Disability, Online Services

Disability Benefits: The Numbers Tell the Story

September 8, 2015 • By

Reading Time: 2 Minutes

Last Updated: September 8, 2015

A young woman uses the computer.Social Security provides an economic lifeline to America’s workers through our benefit programs. We run the largest disability program in the nation. We want to make sure that everyone has a clear picture of the disability insurance program and of the people living with severe disabilities, who receive its benefits.

Because the Social Security Act sets out a strict definition of disability, our beneficiaries are among the most severely disabled people in the country. We provide modest benefit payments to workers who contributed into the Social Security trust fund before becoming disabled. The average disability beneficiary today paid into the disability trust fund for 22 years before becoming entitled to Social Security disability benefits.

When disability happens, Social Security provides support for insured workers and their families. For many disabled Americans, this earned benefit is the only thing standing between them and poverty.

To create awareness about the positive economic impact of our disability program, Social Security is releasing two new online data resources — our new state disability fact sheets and our national disability issue paper. These two online resources show how Social Security continues to fulfill our intergenerational promise of support to America’s workers and their families.

The state disability fact sheets include information by state and congressional district about disabled workers, children of insured workers, and spouses of insured workers who are receiving disability benefits. They also show the average annual disability benefit in relation to the poverty threshold, as well as more specific data about the recipients in those areas.

The national disability issue paper describes the fundamental principles of our disability program, its economic impact, and how it continues to live up to its founding ideals.

We invite you to go to our website and try these useful new resources.

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About the Author

Doug Walker, Deputy Commissioner, Communications

Deputy Commissioner, Office of Communications

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Comments

  1. Disgusted w.

    I’ve worked very hard all my life, at times with two/three jobs at a time, to raise my children. I became hurt with a weight bearing area (ankle), and was DENIED? I don’t understand when I fit every last so called qualification for Social Security (2 arm crutches, boot, specific brace, 2 regular crutches, can no longer do what I did, and have difficulty doing daily household living,un-focused, anxiety, depression, chronic pain, stiffening/locking/catching/burning/PAIN in the ankle, torn cartilage, bone on bone, Osteoarthritis, Osteochondral Defect, cystic growth-collapsing bones, Achilles Tendonitis). I’m so torn with having no income having to endure YET, another surgery(possibly two) if fusion fails, which I’m high risk for non-union, with a end result of losing my foot? Four Failed surgeries thus far. Yet, Denied! My process started 2007 and have been through so much for almost 9 years, to pretty much beg for something I paid for, and was told no. This is extremely hard to deal with. How? How can someone not understand? A judge is exactly just that…A JUDGE! And I really believe they can’t “JUDGE” very well. All because they went on a “YES” spree and are now being watched, I have to suffer because of their lack of responsibility? Unfair! I wished I could trade places so that you feel my pain, it’s debilitating. If they felt what I felt I bet it would be a different story, but how do you describe to a “judge” how much you go through when in fact they’ve NEVER experienced this stuff themselves. Two people, same condition, one gets a yes and the other a no? It was hard enough to go through and still go through the surgery process, with constant fail, be out of work and no income, and then have to ask for help and be turned away. SAD! I

    • Jason F.

      WE FUCKING FIGHT AND THEY ARE GOING TO PRAISE ME OR KILL ME FOR THIS JUST LIKE MLK. GOD HAS SHOWN HIS GOOD GRACE AND KEPT ME FOR THIS STAGE AND TO BE ON THE FRONT PAGE YOU NEED WHAT? DRAMA…SO WE MARCH. WE GOT DAM MARCH AND WE PROTEST, WE GET BEAT UP, WE WIN, WE LOOSE, WE RISE BUT WE SHALL OVERCOME.
      I AM NOT AFRAID TO BE PROSECUTED AND SLAIN AND KILLED FOR THIS BECAUSE MY KING WILL LIFT ME TO THE HIGHEST. PLEASE FILE A COMPLAINT WITH ATTORNEY GENERAL OF TALLAHASSEE FL, I DID!! AND MENTION JASON FIELDS. THEN SHE WILL KNOW SOMETHINGS UP HERE. I ASK YOU TO FILE ALL THIS WEEK.
      THINK IM LYING?

      https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=YvZH88R9Qs0

  2. frustrated i.

