Our Chicago disability lawyers often get asked this question, and understandably so, as disability can be confusing. It’s important to keep in mind that Social Security Disability Income (SSDI) and Supplemental Security Income (SSI) programs are designed to provide a safety net rather than complete replacement of your monthly income. In some cases, the amount may be sufficient, but the amount that you receive also depends on how much money you earned prior to being disabled.
Benefits are Modest
In the majority of cases, SSDI and SSI benefits will be modest and you should expect that they won’t match your pre-disability income. If you were making a large amount of money before becoming disabled, in most cases, the benefits won’t match the amount of money that you were making previously.
The Federal Benefit Rate (FBR)
The Federal Benefit Rate is the maximum amount of payment that you can receive and this number changes on an annual basis. In 2019, the maximum SSI amount is $771 per month, and for married couples on disability, the maximum amount was $1,157 per month. Factors that the SSA considers when determining how much money to provide on a monthly basis include all sources of current income and all financial resources, including any financial help that you receive from other family members.
Helping Make Ends Meet
Social Security disability benefits are often utilized as a way to make financial ends meet in households that have at least one disabled family member. Our Chicago disability lawyers do not recommend assuming that the benefits will be enough to completely replace all other monthly income.
If you have more questions or concerns, please reach out to us today!
