2026 SSA formula · 100% free
Estimate Your Monthly SSDI Benefit
Free SSDI benefit calculator — estimate your monthly disability payment in 60 seconds. We use the Social Security Administration's 2026 formula. No account needed.
Tell us about your work history
Best guesses are fine — this is an estimate.
This helps estimate your work years and when your disability began affecting earnings.
Enter your approximate average yearly earnings before your disability began. Include wages, salary, and self-employment income that you paid Social Security taxes on.
Estimated work credits: 80 (need at least 40 to qualify)
You earn up to 4 Social Security work credits per year. Most people need 40 credits (10 years of work) to qualify for SSDI.
Ages 31+: generally 40 credits, with 20 earned in the last 10 years.
Your estimated monthly SSDI benefit:
$1,458/month
Based on the 2026 SSA bend point formula
$17,498 per year
— completely tax-free for most recipients
More SSDI tools
SSDI by Condition
Learn how the SSA evaluates the most common disabling conditions — and what evidence you need to qualify.
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Back Pain
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Cancer
How Compassionate Allowances get cancer claims approved in 2–4 weeks — and what to do if your cancer isn't on the CAL list.
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Heart Disease
Ejection fraction thresholds, NYHA classification, and how cardiovascular conditions qualify under SSA Section 4.00.
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Diabetes
Diabetes alone rarely qualifies — but neuropathy, retinopathy, and nephropathy frequently do. Learn the complication pathways.
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How the SSA Calculates SSDI Benefits
The Social Security Administration calculates your SSDI benefit in two steps. First, it determines your Average Indexed Monthly Earnings (AIME) by adjusting your historical earnings for national wage growth and averaging your highest 35 years. If you worked fewer than 35 years, the missing years are counted as zeros, which can lower the average.
Second, it applies the Primary Insurance Amount (PIA) formula using 2026 bend points: 90% of the first $1,286 of AIME, plus 32% of AIME between $1,286 and $7,749, plus 15% of AIME above $7,749. Your SSDI monthly benefit equals 100% of your PIA — there is no early-retirement reduction.
For a concrete example, an AIME of $2,000 produces a PIA of $1,385.80: 90% × $1,286 = $1,157.40, plus 32% × ($2,000 − $1,286) = $228.48, for a total of $1,385.88, rounded down to the nearest 10 cents.
The 5-Month Waiting Period
SSDI imposes a five-month waiting period from your disability onset date before benefits begin. This means your first eligible benefit month is the sixth full month after onset. The waiting period also affects back pay — accumulated benefits start from the protected onset date (onset + 5 months), not the onset itself. Terminal conditions in the SSA's Compassionate Allowances list may bypass the standard waiting period.
SSDI vs. Working — The SGA Rule
In 2026, earning more than $1,620/month ($2,700 if statutorily blind) is considered Substantial Gainful Activity (SGA) and can end your benefits. The SSA also offers a 9-month Trial Work Period — not necessarily consecutive — where you can test your ability to work; in 2026, any month earning more than $1,110 counts toward the 9-month limit.
SSDI Benefits Calculator FAQ
Don't navigate this alone.
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