The Social Security Administration (SSA) announced a 2.5% Cost-of-Living Adjustment (COLA) increase in SSDI benefits for 2025. The 2.5% SSDI increase took effect in January 2025. The Social Security COLA increase is designed to ensure your benefits keep pace with inflation. Understanding how the 2025 COLA affects your benefits is essential to protect your rights and ensure you receive your rightful disability payments.
If you need SSDI assistance in Chicago, the experienced legal team at Ankin Law is available to help. Call 872-529-9377 for a free consultation.
How the 2025 COLA Increase Impacts SSDI Monthly Payments
With the SSA applying a Cost-of-Living Adjustment to SSDI benefits each year to ensure they keep up with inflation, it’s understandable for you to wonder, “How much does disability pay in 2025?” For 2025, SSDI beneficiaries received a 2.5% increase in their monthly payments. While the 2.5% COLA boost may appear small, it adds up over the year and provides an important boost to a recipient’s income to aid in managing essential expenses.
The exact amount by which an SSDI beneficiary sees monthly payments rise depends on his or her previous benefit amount. For example, according to the SSA, the average monthly SSDI payment to disabled workers was $1,542 in 2024. The 2.5% COLA increase raises this amount to $1,580 in 2025, representing a $38 monthly increase and $456 annually. The average monthly payment to disabled workers with spouses and one or more children was $2,757 in 2024. The amount will rise to $2,826, reflecting a $69 monthly increase. The maximum SSDI monthly benefit amount also changed. In 2024, the maximum monthly benefit you could receive was $3,822. It’s now $4,018 in 2025.
Changes to Monthly Earning Limits for SSDI
As the COLA changes annually, related figures like the substantial gainful activity (SGA) limits and the Trial Work Period (TWP) threshold also change. While you can work and earn some income without affecting your SSDI monthly payments, you should be mindful of earning limits imposed by the SSA.
The SGA limit is the amount of money you can earn and still qualify for SSDI benefits. Earning more than the limit could result in the suspension or termination of your benefits. In 2025, the SSA has set the SGA limit to $1,620 monthly for non-blind individuals and $2,700 for statutorily blind individuals (up from $1,550 and $2,590, respectively, in 2024).
The SSA allows SSDI recipients to participate in a Trial Work Period (TWP) during which they can test their ability to work part-time or full-time without losing their SSDI benefits. The period lasts nine months, which don’t have to be consecutive. You must complete these nine months of trial work within a 60-month period. After completing the TWP, you won’t get SSDI benefits in any month your earnings exceed the SGA limit. For 2025, a TWP month is any month in which an SSDI recipient earns more than $1,160, an increase from the $1,110 earnings limit of 2024.
Will the 2025 COLA Change Your Eligibility for Other Benefits?
Many people on SSDI also seek other benefits. It’s important to understand how the SSDI COLA impacts your benefits from other programs.
The eligibility criteria of certain assistance programs include income limits. If the SSDI benefits adjustment for 2025 pushes your income above the qualifying limits, your eligibility for these programs could be affected. Medicaid eligibility, for instance, changes based on income. Housing assistance and the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP) have income limits. The COLA increase could result in reduced benefits or loss of eligibility.
You can qualify for SSDI and SSI concurrently. While your SSI benefits won’t impact your SSDI benefits, your SSDI monthly payments will impact your SSI payments. In 2025, you can’t receive SSI payments if your countable income exceeds $967 per month ($1,450 for couples) – the monthly maximum federal SSI amount. Under the SSI program, SSDI benefits count as income. If the increase in SSDI benefits pushes your income over the SSI income threshold, you could lose your SSI eligibility.
To better understand how a COLA could impact your other benefits, consult with professionals like Social Security disability attorneys or counselors.
Why Should You Speak with a Chicago Disability Lawyer About Your SSDI Rights?
The 2025 Social Security COLA increase helps SSDI beneficiaries address rising living expenses. However, the SSDI process is usually long and frustrating for many Illinois residents. According to data from the American Community Survey (ACS), the prevalence of disability in Illinois was 12.6% for persons of all ages in 2023. Accessing the full SSDI benefits that a claimant is entitled to requires preparation and knowledge.
Thanks to their deep understanding of SSA rules and SSD regulations, Social Security disability lawyers make a difference in the pursuit of SSDI benefits and the protection of your rights. A Chicago disability lawyer will help you understand the benefits you’re entitled to, your rights, the legal process, guide you through the disability claims process, including how to increase your SSDI benefits, and ensure compliance with state and federal requirements.
A Social Security disability attorney can help you complete your initial application accurately. He or she will also help you gather and organize all the necessary documentation to support your SSDI claim. If your initial claim has been denied, the SSA allows you to appeal the decision. Your disability attorney will help you prepare for the SSDI appeals process, represent you at proceedings, and ensure your rights are protected. A U.S. Government Accountability Office (GAO) study found that people who hired disability lawyers tripled their chances of having their claims for disability benefits approved.
For more than 14 years, Ankin Law has provided personalized assistance and advocacy for Social Security Disability claimants. Contact us today for a free consultation with one of our experienced disability lawyers.
