—Advice from a Social Security Disability Lawyer in Albany, NY
Social Security Disability Insurance (SSDI) is a widely misunderstood government benefit program. Individuals that apply for benefits are often shocked at how little they receive, or if they can receive payments at all. If you are applying for SSDI, the amount you receive is based on the amount you contributed and your average lifetime earnings before your disability began. It has nothing to do with the severity of your disability or your existing income. In fact, the average for SSDI in 2015 is $1165 per month.
The Factors that Determine Your SSDI Amount
When applying for an SSDI claim , there are some key factors that are used to determine how much in monthly payments you will receive from the Social Security Administration (SSA). These factors include:
- Income – Each year when you file your taxes, your income is reported. The SSA takes your average covered earnings over a set period of years to determine your Average Indexed Monthly Earnings (AIME). A formula is then applied to the AIME to determine your PIA (Primary Insurance Amount), which is the base SSA amount you will receive.
- Retirement – When someone applies for and collects SSD (disability) benefits it will not affect the amount of the retirement benefit when it converts at full retirement age.
- Other Benefits – If you receive government regulated disability benefits like workers’ compensation, they can affect how much in SSDI payments you receive. You cannot receive more than 80 percent of your average amount earned before you became disabled; therefore, your SSDI benefit will be reduced to ensure you meet that threshold.
- Date of Onset – The amount of back pay you will receive depends on your application date and established date of onset. You may get back pay if your application was originally denied and you appealed.
Determining the amount you will receive from an SSDI claim in NY is complex. If you are unsure how much SSDI benefit you are eligible for or you need assistance filing your claim, contact the attorneys at Erwin, McCane & Daly. We can help you determine your SSDI amount and educate you as to what factors can impact your benefit amount.
Call us now at 518-449-2245 to discuss your SSDI claim in NY or contact us online to schedule your free consultation .
