People who qualify and receive for Social Security Disability Benefits (SSDI) earn those benefits because they worked long enough and recently enough to develop the number credits needed for the program. There are many myths about SSDI, but two myths that are not true are that people on SSDI benefits are not interested in working and the benefits they receive are exorbitant. The fact is that most SSDI beneficiaries worked for many years before they applied for disability benefits, and the actual benefit amount is extremely modest. Below are some facts from Social Security about these myths.
Social Security disability insurance is coverage that workers earn
Social Security disability insurance is a social insurance program under which workers earn coverage for benefits by working and paying Social Security taxes on their earnings. The program provides benefits to disabled workers and to their dependents. For those who are eligible for benefits due to a disability, our disability program is there to replace some of their lost income.
Social Security disability payments are modest
At the beginning of 2019, Social Security paid an average monthly disability benefit of about $1,234 to all disabled workers. That is barely enough to keep a beneficiary above the 2018 poverty level ($12,140 annually). For many beneficiaries, their monthly disability payment represents most of their income. Even these modest payments can make a huge difference in the lives of people who can no longer work. They allow people to meet their basic needs and the needs of their families.
These are the facts about Social Security that can’t be argued. The modest benefit amount still leaves many disabled workers finding it difficult to survive. Many of these people still have difficulty providing for themselves and family members and the majority of these people would rather work than have to collect disability benefits.
