In August 2025, SSDI beneficiaries will receive their payments according to their birthdates. The schedule is as follows:
Birthdates from the 1st to 10th: Payments were issued on Wednesday, August 13.
Birthdates from the 11th to 20th: Payments will be issued on Wednesday, August 20.
Birthdates from the 21st to 31st: Payments will be issued on Wednesday, August 27.
These dates apply to beneficiaries who began receiving SSDI benefits after May 1997, when the birthdate-based schedule was introduced.
Changes for Beneficiaries Receiving SSDI Before May 1997
For those who have been receiving SSDI benefits since before May 1997 or who are also receiving Supplemental Security Income (SSI), payments are made on the first business day of the month. If the 1st falls on a weekend or holiday, the payment is moved to the prior workday.
This adjustment will affect the SSI payment in September, as Labor Day on September 1 will cause the payment to shift to August 29. Consequently, SSI recipients will receive two payments in August: one for their regular August payment and one for the early September payment. No SSI payments will be issued in September.
SSDI Payment Amounts for 2025
The highest possible SSDI monthly payout in 2025 is $4,018, but this is only available to individuals who meet full work history requirements without any deductions.
The actual average SSDI payments in 2025 are typically much lower, ranging from $1,580 to $1,590 monthly. Historical data indicates the average for all disabled workers is around $1,537 per month.
Social Security Cost-of-Living Adjustment (COLA) for 2025
The 2025 COLA increase is set at 2.5%, helping to preserve benefit values against inflation through December 2025. This adjustment affects all Social Security payments, including retirement benefits, SSDI, and SSI.
How SSDI Benefits Are Calculated
To qualify for SSDI, you must meet two conditions:
- A medically confirmed disability that prevents substantial gainful activity for at least one year or leads to death.
- Adequate work credits earned through FICA-taxed employment or self-employment.
SSDI payment amounts are calculated based on your Average Indexed Monthly Earnings (AIME) over your highest-earning 35 years. A progressive formula is then applied to convert AIME into your Primary Insurance Amount (PIA), which serves as your baseline benefit before adjustments like COLA.
SSI vs. SSDI
It’s important to note the difference between SSDI and SSI:
SSDI is based on work history, requiring employment or self-employment with FICA tax contributions.
SSI is needs-based and doesn’t require work history or tax contributions.
For 2025, the federal SSI maximums are:
$967 for individuals
$1,450 for couples
$484 for “essential persons”
Expected COLA for 2026
Looking ahead to 2026, experts are forecasting a COLA increase of about 2.7% due to persistent inflation, particularly in urban areas. However, this modest increase might be offset by expected Medicare Part B premium hikes, potentially leaving many retirees with no real gain.
Advocates for seniors are pushing for changes to the COLA formula, suggesting alternatives like using the CPI-E (Consumer Price Index for the Elderly), which better tracks seniors’ actual expenses, such as healthcare and housing costs.
