October 2016 SSD Benefits Statistics

October 2016 SSD Benefits Statistics Report

Each month, the Social Security Administration (SSA) releases a snapshot that highlights key disability program statistics. These statistics give both current and future beneficiaries a good understanding of where disability benefits fall and how theirs compare to the average. Below is a breakdown of what October 2016 SSD benefits statistics looked like, and how things changed during the past 30 days.



Overview of October 2016 SSD Benefits Statistics

Total Number of Social Security Disability Benefit Beneficiaries: 10,635,000

Disabled Workers: 8,834,000
Spouses of Disabled Workers: 136,000
Children of Disabled Workers: 1,665,000

Average Monthly Social Security Disability Benefit Amount: $1,029.20

Disabled Workers: $1,166.51
Spouses of Disabled Workers: $322.90
Children of Disabled Workers: $353.39

October 2016 SSD Benefits Statistics Report Looking Deeper at the Beneficiaries Stats

October’s statistics revealed a small decrease of 5,000 disability beneficiaries. Decreases like this aren’t unusual within the program. There is no clear-cut answer as to why this decrease occurred. However, it’s likely due to normal fluctuations within the program. The SSA reported a slightly larger drop of more than 12,000 beneficiaries in September. It’s important to keep in mind that this decrease accounts for deceased beneficiaries, fraudulent claims, and individuals who rejoined the workforce.

As seen in the graph below, the approximate number of beneficiaries remained steady during the past year. This can be crucial for beneficiaries with either a pending disability claim or who are looking to apply for benefits in the future.

October 2016 Monthly SSD Beneficiaries

October 2016 SSD Benefits Statistics Report: Looking Deeper at the Monetary Stats

When it comes to monetary statistics, the monthly average beneficiaries receive increased by $.70 in October. This increase, though small, is still larger than September’s number, and it can be crucial for people who rely on benefits to make ends meet each month. Below we’ve mapped out the monthly monetary averages for the past 12 months. The numbers include disabled workers, spouses of disabled workers, and children of disabled workers.

October 2016 SSD Monthly Monetary Average

When it comes to applying for Social Security Disability benefits, many people rely on the assistance of an advocate or attorney. Both advocates and attorneys know the program and can help qualified individuals secure the benefits they need. On top of that, legal representatives are with you every step of the way and can help you with collecting medical documentation, contact the SSA on your behalf, and if necessary help you appeal an unfavorable decision.

Ready to see if you may qualify? Click the button below to start your free online 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.