How Much are Disability Benefits?

The amount of money you receive if you are successful in getting Social Security Disability Benefits depends on how much you paid into the system and how long you paid into the system.  If you became disabled early in your work life, your benefits will be lower than if you became disabled later in your work life.  Other factors that affect the amount of your disability benefit are:

• Significant periods of unemployment
• Your rate of pay, persons with high salaries will accrue more benefits that someone who works at minimum wage. 
• 6.2% of your income is paid in social security taxes.  Your employer also pays 6.2% of social security taxes on your behalf.

Every year social security will send you a Social Security Statement.  This statement will tell you how much you have earned during your work life.  (It may not show recent work history because that information has not been recorded.)  It is very important to check the statement to make sure that your earnings record is accurate.  The amount you will receive in disability benefits is based on your work record.  Missing information can result in lower benefits for yourself and your family.  Other factors that can cause your earnings record to be inaccurate are:

• Changing your name and failing to notify Social Security of the name change.
• Inaccurate reporting by your employer
• Working under someone else’s social security number

You should keep your own records of your earnings in case you have to prove that your earnings record is incorrect.  This is important if you are not showing enough work credits to be eligible for disability or retirement benefits.  It is also important in determining the amount of disability benefits you receive.  The amount of benefits you receive is based on an average of the amount of social security taxes you have paid during your work life.

Do You Need a Lawyer?

Social Security Disability is one of the most complex areas of the Social Security Program.  You have the right to representation before Social Security.  It is important to make sure that your representative has experience in handling cases before Social Security.  There are cases of people being eligible for benefits medically but not having enough credits to meet the non-medical requirements.  A good Social Security lawyer can help you solve this problem.