Social Security Disability Insurance (SSDI) is a federal program that is available throughout the United States and was created with the primary goal of providing financial assistance to people with long-term or terminal disabilities who have previously worked.
According to the Social Security Administration (SSA), beneficiaries must demonstrate a medical condition that prevents them from working for at least 12 months or could lead to death, and this must be supported by medical documentation.
Are SSDI and Social Security retirement the same thing? Who gets it?
To qualify, applicants must have earned enough work credits, which are calculated based on their contributions to the system. The amount of benefits is determined by the Average Indexed Monthly Income (AIME), which takes into account the 35 years with the highest income. In addition, the program includes work incentives to help people return to work without losing their benefits.
Although the SSA administers the SSDI program, it is not “the same” as retirement benefits; however, one can become the other if certain conditions are met.
When beneficiaries reach full retirement age, their disability payments will automatically convert to retirement, maintaining the same amount. It is critical to distinguish SSDI from Supplemental Security Income (SSI), which is intended for people with low incomes and limited resources and does not require prior work experience.
SSDI payment schedule in April 2025
In April 2025, SSDI payments will be distributed according to a schedule determined by the beneficiary’s birthday or whether they began receiving benefits before May 1997.
According to the official calendar, payments are made on specific Wednesdays of the month, while those who received benefits prior to 1997 receive them on the third day of the month.
Since April 2025 begins on a Tuesday, Wednesdays are the 2nd, 9th, 16th, 23rd, and 30th. However, SSDI payments are scheduled as follows:
- April 3: Beneficiaries who began receiving payments before May 1997.
- April 9 (second Wednesday): People with birthdays between 1 and 10 of the month.
- April 16 (third Wednesday): Birthday between 11 and 20.
- April 23 (fourth Wednesday): Birthday between 21 and 31.
On April 8, 2025, the day’s payment 3 has already been made for the remaining three pending dates for this month: April 9, 16, and 23.
The maximum amount for which SSDI beneficiaries can qualify is $4,018 per month in 2025; however, this top limit is reserved for less than 1% of beneficiaries who meet requirements such as high salaries, employer contributions, and a number of other prerequisites.
These values include a 2.5% adjustment for the Cost of Living Increase (COLA), which was implemented to combat inflation. The Social Security Administration updates these amounts on an annual basis to ensure that benefits maintain their purchasing power.
