The average SSDI payment in 2023

In 2023, the average Social Security Disability Insurance (SSDI) payment was $1,550 per month. This is the middle point — some people received less, some received more. The actual amount you would have received depended on your work history and how much you had earned before becoming unable to work.

SSDI payments are not the same for everyone because they are based on your Primary Insurance Amount (PIA), which the Social Security Administration calculates from your earnings record. The longer you worked and the more you earned, the higher your PIA, and therefore the higher your monthly payment.

The $1,550 figure is useful for understanding the general range, but it does not tell you what your own payment would have been. To know that, you would need to contact Social Security directly or review your own earnings record.

Key Takeaways

  • The average SSDI payment in 2023 was $1,550 per month, but individual payments varied based on work history and prior earnings.
  • Your payment amount is calculated from your Primary Insurance Amount, which comes from how much you earned during your working years.
  • SSDI payments increase each year with a cost-of-living adjustment, so 2023 amounts were higher than 2022 amounts.
  • The maximum SSDI payment in 2023 was $3,822 per month, though most people received less than this.

How your earnings history determines your payment

Social Security looks at your 35 highest-earning years to calculate what you would receive. If you worked fewer than 35 years, Social Security counts zeros for the missing years, which lowers your average. This is why people who took time out of the workforce — to raise children, care for a family member, or for other reasons — often receive lower payments than people who worked continuously.

Your payment is also adjusted based on your age when you became unable to work. If you became disabled before your full retirement age, your payment is calculated differently than if you had waited to claim at retirement age. This adjustment is built into your Primary Insurance Amount.

The cost-of-living adjustment and why 2023 payments changed

Every January, Social Security increases all SSDI payments by a percentage called the cost-of-living adjustment (COLA). This adjustment is meant to help payments keep pace with inflation. In January 2023, SSDI payments increased by 8.7 percent — one of the largest increases in decades — because inflation had been high in 2022.

This means that if you were receiving SSDI in 2022, your payment in 2023 was 8.7 percent higher. If you were receiving $1,427 per month in December 2022, you would have received about $1,551 in January 2023. The exact increase depended on your individual payment amount.

Maximum and minimum payment amounts in 2023

Social Security sets both a floor and a ceiling on SSDI payments. The minimum payment in 2023 was $65 per month, though this applied only in rare circumstances. The maximum SSDI payment in 2023 was $3,822 per month.

Most people fell somewhere between these extremes. Reaching the maximum required a very high earnings history — typically someone who had earned at or near the Social Security wage base (the maximum amount of earnings that Social Security counts each year) for most of their working life. In 2023, the wage base was $160,200.

Why your 2023 payment might have been different from the average

Several factors could have made your payment higher or lower than the $1,550 average. If you had a spouse or children, they might have been receiving payments based on your record, but your own payment would not have changed. If you were also receiving workers' compensation or public disability benefits, your SSDI payment might have been reduced under a rule called Government Pension Offset or Windfall Elimination Provision.

If you had worked in a job where you did not pay Social Security taxes — such as some government positions — your payment calculation could have been affected. If you had returned to work and earned above a certain amount, your benefits might have been suspended under the Substantial Gainful Activity (SGA) rules.

How to find out what your specific 2023 payment was

The only way to know your exact 2023 SSDI payment is to contact Social Security. You can call 1-800-772-1213 (TTY 1-800-325-0778) and speak with a representative, or you can visit a local Social Security office in person. Have your Social Security number ready.

You can also create a my Social Security account at ssa.gov. Once you log in, you can view your payment history, including what you received each month in 2023. This account also shows your earnings record and lets you see how Social Security calculated your benefit amount.

Frequently Asked Questions

Did SSDI payments go up in 2023?

Yes. In January 2023, all SSDI payments increased by 8.7 percent due to the cost-of-living adjustment. If you were receiving benefits in 2022, your payment in 2023 was higher by that percentage.

Is the $1,550 average what I will receive?

Not necessarily. The average is the middle point across all SSDI recipients, but your payment depends on your own work history and earnings. Some people receive much less, and some receive much more. You need to check your own Social Security record to know your amount.

What if I worked for the government and did not pay Social Security taxes?

Your SSDI payment may be reduced under the Windfall Elimination Provision. This rule applies to people who receive a government pension and also may have access to for SSDI. Contact Social Security to learn about this affects you.

Can I see what my 2023 payments were month by month?

Yes. Create a my Social Security account at ssa.gov and log in to view your complete payment history. You can also call Social Security at 1-800-772-1213 and ask for a statement of your 2023 payments.