The Social Security Disability Insurance, also known by the short name SSDI, is a monthly work-based allotment from the Social Security Administration (SSA) for workers who can’t perform a regular job anymore due to a disability.
To be eligible, a worker must have paid long-enough time for his Social Security taxes, having accumulated enough work credits, which is equivalent to a $1,810 (each credit, for a maximum of 4 credits a year).
Most workers need 40 credits to claim SSDI, 20 of which were earned in the last 10 years, ending with the year you became disabled. Workers under 24 may qualify with as few as 6 credits earned in the 3-year period before becoming disabled. Workers ages 24-31 generally require credits for half the time between age 21 and the time they became disabled.
Who’s getting SSDI on September: dates and groups
If you were born between the 1st and the 10th of any month, mark your calendar for the second Wednesday, which falls on September 10th that year. For those with birthdays landing from the 11th through the 20th, your payment is scheduled for the following week, on the third Wednesday, September 17th.
And if your birthday is later in the month, between the 21st and 31st, you can expect your deposit to arrive on the fourth Wednesday, which is September 24th.
It’s worth noting that these exact same payment rules apply to both Social Security Disability Insurance (SSDI) and Supplemental Security Income (SSI), though the actual benefit amounts for these two programs are calculated very differently: this group claims payments on the third day of every month.
Now, regarding how much you might receive, the figures for 2025 have seen an adjustment. The maximum possible SSDI payment for a single month is set at $4,018. However, have into consideration that, that most people receive less than this maximum.
The average is approximately $1,580 per month as of August 2025, a figure that could be more realistic regarding what you’re aiming to.
Your benefit is not a flat number; it’s personally developed based on your lifetime earnings history and how much you’ve paid into the Social Security system through payroll taxes.
For example, someone with a specific Average Indexed Monthly Earnings (AIME) calculation of $13,689 might see a figure around $4,020, but that’s before any adjustments for claiming benefits before their full retirement age, which would permanently reduce the amount.
If you get paper checks, change that NOW
This shift is really about moving into the modern era, prioritizing both safety and simplicity for everyone involved. Paper checks can get lost, stolen, or delayed in the mail: headaches that electronic payments effectively eliminate.
By transitioning entirely to direct deposit or the Direct Express card, the SSA isn’t just streamlining its own process; it’s ensuring that your essential funds arrive securely and predictably right on time, every time. This change reflects a broader push towards digital efficiency, offering a far more reliable way to get benefits into the hands of those who depend on them.
If you’re among those who still enjoy that trip to the mailbox to receive a paper check, now’s the moment to make a quick but important switch. Don’t wait until the last minute—reaching out to the SSA to set up direct deposit into your bank account or to enroll in the Direct Express program is a simple, free process.