Social Security Disability Insurance (SSDI) is a federal program in the United States that provides financial assistance to people who are unable to work due to a severe, long-term disability.
The SSDI program, like retirement benefits, is administered by the Social Security Administration (SSA) and funded by payroll taxes paid by workers and employers into the Social Security system.
To qualify for SSDI, applicants must meet several key requirements
First, they must have a disability that meets the SSA definition, which states that the condition must be severe enough to prevent the person from performing substantial gainful activity (SGA).
Furthermore, the disability must have lasted or be expected to last at least 12 months, or result in death.
Subsequently, applicants for this benefit must have accumulated something known as “work credits,” and generally 40 credits are required, 20 of which must have been earned in the last 10 years before the disability. However, younger workers may be eligible with fewer credits.
Finally, the SSDI program is not limited by the applicant’s current income or resources, as opposed to Supplemental Security Income (SSI), which is a program for low-income individuals.
This means that even if a person has savings or property, they can still be eligible for SSDI if they meet the disability and work credit criteria.
The three SSDI payments in February 2025
In February 2025, SSDI recipients will receive three payments, which is an unusual occurrence due to the SSA’s monthly payment schedule.
Typically, recipients receive one payment per month, but due to the timing of the dates, they may receive additional payments on occasion, such as in February 2025. To understand this, it is necessary to describe how SSDI payments are scheduled.
The SSA distributes SSDI payments based on the beneficiary’s birth date. If the beneficiary was born between the first and tenth of the month, they will receive their payment on the second Wednesday, February 12.
If you were born between the 11th and the 20th, you will receive your payment on the third Wednesday, which is February 19.
Finally, if you were born between the 21st and the 31st, you will be paid on the fourth Wednesday of the month, which is February 26.
The maximum payment for SSDI beneficiaries is $4,018, a 2.5% increase over the 2024 payment of $3,822. However, the average payment was estimated at $1,580.
