Disability Benefits Calculator

How SSDI Benefits Are Calculated

The SSA calculates your Average Indexed Monthly Earnings (AIME) by taking your highest 35 earning years, adjusting each year's wages for wage inflation, and dividing by 420 months. It then applies a progressive formula with bend points — you receive 90% of the first $1,174 of AIME, 32% of the amount between $1,174 and $7,078, and 15% of anything above $7,078. The resulting figure is your Primary Insurance Amount (PIA), which becomes your monthly SSDI check.

The Appeals Process: Most People Get Denied First

About 67% of initial SSDI applications are denied. This is not the end — it is the beginning of a process. Reconsideration approval rates are around 13%, but Administrative Law Judge (ALJ) hearings approve about 55% of appeals. The entire process from application to ALJ hearing can take two to three years. A disability attorney charges no upfront fees and collects 25% of back pay (capped at $7,200) only if you win.

Back Pay: Why Filing Early Matters

SSDI back pay covers the period from your established onset date (when you became disabled) through approval, minus a five-month waiting period. Because approvals often take 1–3 years, back pay checks of $20,000–$50,000 or more are common. SSI back pay is capped and paid in installments for amounts over three times the monthly benefit. Filing as soon as you become disabled protects your back pay entitlement.

Frequently Asked Questions