People who got Social Security Disability Insurance (SSDI) and were born between January 1 and October 10 of any given month got their payment on May 14, 2025. The most that could be taken out was $4,018, which is what the Social Security Administration (SSA) said would happen since the system changed in the late 1990s.
Two more deposits are planned for May 21 and May 28, which are the birthdays of people aged 11 to 20 and 21 to 31. Each group will be able to get up to $4,018 in grants, with the amounts varying based on each person’s work and tax background.
Changes to SSDI in 2025: the highest amount was set at $4,018
It’s important to note that these payouts are for people who started getting benefits after May 1997. People who did that before that month get paid on the third of every month (May 2, in this case, since the third is a weekend). For people who get both SSDI and Supplemental Security Income (SSI), their benefits are also sent on the third of every month.
The amount each person gets is based on their average earnings over the 35 years they made the most money. According to information we got from the Social Security Payment Schedule 2025, the maximum went up from $3,822 to $4,018 because of the 2.5% cost of living increase (COLA).
The most that can be paid is $4,018 a month, but that amount is only given to less than 1% of recipients. The average monthly SSDI is about $1,542. The cap is only reached by beneficiaries with high incomes and steady payments. People whose work records aren’t stable or who make less money get proportionally less.
The Social Security Fairness Act was another important step forward that led to raises for some beneficiaries. Starting in 2025, it got rid of the Windfall Elimination Provision (WEP) and the Government Pension Offset (GPO), which helped retirees who used to work for companies that didn’t offer Social Security. The May calendar doesn’t change because of this.
Can you get both SSDI and SSI at the same time?
The SSA says that about 20% of people who get SSI also get SSDI. This happens when the person on SSDI doesn’t make much money and meets the financial standards for SSI, which are having less than $943 a month in income and less than $2,000 in assets.
In this case, after a $20 cap, the SSI salary is cut by one dollar for every dollar in SSDI. In this case, a $900 SSDI would leave a $63 SSI, for a total of $963 per month. If SSDI is more than $943, SSI may be zero, but the person will still be eligible for Medicaid.
People who get both SSDI and Medicaid through SSI can also get Medicare after 24 months. Some states add to SSI, which doesn’t change how the federal government figures it out but does raise the total amount of money that can be spent.