Upon your initial application, the Social Security Administration (SSA) has its method for calculating how much Social Security Disability Insurance (SSDI) benefits you should receive per month. But as you continue to receive these payments, you must inform the SSA if you have undergone any personal changes that may affect the amount you receive or your overall eligibility. Continue reading to learn what factors might affect the value of your monthly payments and how an experienced New Jersey SSDI benefits lawyer at The Law Offices of Sheryl Gandel Mazur can work to ensure that you are fairly compensated.
How are my monthly SSDI benefits payments initially calculated?
Contrary to what you may initially assume, your monthly SSDI benefits payments are not based on the severity of your disability. Rather, the SSA calculates how much you should initially receive by reviewing your lifetime average earnings before you had incurred your disability.
On average, this calculation results in payments of $800 to $1,800 per month; the maximum is $3,627 per month. In the state of New Jersey, the average was $1,505.33 per month in 2023. It is also worth mentioning that the SSA considers the cost of living adjustment (COLA) when calculating your monthly payments. So in 2024, you may see a 3.2 percent increase in your monthly payments.
What factors might affect the value of my monthly SSDI benefits payments?
It is nothing less than positive news if your health or other factors in your life improve. But with this comes the possibility that your SSDI benefits payments may decrease or altogether discontinue. Without further ado, any of the following personal changes may affect the value of your monthly SSDI benefits payments:
- You have experienced an improvement in your health condition and it is no longer “severe” or otherwise considered a disability.
- You have been able to retain gainful employment after completing your nine-month trial work period.
- You have been able to return to the work that you previously did or successfully enter another type of work.
- You have been able to successfully become self-employed.
If nothing else, you must promptly notify the SSA of any of the aforementioned personal changes. This is because the SSA conducts a Continuing Disability Review anywhere from six months to seven years from the date your disability decision was made, dependent on the likelihood of your health condition improving. If this review unearths that you have been overpaid for months or years, the SSA may send you a notice requesting a repayment or withhold the full amount of benefits each month.
To ensure your fair compensation, you must turn to a skilled New Jersey SSDI benefits lawyer. So please contact us at The Law Offices of Sheryl Gandel Mazur whenever you get a chance.
