October is National Disability Employment Awareness Month. While a time to celebrate the contributions of America’s workers with disabilities, this is also a good time to remind you that disability is unpredictable and can happen to anyone at any age. Fifty-six million Americans, or 1-in-5, live with disabilities.
As of December 2014, benefits to disabled workers and their eligible family members accounted for about 18.5 percent of Social Security benefits. At that time, the number of disabled workers and their eligible family members receiving Social Security disability in states near me were: North Dakota, 16,737; Minnesota, 155,061; South Dakota , 23,214; and in Montana, 32,976.
Social Security disability benefit information for each state is here. Data is for each Congressional District, as of December 2014, with the number of disabled workers and family members receiving monthly Social Security Disability Insurance plus the amounts of those benefits.
Disability is something many Americans, especially younger people, think can only affect the lives of other people. A fact for 20-year-olds, insured for benefits by working, is that more than 1-in-4 of them becomes disabled before reaching retirement age and may need Social Security disability benefits as a critical source of financial support when they need it most.
At the beginning of 2015, Social Security paid an average monthly disability benefit of $1,165. That is barely enough to keep a beneficiary above the 2014 poverty level ($11,670 annually). For many beneficiaries, their monthly disability payment represents most of their income. Even these modest payments can make a huge difference in the lives of people who can no longer work. They allow people to meet basic needs and the needs of their families. Learn more in the Faces and Facts of Disability section at www.socialsecurity.gov/disabilityfacts/.
Are younger than retirement age? Do you have children dependent on you? If struck by a severe illness or injury, what would be the potential amount of Social Security disability benefits payable to you and eligible family members?
Obtain an estimate by creating your personal, pin and password secured, my Social Security account. Estimated monthly disability amounts are on your Social Security Statement. Use them with your other family financial planning.
