Your Estimated Monthly Disability Benefit: $0.00
This is an estimate based on provided information.
How Social Security Disability Benefits are Calculated
Calculating Social Security Disability Insurance (SSDI) benefits involves understanding several key components. The U.S. Social Security Administration (SSA) uses a complex formula to determine your benefit amount, aiming to replace a portion of your lost income due to a qualifying disability.
Key Components:
Average Indexed Monthly Earnings (AIME): This is the first step. The SSA looks at your earnings history over your working life, adjusting them for inflation (indexing) to reflect their value at the time you became disabled. They then calculate an average of your highest 35 years of earnings.
Primary Insurance Amount (PIA): Your PIA is the monthly benefit amount you would receive if you retired at your full retirement age. It is calculated based on your AIME using a progressive formula. This formula is designed to replace a higher percentage of income for lower-earning workers than for higher-earning workers. The PIA formula has "bend points" which are percentages applied to different portions of your AIME.
Offsetting Other Benefits: If you receive other benefits that are meant to replace lost wages due to disability or retirement, your SSDI benefit may be reduced. This includes things like workers' compensation, state or local government pensions, and certain other disability benefits. The total of your SSDI benefit and these other benefits cannot typically exceed 80% of your Average Current Earnings (ACE) before you became disabled.
The Calculation Process:
While the exact PIA calculation involves specific bend points that change annually, the general idea is:
The SSA determines your AIME.
Your AIME is plugged into a formula with specific bend points to derive your PIA. For example, (and these numbers are illustrative, consult SSA for current figures):
90% of the first $1,025 of AIME
32% of the AIME between $1,025 and $6,133
15% of the AIME above $6,133
The sum of these percentages yields your PIA.
Your SSDI benefit is generally equal to your PIA. However, this amount can be reduced if you have significant income from other disability-related sources.
Maximum Family Benefit:
There is also a maximum family benefit, which is the most a family can receive from one worker's Social Security benefits. This is typically around 150% to 180% of the worker's PIA.
Our Calculator:
This calculator simplifies the process by allowing you to input your estimated AIME and PIA, as well as any other monthly income. It then estimates your potential SSDI benefit, taking into account a basic offset for other income. Please note that this is an approximation. The SSA uses a detailed earnings history and specific rules to make the final determination.
Disclaimer: This calculator provides an estimated benefit amount and is for informational purposes only. It is not a guarantee of benefits or an official determination by the Social Security Administration. For an accurate benefit calculation, please consult the Social Security Administration directly or visit their official website.
function calculateDisabilityBenefit() {
var averageMonthlyEarnings = parseFloat(document.getElementById("averageMonthlyEarnings").value);
var primaryInsuranceAmount = parseFloat(document.getElementById("primaryInsuranceAmount").value);
var otherIncome = parseFloat(document.getElementById("otherIncome").value);
var estimatedBenefit = primaryInsuranceAmount;
var benefitMaxPercentage = 0.80; // Represents 80% of Average Current Earnings (ACE) before disability. This is a simplified proxy.
// Basic check for valid numerical inputs
if (isNaN(averageMonthlyEarnings) || isNaN(primaryInsuranceAmount) || isNaN(otherIncome)) {
document.getElementById("result").innerHTML = "Please enter valid numbers for all fields.Use whole numbers or decimals.";
return;
}
// Simplified offset logic: If other income plus the estimated benefit exceeds 80% of AIME (as a proxy for ACE), reduce the benefit.
// NOTE: This is a very simplified representation. The SSA's calculation of ACE and the offset is more complex.
var potentialBenefitWithOtherIncome = estimatedBenefit + otherIncome;
var ninetyPercentOfAime = averageMonthlyEarnings * 0.90; // Simplified proxy for the 80% rule
if (potentialBenefitWithOtherIncome > ninetyPercentOfAime && averageMonthlyEarnings > 0) {
estimatedBenefit = ninetyPercentOfAime – otherIncome;
if (estimatedBenefit < 0) {
estimatedBenefit = 0; // Ensure benefit doesn't go below zero
}
}
// Ensure the calculated benefit is not less than zero and not greater than the PIA
if (estimatedBenefit primaryInsuranceAmount) {
estimatedBenefit = primaryInsuranceAmount; // Benefit cannot exceed PIA
}
document.getElementById("result").innerHTML = "$" + estimatedBenefit.toFixed(2) + "Your estimated monthly SSDI benefit.";
}