    My wife was diagnosed with Lupus and Fibromialga 2 1/2 years ago. She continued to work until a year ago when she was let go from her MEDICAL receptionist job for being to sick to often. Know she applied for ssdi because her condition has worsened. Most days she can’t get out of bed and of course DENIED. Now she has hired an attorney who tells us that it will be 18-24 months just for a hearing. Are you kidding me. What are we supposed to do in the mean time. We have 3 high school age kids who will be living in a shelter because the bank won,t wait to be paid. We both worked because we needed to too pay bills. How messed up is this. Now we have to try and put our home up for sale before the bank takes it from us. One more family out on the street. Oh yeah for those that may not be familiar with Lupus. Stress makes the illness worse so she has been feeling REAL well since she got the news from her attorney.

    To go along with the rest that are frustrated …her 26 yo drug using niece got approved 1st try because of a mental disease… aka she is “crazy” but she is smart enough to know how to work the medical system when she goes from ER to ER and Drs. to get her pain pills filled.She went to jail for DWI and had 12 perscriptions of pain pills in the car yet still received her ssdi while in jail.
    Great system we have here and can do absolutely nothing about it…

    • Jason F.

      seems like i keep hearing the drug boys or girls( herion) or “crazy” keep getting approved 1st try. hmmmm sounds like pill doctors have their hands in this also. even if your arms dont exist anymore because of a crash u will GET denied. my uncle has no legs and got denied 3 times and just had to give up. but will we?
      Jason heart attck age 33

    • TruthSeeker

      The System is, and always has been, corrupt. Even in the Holy Bible you can see that it has been written. This evil System of things shall soon pass, but this does not help us in the here and now. We are suffering, and things will become so much worse before Jesus The Christ finally intervenes. Horrible atrocities being committed everywhere, against every living creature, and tribulation as this world has never seen before. There is no justice currently, but there will be one day. Godspeed!

  3. Child o.

    My girlfriend almost died and don’t have hardly any use of her hands she loose balance and y’all continue to turn her down for disability I feel that the way that y’all do people that really need disability is so wrong my brother has had 4 surgeries and can barely walk and y’all have denied him! It’s not y’all money! Give it to the people who deserve it and quite given it to those who really can work you people will answer to God on judgement day!

    • Jason F.

      god spoke to you. you will be one of my delivery angels to spead the word. I’m going to be the mouth for the ones who cant speak.
      They will continue to DETOUR me and your family our American rights untill we protest.
      I say to you, the ones who were denied many times, you prayed to me for help, did i not help you, are you full, have not you become stuffed with envy and greed, did i not give you enough to feed others…

      spread this video to start this movement. no promotion point inended.
      jason f heart attack age 33
      https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=YvZH88R9Qs0

  4. Larry A.

    To whom it may concern:

    We must, first and foremost be clear on the responsibility that is ours, that being our personal medical file, we’re never explained this in the beginning, why you ask, stall tactics, nothing is more abusive to an individual than having to apply, and be told “denied ” it’s high priority understanding for all, the Maestro who was given the power, clearly graduated from the same ‘school of economics’ deliniate staff, that will slow things down, or force others too work 2.5 – 3 times harder for the same pay. So, ever wonder why folks are falling out? Making capital, is all good and well, but disrupting the human beings, that are creating this capital, isn’t too be just dump off the train while its moving. Give it some thought! Time to agree too get off your proverbial ass, and start the processis to invest the funds, not just rest on your laurels, and just let it be funded. Get it together people, and now would be the most opportune time.

