Annual Statistical Report on the Social Security Disability Insurance Program, 2005
The total number of awards decreased from 1980 through 1982, started to rise in 1983, and began to increase more rapidly in 1990. Awards for disabled-worker benefits have been most pronounced and drive the overall pattern shown in the total line. They increased from a low of 297,131 in 1982 to 636,637 in 1992, were relatively flat from 1992 through 2000, and started to increase again in 2001. There were 821,207 worker awards in 2005. Other awards have risen at a much slower rate. Awards to disabled adult children have gradually increased from 33,470 in 1980 to 58,898 in 2005. Awards to disabled widow(er)s have risen from just over 16,000 in 1980 to 29,576 in 2005.
Average monthly benefits for new awards tend to be higher than those paid to beneficiaries who are already on the rolls (see Chart 5). The exception is payments to newly awarded adult children, whose benefits are lower than those paid to adult children who are already on the rolls.
The average monthly benefit awarded to disabled workers is higher than that awarded to disabled widow(er)s or disabled adult children. The reason for the difference is that disabled workers receive 100 percent of the primary insurance amount, compared with 71.5 percent for disabled widow(er)s and 50 percent for disabled adult children (if the worker is disabled or retired) or 75 percent (if the worker is deceased).
Because men have traditionally had higher earnings than women, their monthly benefit is higher. This is most obvious in the disabled-worker group. Benefits for disabled widow(er)s and disabled adult children are dependents' benefits, so their monthly benefit is a function of the worker's earnings. Therefore, a disabled widow's average benefit tends to be higher than that of a disabled widower because a male worker's earnings are higher than a female worker's. Benefit amounts are about the same for men and women in the disabled adult children group.
| Year | Total | Workers and nondisabled dependents | Widow(er)s | Adult children of— | |||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Workers | Spouses | Children under age 18 |
Students aged 18–19 |
Disabled workers |
Retired workers |
Deceased workers |
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| 1960 | 388,861 | 207,805 | 54,187 | 102,516 | . . . | . . . | 1,794 | 12,740 | 9,819 |
| 1965 | 538,983 | 253,499 | 69,183 | 175,109 | 19,794 | . . . | 2,713 | 10,017 | 8,668 |
| 1970 | 799,616 | 350,384 | 96,304 | 241,627 | 71,145 | 15,609 | 3,774 | 11,348 | 9,425 |
| 1975 | 1,305,345 | 592,049 | 148,741 | 391,284 | 117,043 | 23,521 | 6,889 | 14,636 | 11,182 |
| 1980 | 933,597 | 396,559 | 108,500 | 235,079 | 143,935 | 16,054 | 6,194 | 16,650 | 10,626 |
| 1981 | 826,340 | 351,847 | 95,575 | 199,829 | 134,390 | 14,154 | 5,435 | 15,365 | 9,745 |
| 1982 | 672,333 | 297,131 | 77,835 | 153,205 | 103,015 | 12,440 | 4,250 | 14,772 | 9,685 |
| 1983 | 661,467 | 311,549 | 80,079 | 152,954 | 68,834 | 14,412 | 5,107 | 17,309 | 11,223 |
| 1984 | 730,135 | 361,998 | 81,834 | 172,721 | 59,990 | 17,165 | 5,541 | 18,330 | 12,556 |
| 1985 | 763,363 | 377,371 | 83,511 | 190,204 | 56,108 | 17,086 | 6,713 | 19,661 | 12,709 |
