Disability Benefits Calculator

Social Security Disability Benefits Estimator

Use this calculator to get an estimated idea of your potential monthly Social Security Disability Insurance (SSDI) benefits. Your actual benefit amount is determined by the Social Security Administration (SSA) based on your detailed earnings record and other factors.

Your AIME is a calculation of your average earnings over your working life, adjusted for inflation. The SSA uses this to determine your Primary Insurance Amount (PIA).

Eligible dependents may include a spouse caring for a child under 16 or disabled, or unmarried children under 18 (or 19 if in high school) or disabled children of any age.

function calculateDisabilityBenefits() { var estimatedAIMEInput = document.getElementById("estimatedAIME").value; var numDependentsInput = document.getElementById("numDependents").value; var resultDiv = document.getElementById("result"); // Validate inputs if (estimatedAIMEInput === "" || isNaN(estimatedAIMEInput) || parseFloat(estimatedAIMEInput) < 0) { resultDiv.innerHTML = "Please enter a valid positive number for Estimated AIME."; return; } if (numDependentsInput === "" || isNaN(numDependentsInput) || parseInt(numDependentsInput) < 0) { resultDiv.innerHTML = "Please enter a valid non-negative number for Dependents."; return; } var estimatedAIME = parseFloat(estimatedAIMEInput); var numDependents = parseInt(numDependentsInput); // 2024 Bend Points for PIA calculation var bendPoint1 = 1174; var bendPoint2 = 7078; var pia = 0; if (estimatedAIME <= bendPoint1) { pia = 0.90 * estimatedAIME; } else if (estimatedAIME 0) { // Each eligible dependent can receive up to 50% of the PIA. // The total family benefit (including the disabled worker's benefit) is subject to the family maximum. var dependentBenefitShare = pia * 0.5; totalFamilyBenefit = pia + (dependentBenefitShare * numDependents); if (totalFamilyBenefit > familyMaximum) { totalFamilyBenefit = familyMaximum; } } // Round results to two decimal places familyMaximum = Math.round(familyMaximum * 100) / 100; totalFamilyBenefit = Math.round(totalFamilyBenefit * 100) / 100; resultDiv.innerHTML = "

Estimated Monthly Benefits:

" + "Your Estimated Monthly Disability Benefit (PIA): $" + pia.toFixed(2) + "" + "Estimated Maximum Family Benefit: $" + familyMaximum.toFixed(2) + "" + "Your Estimated Total Monthly Family Benefit (including dependents): $" + totalFamilyBenefit.toFixed(2) + "" + "This is an estimate based on simplified calculations and 2024 bend points. Your actual benefit amount will be determined by the Social Security Administration based on your complete earnings record and specific circumstances."; } .disability-benefits-calculator { font-family: 'Segoe UI', Tahoma, Geneva, Verdana, sans-serif; background-color: #f9f9f9; padding: 25px; border-radius: 8px; box-shadow: 0 4px 12px rgba(0, 0, 0, 0.1); max-width: 600px; margin: 20px auto; border: 1px solid #e0e0e0; } .disability-benefits-calculator h2 { color: #2c3e50; text-align: center; margin-bottom: 20px; font-size: 1.8em; } .calculator-form label { display: block; margin-bottom: 8px; color: #34495e; font-weight: bold; font-size: 0.95em; } .calculator-form input[type="number"] { width: calc(100% – 22px); padding: 12px; margin-bottom: 10px; border: 1px solid #ccc; border-radius: 5px; font-size: 1em; box-sizing: border-box; } .calculator-form input[type="number"]:focus { border-color: #007bff; outline: none; box-shadow: 0 0 0 2px rgba(0, 123, 255, 0.25); } .calculator-form button { background-color: #28a745; color: white; padding: 12px 25px; border: none; border-radius: 5px; cursor: pointer; font-size: 1.1em; font-weight: bold; display: block; width: 100%; margin-top: 20px; transition: background-color 0.3s ease; } .calculator-form button:hover { background-color: #218838; } .calculator-result { background-color: #e9f7ef; border: 1px solid #d4edda; padding: 15px; border-radius: 8px; margin-top: 25px; font-size: 1.1em; color: #155724; } .calculator-result h3 { color: #155724; margin-top: 0; margin-bottom: 10px; font-size: 1.4em; } .calculator-result p { margin-bottom: 8px; line-height: 1.5; } .calculator-result strong { color: #0a3622; } .help-text { font-size: 0.85em; color: #6c757d; margin-top: -5px; margin-bottom: 15px; line-height: 1.4; } .disclaimer { font-size: 0.8em; color: #6c757d; margin-top: 15px; border-top: 1px dashed #ced4da; padding-top: 10px; } .error { color: #dc3545; font-weight: bold; background-color: #f8d7da; border: 1px solid #f5c6cb; padding: 10px; border-radius: 5px; margin-top: 15px; }

Understanding Social Security Disability Benefits

Social Security Disability Insurance (SSDI) provides benefits to individuals who have worked and paid Social Security taxes, and who are now unable to work due to a severe medical condition. Unlike Supplemental Security Income (SSI), which is needs-based, SSDI is an earned benefit.

Key Factors in SSDI Benefit Calculation:

1. Average Indexed Monthly Earnings (AIME): This is the most critical factor. The Social Security Administration (SSA) calculates your AIME by taking your earnings from years you worked, indexing them to account for changes in average wages over time, and then averaging them over a specific period (typically your highest 35 years for retirement, but fewer for disability depending on your age at disability onset). The higher your AIME, the higher your potential benefit.
2. Primary Insurance Amount (PIA): Your PIA is the basic benefit amount you would receive if you were to claim your Social Security retirement benefits at your full retirement age, or if you become disabled. The SSA uses a formula with "bend points" applied to your AIME to determine your PIA. This formula is progressive, meaning lower earners receive a higher percentage of their AIME back in benefits than higher earners.
3. Family Maximum Benefit: If you have eligible dependents (such as a spouse caring for your child, or unmarried children under 18/19 or disabled), they may also qualify for auxiliary benefits. However, there's a limit to the total amount of benefits that can be paid to a family based on one worker's earnings record. This is called the family maximum benefit, which is typically between 150% and 188% of your PIA.
4. Work Credits: To be eligible for SSDI, you must have accumulated a certain number of "work credits" by working and paying Social Security taxes. The number of credits needed depends on your age when you become disabled. Generally, you need 40 credits, with 20 of them earned in the last 10 years ending with the year you become disabled. Younger workers may qualify with fewer credits.

How the Calculator Works (Simplified):

This estimator uses the 2024 Social Security bend points to approximate your Primary Insurance Amount (PIA) based on your estimated Average Indexed Monthly Earnings (AIME). It then estimates your total family benefit, considering eligible dependents and the general family maximum rule (150% of PIA).

• Bend Points (2024):
  • 90% of the first $1,174 of AIME
  • 32% of AIME between $1,174 and $7,078
  • 15% of AIME over $7,078
• Dependent Benefits: Each eligible dependent can receive up to 50% of your PIA, but the total amount paid to your family (including your own benefit) cannot exceed the family maximum.

Important Considerations:

• This is an estimate only. The SSA uses your complete, detailed earnings record, which may differ from your personal estimate.
• Application Process: Applying for SSDI involves a thorough review of your medical condition and work history. The process can be lengthy.
• Other Benefits: If you receive other disability benefits (e.g., Workers' Compensation), your SSDI benefits might be affected.
• Taxation: A portion of your Social Security disability benefits may be taxable depending on your total income.

For an official estimate or to apply for benefits, please visit the Social Security Administration website or contact them directly.