How much your Social Security disability benefit will be is based on your covered earnings—the wages that you paid Social Security taxes on—prior to becoming disabled. (Social Security Disability Insurance (SSDI) is the federal insurance program that provides benefits to qualified workers who can no longer work. To be eligible, you must be insured under the program and meet the Social Security Administration’s (SSA’s) definition of disabled. SSI payments, on the other hand, aren’t based on past earnings.)

Your SSDI benefit payment may be reduced if you get disability payments from other sources, such as workers’ comp, but regular income doesn’t affect your payment amount.

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