The January schedule for the payment of Social Security disability benefits, popularly known by its acronym SSDI, culminated this week with the third of the payments for the beneficiaries of the third group, which are those who have a date of birth between the 21st and the 31st of any month: said payment was made on Thursday, January 23rd.
Anyway, don’t worry, because the Social Security Administration (SSA) has already confirmed that the funds for the benefit payments for the month of February, which do not present any change in their paydays, at least for SSDI benefits (that share a date with those of retirement). Other payments such as Supplemental Security Income (SSI) will undergo changes, which we will add at the end of this article.
Payment distribution: how are SSDI beneficiary groups organized?
SSDI recipients are divided into three main groups based on date of birth, receiving their payments on the second, third, or fourth Wednesday of each month. Additionally, there is a separate group for those who began receiving benefits before May 1997. In February, SSDI payments will be made on four different dates, depending on the group to which each beneficiary belongs. Here’s the full breakdown:
- February 3: Beneficiaries who began receiving their pension before May 1997.
- February 12: Retirees after May 1997 born between the 1st and 10th of any month.
- February 19: Retirees after May 1997 born between the 11th and 20th of the month.
- February 26: Retirees after May 1997 born between the 21st and 31st of any month.
An additional payment is scheduled for February 28. This corresponds to the Supplemental Security Income (SSI) benefits for the month of March, which will be advanced because March 1st falls on a weekend. The agency avoids making payments on weekends or holidays.
Maximum SSDI Payments and Other Benefits
For fiscal year 2025, the maximum disability benefit payment has increased to $4,018. However, the specific amount each person receives depends on their average earnings during their working life before becoming disabled. Those with higher incomes and more years of contributions usually obtain higher amounts.
If you’re wondering, who qualifies for the maximum benefit? Well, that amount is reserved for those beneficiaries who have worked many years and reached the maximum Social Security tax limit (FICA) on multiple occasions and, therefore, accumulated income high enough to pay the maximum Social Security taxes for at least 35 years of work.
In parallel, they have met the work credit requirement, which generally involves 40 credits (approximately 10 years of work). For those who also receive SSI, the maximum payment of this benefit (not based on work history but on the beneficiary’s need) was set for 2025 at $967 for an individual, $1,450 for a couple and $484 for an essential support person.