The January 2019 SSD benefits statistics report from the Social Security Administration is finally here. This snapshot shows how SSD beneficiary numbers and average payment amounts changed in the last 30 days. We track these updates so anyone can compare their monthly payments against the national average. See any notable changes for January in our report analysis below.
January 2019 SSD Benefits Statistics Update
Total Number of Social Security Disability Beneficiaries: 10,145,000
Disabled Workers: 8,521,000
Spouses of Disabled Workers: 117,000
Children of Disabled Workers: 1,508,000
Average Monthly Social Security Disability Benefit Amount: $1,097.14
Disabled Workers: $1,233.98
Spouses of Disabled Workers: $350.55
Children of Disabled Workers: $381.92
How the January 2019 SSD Benefits Statistics Report Affects Beneficiaries
The January 2019 SSD benefits statistics report shows fewer people getting disability benefits in every category except children. About 1,000 more dependents got benefits this month, while 2,000 fewer spouses did compared to December 2018. Total beneficiaries lost 17,000 claimants this month; most were in the disabled workers category, which fell by 16,000 since December.
The SSA also clears fraud cases, ineligible and deceased claimants from the rolls each month before issuing the latest report. Here’s a breakdown of all people getting paid Social Security benefits this month, according to the SSA:
- 74.5% are people at least 62 years old getting Social Security payments
- 13.5% are disabled workers getting SSDI
- 9.4% are spouses, children as well as parents of deceased workers getting survivor benefits
- 2.4% are children of disabled workers getting monthly SSDI
- .2% are spouses of disabled workers getting monthly SSDI
January 2019 SSD Benefits Statistics: Looking Deeper at the Monetary Stats
According to the January 2019 SSD benefits statistics report, all average monthly payments rose this month. The total monthly monetary average rose $.15, and disabled workers received $.28 more. Spouses got another $.18 in this month’s checks. In addition, children received $.81 more, on average.
How to Qualify for Legal Assistance With Your Claim
Think you can’t afford a Social Security lawyer? These attorneys work on contingency and offer free consultations. That means you can meet in person to get free legal advice or ask questions on the phone. It’s smart to have a lawyer review your case, since they can spot and fix any mistakes before you file. Today, the SSA only approves 1 in 5 claimants on their first try! Can you afford to risk it?
Social Security lawyers won’t take your case unless they think you can win. And if you do win, then you’ll only pay a small, one-time fee. It’s the best way to get the most benefits you’re owed. The SSA will likely send your first payment must faster through an attorney than you’d get filing on your own.
Ready to see if you may qualify? Click the button below to start your free disability benefits evaluation now:
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Lori Polemenakos is Director of Consumer Content and SEO strategist for LeadingResponse, a legal marketing company. An award-winning journalist, writer and editor based in Dallas, Texas, she's produced articles for major brands such as Match.com, Yahoo!, MSN, AOL, Xfinity, Mail.com, and edited several published books. Since 2016, she's published hundreds of articles about Social Security disability, workers' compensation, veterans' benefits, personal injury, mass tort, auto accident claims, bankruptcy, employment law and other related legal issues.