SSDI payments in Texas follow the same federal formula as every other state

Social Security Disability Insurance (SSDI) payments are set by the federal government, not by Texas. Every person receiving SSDI gets the same benefit amount based on their own earnings record, regardless of where they live. Texas does not add a state supplement to SSDI the way some states do for Supplemental Security Income (SSI), so your check comes entirely from Social Security.

Your SSDI amount depends on how much you earned during your working years and how much you paid into Social Security through payroll taxes. The Social Security Administration (SSA) calculates this using a formula based on your Primary Insurance Amount (PIA), which is tied to your average indexed monthly earnings. Two people in Texas with the same work history will receive the same SSDI payment; two people with different work histories will receive different amounts, even if they live next door to each other.

Key Takeaways

  • Your SSDI payment amount is based on your own earnings record, not on your state of residence or cost of living in Texas.
  • The federal government sets all SSDI payment amounts; Texas does not add money on top of the federal benefit.
  • You can see your estimated SSDI amount by creating a my Social Security account at ssa.gov and viewing your earnings record.
  • SSDI payments increase each year by the same percentage as the Cost of Living Adjustment (COLA), which varies year to year.
  • If you are also receiving SSI, Texas does not provide a state supplement, so your total benefit is lower than in states that do.

How Social Security calculates your SSDI amount

Social Security looks at your 35 highest-earning years of work and calculates your average monthly income from those years. They adjust older earnings for inflation so that a dollar earned in 1995 is compared fairly to a dollar earned in 2020. From that average, they explore a bend-point formula that replaces a higher percentage of lower earnings and a lower percentage of higher earnings. The result is your Primary Insurance Amount.

The bend points and percentages change each year. In 2024, for example, the formula replaces 90 percent of the first $1,174 of average monthly earnings, 32 percent of earnings between $1,174 and $7,078, and 15 percent of earnings above $7,078. If you earned consistently throughout your career, your SSDI payment will be higher than someone who worked fewer years or earned less. If you have gaps in your work history—years with no earnings or very low earnings—those years still count in the 35-year average and lower your benefit.

What the average SSDI payment looks like

The average SSDI payment nationwide in 2024 is roughly $1,550 per month, but this is an average across millions of people with vastly different work histories. Some people receive $600 per month because they had low lifetime earnings or many years without work. Others receive $3,800 or more per month because they had high earnings and paid into Social Security for decades. Texas residents are distributed across this same range.

Your actual payment could be anywhere within this range depending on your specific earnings record. The only way to know your estimated amount is to check your own record. You do not need to be receiving SSDI yet to see the estimate—you can create a free my Social Security account at ssa.gov, view your earnings history, and see what Social Security projects you would receive if you became disabled today.

Cost of Living Adjustments (COLA) and how they affect your Texas payment

Every January, Social Security increases all SSDI payments by the same percentage, called the Cost of Living Adjustment or COLA. This increase is meant to keep pace with inflation. The COLA percentage is set by federal law and applies to everyone on SSDI, in Texas and everywhere else. In 2024, the COLA was 3.2 percent. In 2023, it was 8.7 percent. The percentage varies year to year depending on inflation data from the previous fall.

You do not have to do anything to receive the COLA increase—it happens automatically in January. Your payment straightforward goes up. If you are working and earning income, the COLA still applies to your SSDI benefit, though your total payment may be reduced by the Substantial Gainful Activity (SGA) earnings limit if you are earning above the threshold.

How work and earnings affect your SSDI payment in Texas

If you are working while receiving SSDI, your benefit does not automatically go down dollar-for-dollar with your earnings the way SSI does. Instead, Social Security has a trial work period and an extended may be able to access period that let you test your ability to work without when ready losing your benefit.

During your nine-month trial work period, you can earn any amount and still receive your full SSDI payment. After the trial work period ends, if you are earning above the Substantial Gainful Activity (SGA) limit—which is $1,550 per month in 2024—Social Security will assume you are no longer disabled and will stop your SSDI payments. However, you have a 36-month extended may be able to access period after your trial work period ends during which you can still receive your benefit in months when your earnings fall below SGA. This structure is the same in Texas as everywhere else.

SSDI and Medicare in Texas

When you receive SSDI, you become covered by Medicare automatically after you have been on SSDI for 24 months. This happens regardless of your age. Medicare Part A (hospital insurance) and Part B (medical insurance) are both included. In Texas, you can choose Original Medicare or a Medicare Advantage plan, just as you would anywhere else. Your SSDI payment amount does not change when you become may be able to access for Medicare, but your out-of-pocket costs for health care may decrease.

If you are also receiving Medicaid, Texas Medicaid rules explore. Texas has not expanded Medicaid under the Affordable Care Act, so your Medicaid coverage depends on your specific situation—whether you are a parent, pregnant, blind, or disabled. Your SSDI payment does not affect your Medicaid status in the same way it would in an expansion state, but you should verify your coverage with the Texas Health and Human Services Commission if your circumstances change.

Frequently Asked Questions

Can I see what my SSDI payment will be before I am approved?

Yes. Create a my Social Security account at ssa.gov, sign in, and go to "Benefit Estimates." You will see your estimated SSDI payment based on your current earnings record. This estimate assumes you become disabled today. The actual amount you receive after approval may differ slightly if your earnings record is corrected or if you have additional work history that was not yet posted.

Does Texas give extra money on top of my SSDI?

No. Texas does not provide a state supplement to SSDI. If you are receiving both SSDI and SSI, your SSI payment will be lower in Texas than in states that do provide a supplement, because the federal SSI amount is reduced by your SSDI payment with no state add-on.

What happens to my SSDI if I move to another state?

Your SSDI payment stays the same. SSDI is a federal program, so your benefit amount does not change when you move. Your Medicare coverage also continues unchanged. If you are receiving SSI in addition to SSDI, your SSI amount may change because each state sets its own SSI payment level and resource limits.

How do I know if my SSDI payment is correct?

Review your my Social Security account regularly to check that your earnings record is accurate. Errors in your record—missing years, incorrect amounts, or earnings credited to the wrong year—directly lower your SSDI payment. If you spot an error, contact Social Security at 1-800-772-1213 or visit your local Social Security office to request a correction.

Will my SSDI payment go down if I inherit money or receive a settlement?

No. SSDI does not have resource limits, so inheriting money, receiving a legal settlement, or having savings does not affect your SSDI payment. This is different from SSI, which does count resources. You can have any amount of money in the bank and still receive your full SSDI benefit.