| 1986 | 809,424 | 416,865 | 82,435 | 198,192 | 52,989 | 18,418 | 6,986 | 20,295 | 13,244 |
| 1987 | 799,180 | 415,848 | 77,316 | 195,030 | 54,925 | 16,396 | 6,787 | 20,761 | 12,117 |
| 1988 | 795,690 | 409,490 | 73,790 | 196,655 | 61,725 | 15,328 | 6,646 | 20,544 | 11,512 |
| 1989 | 801,893 | 425,582 | 69,113 | 197,950 | 57,079 | 15,168 | 6,358 | 19,668 | 10,975 |
| 1990 | 868,793 | 467,977 | 69,667 | 218,059 | 58,894 | 15,424 | 6,633 | 20,862 | 11,277 |
| 1991 | 990,500 | 536,434 | 72,754 | 250,287 | 60,349 | 29,590 | 7,552 | 21,850 | 11,684 |
| 1992 | 1,167,001 | 636,637 | 78,083 | 306,002 | 66,035 | 33,235 | 9,548 | 23,615 | 13,846 |
| 1993 | 1,177,268 | 635,238 | 74,605 | 317,263 | 71,081 | 31,835 | 10,254 | 23,173 | 13,819 |
| 1994 | 1,177,236 | 631,870 | 69,549 | 327,067 | 74,364 | 29,903 | 9,774 | 22,119 | 12,590 |
| 1995 | 1,173,317 | 645,832 | 63,097 | 315,587 | 75,929 | 29,597 | 9,779 | 21,566 | 11,930 |
| 1996 | 1,139,054 | 624,335 | 57,528 | 311,228 | 76,769 | 28,611 | 9,353 | 20,169 | 11,061 |
| 1997 | 1,059,556 | 587,417 | 50,818 | 278,040 | 76,034 | 28,546 | 8,474 | 19,611 | 10,616 |
| 1998 | 1,087,352 | 608,131 | 47,550 | 279,764 | 82,567 | 29,399 | 9,095 | 19,932 | 10,914 |
| 1999 | 1,106,343 | 620,488 | 46,164 | 283,768 | 84,525 | 29,650 | 9,851 | 20,467 | 11,430 |
| 2000 | 1,051,900 | 610,700 | 38,500 | 263,200 | 74,600 | 27,600 | 7,000 | 21,100 | 9,200 |
| 2001 | 1,118,300 | 661,900 | 41,100 | 268,800 | 75,700 | 26,500 | 9,800 | 22,300 | 12,200 |
| 2002 | 1,219,670 | 730,383 | 43,301 | 293,131 | 77,927 | 28,339 | 8,507 | 22,798 | 15,284 |
| 2003 | 1,259,672 | 755,706 | 44,638 | 302,756 | 82,447 | 27,324 | 9,740 | 21,836 | 15,225 |
| 2004 | 1,311,031 | 775,244 | 45,649 | 313,640 | 96,871 | 27,744 | 13,301 | 22,127 | 16,455 |
| 2005 | 1,402,509 | 821,207 | 49,917 | 338,506 | 104,405 | 29,576 | 15,334 | 25,591 | 17,973 |
| SOURCES: Social Security Administration. For years before 2000, Annual Statistical Supplement to the Social Security Bulletin, based on the Master Beneficiary Record, various sampling rates; from 2000 to 2001, Annual Award and Termination Transaction file, 1 percent sample; data after 2001 are 100 percent data. | |||||||||
| NOTES: Data exclude closed period awards in 2002 and 2003 and expedited reinstatement cases since 2002.
. . . = not applicable. |
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| CONTACT: Glenda Carter (410) 965-7794 or di.asr@ssa.gov. | |||||||||
| Basis of entitlement and age | Total | Male | Female | |||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Number | Average monthly benefit a (dollars) |
Number | Average monthly benefit a (dollars) |
Number | Average monthly benefit a (dollars) |
|
| Workers | ||||||
| Total | 821,207 | 1,001.50 | 440,008 | 1,133.30 | 381,199 | 849.30 |
| Under 25 | 22,775 | 505.90 | 13,358 | 511.30 | 9,417 | 498.30 |
| 25–29 | 29,815 | 682.50 | 15,605 | 702.00 | 14,210 | 661.20 |
| 30–34 | 38,137 | 778.60 | 19,064 | 812.00 | 19,073 | 745.10 |
| 35–39 | 54,268 | 842.00 | 27,512 | 897.80 | 26,756 | 784.60 |
| 40–44 | 83,419 | 902.40 | 42,525 | 983.50 | 40,894 | 818.00 |
| 45–49 | 110,401 | 971.80 | 56,851 | 1,086.20 | 53,550 | 850.50 |
| 50–54 | 151,250 | 1,044.40 | 78,932 | 1,188.40 | 72,318 | 887.30 |
