Estimate your monthly Social Security Disability Insurance benefit using the SSA's official formula — before you file or hire a disability attorney.
SSDI applicants with attorney representation are 3× more likely to be approved. Disability attorneys are paid by the SSA — capped at 25% of back pay, max $7,200 — and only if you win. Getting an attorney early dramatically improves your approval odds, especially if you've been denied before.
Find a Free SSDI Attorney Consultation →SSDI benefits are based on your Average Indexed Monthly Earnings (AIME) — the SSA's way of averaging your highest-earning 35 years of work, adjusted for wage inflation. Your AIME is then run through a formula with three "bend points" to produce your Primary Insurance Amount (PIA), which is your monthly benefit.
The 2025 bend points are: 90% of the first $1,174 of AIME; 32% of AIME between $1,174 and $7,078; and 15% of AIME above $7,078. This progressive formula means lower earners receive a higher percentage of their pre-disability income as benefits.
Eligibility requires work credits. You generally need 40 credits (10 years of work), with 20 earned in the last 10 years. Younger workers need fewer credits. If you don't have enough credits, SSI (Supplemental Security Income) may be an alternative based on financial need rather than work history.
The approval rate for initial applications is only 21%. However, with attorney representation and proper medical documentation, approval rates at the hearing level rise significantly. Never give up after an initial denial — most successful SSDI recipients were denied at least once.