Atticus offers free, high-quality disability advice for Americans who can't work. Our team of Stanford and Harvard-trained lawyers has a combined 15+ years of legal experience and has helped over 50,000 Americans apply for disability benefits.
If you live in Maryland and can’t work due to an injury or illness, you might qualify for Social Security benefits. For many people, a monthly check from the Social Security Administration (SSA) can be life-changing.
If a monthly check could make a big difference in your financial situation, consider applying for disability benefits. Let’s explore how you can join the more than 130,000 Maryland residents who have qualified to receive monthly disability payments.
In Maryland, the average monthly SSDI payment is $1,833, and the average monthly SSI payment is $629.
Both Social Security Disability Insurance (SSDI) and Social Security Insurance (SSI) offer benefits payments and healthcare coverage, but the qualifications and payment amounts differ. In 2024, the maximum amount you can receive for SSDI is $3,822 per month, and the maximum for SSI is $943 per month.
In Maryland, the program you qualify for impacts the payment amount you can receive. Your earnings history, income, and assets help the SSA calculate your exact payment amount.
The SSA uses a formula to calculate your monthly payment amounts. In brief, the amount of money you pay into Social Security taxes during your working years determines how much you can receive in SSDI benefits.
First, the SSA calculates your average indexed monthly earnings (AIME) from your highest-earning years and adjusts this number for inflation. The SSA then uses your AIME to determine your primary insurance amount (PIA), separated into three segments. This step is where the math gets confusing — check out our complete guide on how the SSA calculates your monthly SSDI check.
The easiest way to verify your eligibility and determine your estimated SSDI benefits amount is to create an SSA account on SSA.gov.
The SSA calculates monthly SSI payments based on your need rather than your earnings history. The SSA will subtract your countable income — like cash and public benefits — from a federal benefit rate.
The federal benefit rate is $943 in 2024. If your countable income is less than this federal benefit rate, you can receive $943 monthly in SSI benefits. Check out this article for more information on how the SSA calculates SSI payments.
We'll use the Social Security Administration's formula to estimate your monthly benefit.
Average
monthly check
$1,489
There are no upfront costs to working with a disability lawyer on your disability benefits application. Disability lawyers work on a contingency basis, meaning you only pay them if the SSA approves your claim and you win benefits. You pay your lawyer 25% of your first benefits check, and the SSA caps this fee at $7,200.
You are three times more likely to win benefits with a lawyer. A disability lawyer can help gather your medical records, complete the application paperwork, file for an appeal, and even represent you at a disability hearing. Call Atticus today for advice about your claim, and connect with a lawyer if you’d like — there are no upfront costs.
If you’re applying for disability benefits in Maryland, Atticus can help. After you take our two-minute quiz, a member of our team can offer personalized advice about your disability claim. If you’d like, they can connect you with a disability lawyer who can assist you at every stage of the application process.
To qualify for disability you need to have a condition that prevents you from working for at least a year. You’ll also need to meet certain work history requirements (for SSDI) or be within certain income limits (for SSI). For more on these requirements, read our full write up here.
Any condition that will prevent you from working for a year or more can qualify for disability benefits. Some of the most common conditions include musculoskeletal disorders, mental disorders, nervous system diseases, and circulatory system diseases. See our full list of conditions that qualify here.
It takes an average of 6.1 months to get an initial disability decision in Maryland. Most people who apply are initially rejected, and need to appeal this decision. If you appeal and go to a hearing, the process takes around two years on average. Read more: How Long It Takes to Get Approved for Disability Benefits
The average SSDI payment in Maryland is $1,413.31 per month. The average SSI payment is $651.63 per month. What you’ll earn is dependent on your income, or the amount you’ve historically paid into the Social Security program. Read more on what amount you can expect.
Answer the application questions truthfully, consistently, and succinctly. You should also ensure that you gather and submit all your medical records with your application. The SSA paperwork can be complicated, so our legal team has written a full guide to the application here.
No, Maryland doesn't have a state disability program. Only five states (California, Hawaii, New Jersey, New York, and Rhode Island) have a state program. Residents of Maryland can apply for federal disability programs (SSDI and SSI). Read more about SSDI and SSI here.
How long has your condition made it hard to work?
Jackie Jakab
Lead Attorney
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