How SSDI Benefits Are Calculated

SSDI benefits are based on your average lifetime earnings, which are recorded in your Social Security record. The Social Security Administration (SSA) uses a formula to calculate your Primary Insurance Amount (PIA), which is the monthly SSDI benefit you are entitled to if you are found eligible. Your PIA is determined based on your covered earnings during your working years.

Here’s how it works:

• Your Work History and Earnings: The SSA looks at your earnings over your working life and indexes them to account for inflation. These earnings are averaged over your highest-earning 35 years.
• Average Indexed Monthly Earnings (AIME): The SSA uses your highest 35 years of earnings to calculate your AIME, which is essentially your average monthly income based on your highest earning years.
• PIA Calculation: Your PIA is then calculated using a formula that applies to the AIME, which is divided into three income brackets. The more you have earned during your career, the higher your monthly SSDI benefit will be.

How Much SSDI Will You Get After 15 Years of Work?

If you’ve worked for 15 years, your SSDI benefits will depend on the amount you earned during those years. Since SSDI benefits are designed to replace a portion of your income, the more you have earned (and paid into Social Security), the higher your SSDI payments will be.

• Work History: The more you’ve earned in those 15 years, the higher your benefit will be. If you have consistently worked and earned at or above the average national wage, your SSDI payment could be close to the average benefit amount.
• Averages: As of 2023, the average SSDI benefit is approximately $1,358 per month. However, this number can vary significantly depending on your earnings history. Someone who has worked 15 years but earned a modest income could receive a benefit closer to the lower end of the scale, while someone who earned more could receive a benefit closer to the higher end (up to the maximum allowable SSDI benefit).
• Max SSDI Benefit: The maximum monthly SSDI benefit you can receive depends on your earnings and your PIA. As of 2023, the maximum SSDI benefit is $3,627 per month, but only those who have paid into Social Security for many years with high earnings can reach this amount.

Factors That Affect Your SSDI Benefit Amount

• Average Lifetime Earnings: Your monthly benefit is directly tied to your lifetime earnings. If you’ve had a high income over your career, you are likely to receive a higher SSDI benefit.
• Earnings in Recent Years: Since SSDI benefits are based on your highest-earning 35 years, if you have had a lower income in the last few years of work, it will not significantly impact your SSDI benefit unless it lowers your average monthly earnings.
• Inflation Adjustments: Each year, SSDI benefits are adjusted for inflation through Cost-of-Living Adjustments (COLA), meaning your benefit could increase slightly each year to keep up with inflation.

How to Estimate Your SSDI Benefit

The SSA provides an Online Benefit Calculator that you can use to get a rough estimate of your monthly SSDI benefit based on your earnings history. To get an estimate:

• Visit the SSA website at www.ssa.gov.
• Log into your my Social Security account.
• Use the Retirement Estimator tool, which also estimates SSDI benefits, or check your Social Security Statement to see an estimate of what you may be eligible for based on your work history.