    Larry ~

  5. Tammy

    I read some things at times. I don’t always understand comments, but I do understand the need to keep what little is giving to me from SSI. I’m 57 now, and was working hard as a divorced mother since the latter 80’s. Never collected child support or got any sort of assistance from the state. By early 2002 I had raised both my boys, who by the way graduated with honors, and bought my house with nothing but my hard earned credit and money. Then in 07 cancer hits me. Funny part was all my life I have had a mental disability and no one knew it. At the age of 37 I myself paid $1000 out of my own pocket for a test dealing with where my strongest skills lied. Come to find out I had always been sever ADHA. I wouldn’t let that stop me. Kept going. Now after surgery for cancer followed by 5 cycles of chemo, the horse was shot right out from under me. At first I tried to fight to keep going. To late. Lost job, then house, and my health, bodily and mentally took a dive. Family and friends were no place to be found. Kept trying to find places to stay and jobs. By 08 I was told I was done, ironically, by a OVR worker. So for the next 2 years, homeless, while I filed for disability. I made it, by Gods help only. I was even remarried for a year, but he died. Homeless again for a year, even with SSI. Now I sit in a trailer court just praying month to month I can make it. Credit is destroyed, can’t really go anywhere in car, it’s falling apart, and the help from the state besides my SSI minus insurance payments, is a whole 46 dollars in food stamps. I’ve read some of the disability blogs posted on the government site, and it tells me basically,
    we’re stuck and at the mercy of both the government and the public. Like it has been wrote, this country wasn’t built with the mind set of people who were going to grow old and the ones who were either born disabled or become disabled. Now all that is left is to pray. What I believe now is we are just disposable, if we can no longer make money for the government. Think about that one.

    • TruthSeeker

      It is pure evil, and Judgement Day is coming. Every living creature on this earth is being harmed by the evil ONES, and the Satanic powers that be. Even the beautiful talented soul, Michael Jackson, was disposed of by the wicked. May they all burn in HELL forever and ever. May Michael experience eternal life in the Kingdom of our Lord.

  6. Sophia

    It is very important to have clear information about disability in the US as this is a subject that many people have no idea about. Often the issue is confused and people believe that others are taking advantage of the system to get benefits. It is my belief that severely disabled people should continue to receive these valuable benefits. Disability can – and probably will, at some point – happen to all of us so it is important to keep this in mind.

  7. Mary

    My granddaughter has recently been diagnosed with MS. She is 26 years of age and was told that she was not eligible for SSD. My question is why if you have certain heath problems you are covered automatically (kidney) but yet not with MS?

    • TruthSeieker

      She should be able to receive SSI, and medi-cal if she is disabled with MS. Unfortunately, I know MS all too well, and it is quite a horrible disease. Your daughter will find out just how horrible it is, as it progresses, and it usually does. I have relapsing remitting ms, with various different symptoms, and problems each day. Just when I think I may experience some relief, another problem pops up. It is a very disgusting disease as well. I have just had it, and after reading that Nazi comment, I feel like grabbing that persons throat, and choking all the air out of her or him.

  8. Cosme

    So, if we never worked a day of out life we qualify for SSI and Medicaid, so why work then? My cousin never worked and she got a check for over $770 a month plus Medicaid when she was 65, but she died within two years.

  9. Cosme

    If you worked long enough and become disable than you deserve to get SSD, so fight until you are approved.

  10. MJean

    Here’s a clue about why there are so many ‘disabled’ Americans:
    With the obama economy & government corruption Many More people are going directly from Unemployment benefits into Disability benefits!
    Why not – it’s Not the government’s money – it’s the Taxpayers’ money!
    Meanwhile the SS fund will be empty before long (it has Not been kept separate).
    And the National Debt is headed to 19 Trillion $19,000,000,000,000!!!

    • TruthSeeker

      She should be able to receive SSI, and medi-cal if she is disabled with MS. Unfortunately, I know MS all too well, and it is quite a horrible disease. Your daughter will find out just how horrible it is, as it progresses, and it usually does. I have relapsing remitting ms, with various different symptoms, and problems each day. Just when I think I may experience some relief, another problem pops up. It is a very disgusting disease as well. I have just had it, and after reading that Nazi comment, I feel like grabbing that persons throat, and choking all the air out of her or him.I

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