and annual cost of living increases can be expected. The 2007 Cost of Living Adjustment (COLA) was 3.3 percent.

In most states, if you're found eligible for SSI, you'll also be eligible for Medicaid and sometimes Section 8 housing benefits. Some states also offer supplemental cash assistance — for example, California increases the cash assistance by up to $233/month, as of 2007. The states that supplement the basic SSI are:
- California
- Hawaii
- Massachusetts
- Nevada
- New jersey
- New York
- Pennsylvania
- Rhode Island
- Vermont
- Washington D.C.

Other Facts about Social Security Disability

In 2005, the average age of disabled workers receiving SSDI and/or SSI was 51.8.

Of the people receiving SSI in 2005, 83% received payments based on disability or blindness.

More than three million children (i.e., people under the age of 18) and students aged 18–19 received Social Security disability benefits.

If you are considering filing a social security disability claim, or have filed a claim and been denied, an experienced SSD attorney can help you. Contact us today to arrange a free consultation.

Social Security Disability Breaking News

"Americans are still waiting for answers to their Social Security disability claims"

Hundreds of thousands of Americans are currently awaiting resolution to their Social Security disability claims, and many of them are losing their homes, declaring bankruptcy, ...

» Read More

"Budget and Staffing Shortages Main Cause of Backlog"

A recent immigration ruling could create a serious logjam of millions of social security disability and retirement claims, according to Social Security Administration (SSA) off...

» Read More

"Average Wait Time for SSD Appeals Hearing is 17 Months"

Hundreds of thousands of workers across the country are awaiting hearings to appeal denied social security disability claims. The average wait for a hearing is 17 months, altho...

» Read More

Online Lawyer Source

Lawyers & Legal News Near You

Need Legal Help?

Start Here for a Free Case Review!