Will my disability benefit go up if my disability gets worse?

No, Social Security Disability Insurance (SSDI) payments do not change if your condition becomes more severe or limiting. Here’s why:

SSDI benefits are based on your earnings history, not the level of your disability. If your SSDI claim is approved, you’ll receive an amount equivalent to your full retirement benefit — the monthly payment you would be eligible to receive if you claimed Social Security at full retirement age.

And in approving your claim, the Social Security Administration (SSA) has already determined that your condition is fully disabling, by its definition: Your illness or injury prevents you from doing most work and is expected to last at least 12 months or end in death. Your condition may worsen, but your inability to work is unchanged.

On the other hand, if your condition improves, you might lose benefits.

Social Security periodically reviews SSDI recipients’ medical status to see if they still qualify for disability benefits. If the review indicates that your health has improved to the point where you can work regularly, your benefits will cease.

The same holds true for Supplemental Security Income (SSI), the other Social Security-run program that pays benefits to people with disabilities.

SSI payments are not based on your lifetime earnings record, but your current income and household financial circumstances do affect them. Your SSI benefit can change if your income or living situation changes, but it won’t be based on your worsening condition.

SSI beneficiaries who are younger than 65 undergo the same periodic medical reviews to determine if they are still disabled in the SSA’s reckoning. Once you turn 65, you may qualify for SSI on the basis of age rather than disability, so the medical check becomes moot.

Keep in mind

• Because eligibility for Supplemental Security Income rests on financial need, SSI recipients of any age are subject to periodic reviews of their assets, income and living arrangements. These redeterminations, as they are known, can result in SSI payments being terminated or reduced.
• A worsening medical situation can affect how Social Security handles an application for disability benefits. The SSA can fast-track claims from applicants with particular illnesses or disorders, and the severity of your condition can affect your chances for a quick decision.