| 55–59 | 189,592 | 1,119.60 | 104,396 | 1,291.50 | 85,196 | 908.90 |
| 60 or older | 141,550 | 1,146.90 | 81,765 | 1,326.90 | 59,785 | 900.80 |
| Spouses of disabled workers | ||||||
| Total | 49,917 | 257.00 | 2,488 | 181.60 | 47,429 | 260.90 |
| Entitlement based on care of children | 18,287 | 186.30 | 918 | 141.80 | 17,369 | 188.60 |
| Under 30 | 2,368 | 122.60 | 62 | 78.50 | 2,306 | 123.80 |
| 30–34 | 2,741 | 139.40 | 115 | 118.70 | 2,626 | 140.30 |
| 35–39 | 3,588 | 164.60 | 164 | 135.00 | 3,424 | 166.10 |
| 40–44 | 3,952 | 198.20 | 212 | 147.20 | 3,740 | 201.10 |
| 45–49 | 3,002 | 228.20 | 163 | 139.30 | 2,839 | 233.30 |
| 50–54 | 1,629 | 244.90 | 115 | 185.20 | 1,514 | 249.40 |
| 55–FRA | 1,007 | 274.10 | 87 | 164.60 | 920 | 284.40 |
| Entitlement based on age | 31,630 | 297.80 | 1,570 | 204.80 | 30,060 | 302.70 |
| 62–64 | 26,664 | 293.00 | 732 | 180.30 | 25,932 | 296.20 |
| 65 or older | 4,966 | 323.70 | 838 | 226.20 | 4,128 | 343.50 |
| Children of disabled workers | ||||||
| Total | 458,245 | 265.00 | 238,416 | 267.10 | 219,829 | 262.60 |
| Under age 18 | 338,506 | 233.40 | 172,255 | 233.00 | 166,251 | 233.80 |
| Under 5 | 58,247 | 188.90 | 29,670 | 189.00 | 28,577 | 188.70 |
| 5–9 | 74,167 | 201.50 | 37,748 | 201.30 | 36,419 | 201.70 |
| 10–14 | 109,753 | 233.30 | 56,032 | 233.00 | 53,721 | 233.60 |
| 15–17 | 96,339 | 284.90 | 48,805 | 284.20 | 47,534 | 285.60 |
| Students aged 18–19 | 104,405 | 361.10 | 57,145 | 364.10 | 47,260 | 357.50 |
| Disabled aged 18 or older | 15,334 | 308.50 | 9,016 | 305.30 | 6,318 | 313.00 |
| Widow(er)s | ||||||
| Total | 29,576 | 609.70 | 1,679 | 453.10 | 27,897 | 619.20 |
| 50–54 | 11,319 | 605.20 | 611 | 448.90 | 10,708 | 614.20 |
| 55–59 | 15,541 | 617.00 | 888 | 452.50 | 14,653 | 627.00 |
| 60 or older | 2,716 | 586.90 | 180 | 470.00 | 2,536 | 595.10 |
| Adult children | ||||||
| Total | 58,898 | 442.40 | 34,099 | 437.60 | 24,799 | 449.00 |
| Children of— | ||||||
| Disabled workers | 15,334 | 308.50 | 9,016 | 305.30 | 6,318 | 313.00 |
| Retired workers | 25,591 | 419.60 | 14,563 | 414.90 | 11,028 | 425.80 |
| Deceased workers | 17,973 | 589.10 | 10,520 | 582.30 | 7,453 | 598.70 |
| Under 25 | 24,532 | 449.00 | 14,492 | 448.30 | 10,040 | 450.00 |
| 25–29 | 7,710 | 454.00 | 4,498 | 452.50 | 3,212 | 455.90 |
| 30–34 | 8,148 | 454.60 | 4,628 | 443.10 | 3,520 | 469.70 |
| 35–39 | 8,572 | 441.80 | 4,893 | 431.80 | 3,679 | 455.10 |
| 40–44 | 6,405 | 413.10 | 3,636 | 405.20 | 2,769 | 423.40 |
| 45–49 | 2,135 | 370.90 | 1,220 | 358.00 | 915 | 388.20 |
| 50–54 | 791 | 434.20 | 396 | 442.00 | 395 | 426.40 |
| 55–59 | 358 | 437.00 | 205 | 413.80 | 153 | 468.10 |
| 60–64 | 155 | 420.50 | 86 | 401.00 | 69 | 444.80 |
| 65 or older | 92 | 531.30 | 45 | 473.70 | 47 | 586.60 |
| SOURCE: Social Security Administration, Annual Award and Termination Transaction file, 100 percent data. | ||||||
| NOTES: Data exclude expedited reinstatement cases.
FRA = full retirement age. |
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| a. Benefits awarded before the December cost-of-living increase are converted to the December rates before averages are computed. | ||||||
| CONTACT: Glenda Carter (410) 965-7794 or di.asr@ssa.gov. | ||||||
