The 2019 SSDI payment schedule and cost-of-living adjustment

In 2019, the average SSDI payment was $1,234 per month for a disabled worker, though individual amounts varied based on your work history and earnings record. The Social Security Administration applied a 2.8 percent cost-of-living adjustment (COLA) in January 2019, which meant that anyone already receiving SSDI saw their monthly payment increase by that percentage from the prior year.

The 2019 COLA was calculated using the Consumer Price Index for Urban Wage Earners and Clerical Workers (CPI-W), measured from the third quarter of 2017 to the third quarter of 2018. This adjustment affected not only disabled workers but also their family members receiving benefits on the same record — spouses, children, and survivors.

If you were receiving SSDI in 2019 and did not see a payment increase, you likely fell into one of two categories: you were a new beneficiary who started receiving benefits after the January 2019 adjustment, or you were subject to the Government Pension Offset or Windfall Elimination Provision, which can reduce or eliminate benefits under specific circumstances.

Key Takeaways

  • The 2019 COLA of 2.8 percent applied to all SSDI payments starting in January, raising the average disabled worker payment to $1,234 monthly.
  • Your actual 2019 payment amount depended on your individual earnings record and the age at which you began receiving benefits.
  • Family members receiving benefits on your record — spouses, children, and survivors — also received the 2.8 percent increase in January 2019.
  • The COLA is recalculated each year based on inflation data, so 2019 payments differed from both 2018 and 2020 amounts.

How the 2019 COLA was calculated and announced

Social Security announces the annual COLA in October of the prior year, which means the 2.8 percent adjustment for 2019 was announced in October 2018. The calculation uses the Consumer Price Index for Urban Wage Earners and Clerical Workers (CPI-W) from July, August, and September of the prior year, compared to the same three months from the year before that.

For 2019, Social Security compared inflation data from mid-2017 to mid-2018. Because inflation was moderate during that period, the 2.8 percent increase was smaller than the 2018 COLA (which was 2 percent) but larger than the 2017 COLA (which was 0.3 percent). The adjustment was applied automatically to all SSDI payments; beneficiaries did not need to request it or take any action.

Maximum family benefit and individual payment limits in 2019

In 2019, the maximum amount that could be paid to a family on a single SSDI record was $3,822 per month. This limit applied when multiple family members — a disabled worker, spouse, and children — were all receiving benefits on the same earnings record. If the total of all family payments exceeded this cap, each family member's payment was reduced proportionally.

Individual payments were also subject to a maximum, though this limit was rarely reached. The maximum primary insurance amount (PIA) for a worker who became disabled in 2019 was $3,011 per month, but this applied only to workers with very high lifetime earnings. Most disabled workers received substantially less because their earnings record was lower.

Payment timing and how to check your 2019 benefit amount

SSDI payments in 2019 were issued on the third of each month, unless the third fell on a weekend or holiday, in which case payment was issued on the preceding business day. If you were receiving benefits via direct deposit — which was the standard method — the money appeared in your bank account on that date.

To verify your 2019 payment amount, you could create or log into your my Social Security account at ssa.gov. This account showed your payment history month by month, including the exact amount you received in January 2019 (which reflected the COLA increase) and each subsequent month. If you did not have online access, you could call Social Security at 1-800-772-1213 and request a benefit verification letter, which listed your monthly payment amounts for any year you specified.

How 2019 payments compared to prior and subsequent years

The 2019 COLA of 2.8 percent was the largest adjustment since 2012. In 2018, beneficiaries received a 2 percent increase, and in 2017, the increase was only 0.3 percent — the smallest COLA since automatic adjustments began in 1975. The 2019 increase reflected a period of slightly higher inflation compared to the two years when ready before it.

In 2020, the COLA dropped to 1.6 percent, making 2019 a relatively strong year for payment increases. The variation from year to year reflects actual inflation in the economy; when inflation is low, the COLA is low, and when inflation is higher, the COLA is higher. This is why your SSDI payment amount changes annually but not by a fixed percentage.

Reporting changes that affected your 2019 benefits

If you were receiving SSDI in 2019 and your circumstances changed — you returned to work, your living situation changed, or a family member's status changed — you were required to report it to Social Security. Work activity was the most common change that affected benefits; if you earned more than the substantial gainful activity (SGA) limit, your benefits could be suspended or terminated.

In 2019, the SGA limit for non-blind disabled workers was $1,220 per month. If you worked and earned more than this amount, you had to report it. Social Security did not automatically know about your work unless you told them. Failure to report work activity could result in overpayment, which Social Security would later demand back, sometimes through benefit reduction or a repayment agreement.

Frequently Asked Questions

What was the average SSDI payment in 2019?

The average SSDI payment for a disabled worker in 2019 was $1,234 per month. This was the national average; your individual payment depended on your earnings record and the age at which you started receiving benefits. Some beneficiaries received significantly more or less than this average.

Did everyone receiving SSDI get the 2.8 percent increase in January 2019?

Most beneficiaries did, but not all. New beneficiaries who started receiving SSDI after January 2019 did not receive the increase because they had not been on the rolls when it was applied. Additionally, beneficiaries subject to the Government Pension Offset or Windfall Elimination Provision may have seen a different adjustment to their payment.

How do I find out what I was paid in 2019?

Log into your my Social Security account at ssa.gov and view your payment history, which shows monthly amounts for any year. If you do not have an online account, call Social Security at 1-800-772-1213 and request a benefit verification letter listing your 2019 payments.

What was the maximum SSDI payment for a family in 2019?

The maximum amount payable to an entire family on a single SSDI record in 2019 was $3,822 per month. If a disabled worker, spouse, and children were all receiving benefits and their combined payments exceeded this amount, each payment was reduced proportionally to stay within the cap.

If I worked in 2019, did I have to report my earnings?

Yes. If you earned more than $1,220 per month in 2019 (the substantial gainful activity limit for that year), you were required to report it to Social Security. Failure to report work could result in an overpayment that Social Security would demand back later.