Social Security SSDI benefits will be distributed on the second, third, and fourth Wednesdays of March 2025: the 12th, 19th, and 26th. Dates depend on the beneficiary’s date of birth. Those born from 1 to 10 will receive payments on the 12th; from the 11th to the 20th, the 19th; and from the 21st to the 31st, the 26th, according to the Social Security Administration (SSA).
This system, in force since 1997, avoids congestion in disbursements. The SSA explains that arranging birthday payments streamlines logistics. Exceptionally, beneficiaries registered before May 1997 receive payments on the 3rd, as detailed by SSA Kansas City Region: Paying Monthly Benefits.
SSDI benefits are distributed by date of birth
Birthday-based allocation applies to new beneficiaries. According to the blog “Disability Secrets: How Are Payment Dates Chosen for SSDI and SSI?” confirms that the method seeks efficiency. The SSA maintains this structure to avoid overloads, although not everyone knows its logic. Payments are scheduled automatically, without requiring additional actions from the user.
The maximum Social Security Disability Insurance (SSDI) benefit in 2025 is $4,018 per month. This represents an increase from $3,822 in 2024.
SSDI Disability Benefit Requirements in 2025
To qualify for SSDI in 2025, an individual must meet two main requirements: have a medical condition that the SSA considers a disability and have sufficient work history measured in work credits. The definition of disability, according to the SSA, implies that the condition must prevent the individual from engaging in substantially gainful activity (SGA) for at least 12 months or be expected to result in death.
SGA is defined as earning more than $1,620 a month for non-blind individuals and $2,700 for those considered blind under SSA rules in 2025, according to the SSA blog “Who can get disability benefits.”
This definition ensures that only those who cannot maintain employment due to their medical condition are eligible. For example, if someone works and earns above the SGA limit, they are not considered disabled for SSDI purposes, even though they may have a medical condition.
The SSA also explains that the duration of the disability must be significant, and benefits can be paid retroactively up to 12 months before application, if all requirements are met.
In addition to medical criteria, work history is measured in work credits, which are earned by paying Social Security taxes on income. In 2025, one credit is earned for every $1,810 of income in a quarter, with a maximum of 4 credits per year, requiring annual income of $7,240 to earn the 4 credits.
Work credit requirements vary depending on age at onset of disability. For individuals under the age of 24, at least 6 credits earned in the last 3 years are needed before disability begins. This is equivalent to 1.5 years of work, considering that each year can contribute up to 4 credits.
For example, if someone who is 22 years old becomes disabled, they must have worked enough in the last 3 years to earn 6 credits, which could be, for example, working half a year with enough income to earn 2 credits per year for 3 years.
