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.
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The Department of Government Efficiency has implemented changes to the Social Security Administration (SSA), including office closures and staff reductions. These reforms aim to streamline operations, but have raised concerns about their impact on the approximately 74 million Americans who receive these benefits.
When you apply for Social Security disability benefits in Illinois, you may be eligible for substantial gainful activity exceptions. To receive SSDI benefits, your substantial gainful activity (SGA) from work activity or profit from earnings must be below the annual SGA limit the Social Security Administration allows.
If you live in Illinois and receive Social Security disability, you may wonder, “are SSDI benefits taxable?” In Illinois, state laws exclude SSDI benefits from taxation. In most states, SSDI benefits are not taxed if Social Security disability is your only source of income.
Can I work while receiving social security benefits? The Social Security Administration will look closely at the type of work you perform, your daily work routine, and your daily or weekly work hours to determine whether you are disabled. If you are still working and applying for Social Security disability benefits, your application may be denied.
What are ways to increase my SSDI benefits? Social Security Disability Insurance benefit payments are based on your earnings record, so increasing your SSDI benefits can be challenging. Strategies that might help include reviewing your SSA earnings record for accuracy, working below the SGA limits (to increase your lifetime earnings), and applying for additional benefits like SSI or state disability programs. Your benefits might also increase annually on their own, through COLA.
The Social Security Administration (SSA) has strict filing requirements for disability benefits whether you apply for SSDI online, by mail, by phone, or in person at a local field office in Chicago. If you do not submit the required information, or you submit your application with incorrect information, your claim for disability benefits will be delayed or denied.
The Social Security Administration announced an update to its job database, eliminating professions no longer relevant for workers. You work hard throughout your life, and when you suffer disability, your claim is denied because you could still perform outdated jobs such as reptile farming or canary breeder. While this may seem an unlikely scenario, it has been the case for many people who apply for Social Security benefits.
When filing an SSDI claim in Illinois, the Social Security Administration requires documented medical evidence of your disability. If your claim is approved, you must follow a prescribed treatment plan by a licensed medical professional or risk losing your disability benefits.
When you file for Social Security disability benefits in Illinois, it’s important to understand the application and filing process, as well as timelines and waiting periods that impact when SSDI benefits begin and how long benefits continue once payments are approved.
