Discover the Additional Benefits of SSDI: What You Need to Know

SSDI offers monthly cash assistance to those with long-term or permanent conditions, providing additional income for those in need.

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Additional Benefits of SSDI: If you can’t work because of a long-term or permanent condition, you might want to apply for Social Security condition Insurance (SSDI). Through this government program, people who meet the requirements may get monthly cash assistance.

Even if SSDI doesn’t cover all of your costs, it can be a very important source of income. As of February 2023, the average monthly payment was $1,686. A lot of people who get help find that they need more money. Luckily, people who get SSDI may be able to get extra payments, and so may their families.

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Additional Benefits of SSDI

Advantages for Families

Depending on your employment history, certain members of your family may be eligible for payments when you receive SSDI. Family members who qualify include:

Your spouse
A former spouse
Children under 18
Adult children disabled before 22

You may assign up to 50% of your SSDI award to each member of your family. The entire family benefit, however, is limited by the Social Security Administration (SSA) to a maximum of 180% to 150% of your award. Benefits from a divorced spouse will not be affected by this family cap.

Health Benefits

SSDI recipients can also access health insurance through Medicare after a two-year waiting period. You can enrol in:

Part A hospital insurance
Part B medical insurance
Part D prescription drug coverage

Benefits of Taxation

SSDI recipients are eligible for tax benefits. If you make less than $25,000 a year or $32,000 a year as a pair, according to the SSA, your SSDI benefits will not be taxed. If your income is higher than these amounts, though, you might have to pay taxes:

Singles with incomes between $25,000 and $34,000 may pay taxes on up to 50% of their benefits.
Couples with incomes between $32,000 and $44,000 may owe taxes on up to 50% of their SSDI.
Individuals earning over $34,000 and couples earning over $44,000 might be taxed on up to 85% of their SSDI benefits.

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As long as your assets and income are limited, you may be able to get both SSDI and SSI. This is called “concurrent eligibility.” People with low incomes, like the old and disabled, can get extra money from SSI. Most people who get SSI can because they have major disabilities. People who get means-tested Social Security Income (SSI) can only have assets worth up to $2,000 for single people and $3,000 for couples.

In 2024, a couple can get $1,415 in government SSI benefits, and a single person can get $943. In some places, this amount goes up. If you get SSDI, though, your SSI payments may go down.