Social Security Disability (SSD) benefits are available to individuals who have worked in recent years (typically five out of the past 10 years) but who have now become disabled. SSD is not a “needs-based” program, which means that an individual can qualify regardless of his or her income or assets, as long as other requirements are met.
The amount of SSD benefit payment that an individual receives is paid based upon an individual’s Social Security earnings record, with the maximum amount being $2,663 per month in 2015. The exact amount an individual receives is determined based on several factors, including your past and current earnings.