What is the New Jersey State Maximum Benefit Amount?

If you’ve recently applied for Social Security Disability (SSDI) benefits in New Jersey, it’s important to understand what your payments may look like. Depending on your work history, you may be entitled to the maximum disability benefit amount in New Jersey.

In New Jersey, the maximum disability benefit amount is $3,345 per month. However, that doesn’t mean you’ll automatically receive that amount in monthly payments. In order to qualify for the maximum disability benefit amount, you must have a sufficient work history and a medical condition that qualifies you for SSDI payments in the first place. Although SSDI recipients can receive the maximum disability benefit amount for life once approved, several things can threaten access to benefits. Substantial gainful activity, trial work periods, and changes in disability can all impact your disability payments in New Jersey.

Our attorneys are dedicated to helping New Jersey residents take advantage of the disability benefits available to them. For a free case evaluation with the New Jersey disability lawyers at Young, Marr, Mallis & Deane, call today at (609) 557-3081.

What is New Jersey’s Maximum Disability Benefit Amount?

As a Social Security Disability benefit recipient in New Jersey, understanding the maximum disability benefit amount is important. Without knowing the payment parameters, recipients may be unable to assess their benefits and learn what they deserve.

The maximum disability benefit amount for SSDI recipients in New Jersey in 2022 is $3,345. That said, the average amount New Jersey residents receive is just over $1,000. You can expect to receive your payments monthly, so long as you remain eligible for SSDI benefits in New Jersey.

While there is a maximum disability benefit amount for New Jersey SSDI recipients, there is no minimum. Because of this, it may be difficult for New Jersey residents to properly gauge the monthly payments they deserve. To learn more about your SSDI payments and their amount, speak to an experienced East Brunswick disability lawyer. Remember, being eligible for SSDI payments does not mean you will receive a monthly benefit of $3,345. Your attorney can prepare you for your likely benefit amount and help you apply for SSDI benefits in New Jersey.

Are You Eligible for the Maximum Disability Benefit Amount in New Jersey?

While the maximum disability benefit amount may appeal to New Jersey residents, it is not available to all. You must meet certain criteria to qualify for the maximum disability benefit amount of $3,345 per month. When determining eligibility for SSDI benefits, work history and disability matter most. That said, only the former matters when determining eligibility for the maximum disability benefit amount. Our Marlton disability benefits attorneys can help you answer any questions.

Work History

To qualify for SSDI benefits in the first place, you must have a sufficient work history or have a parent with sufficient work history. As you work over the years, your employers must take taxes for Social Security out of your paychecks. This is what, over time, allows you to pay into the system and become eligible for SSDI payments in the future. The more years you work and the more Social Security taxes taken out of your paychecks by employers, the larger your monthly benefit will be. According to the Social Security Administration, $3,345 each month is the maximum amount available to eligible SSDI recipients, often those that have reached full retirement age.

To better understand whether your work history qualifies you for the maximum monthly SSDI payment of $3,345, speak to a Hamilton Township disability lawyer. Your attorney can assess your work credits or a parent’s credits to determine if you are eligible for the maximum disability benefit amount in New Jersey.

Medical Condition

Because medical condition does matter when determining eligibility for SSDI benefits, New Jersey residents may be under the impression that disability also impacts the amount they can receive in monthly payments. This is not the case. Suppose the Social Security Administration deems your condition severe enough to receive benefits. In that case, it is no less severe than any other recipient’s disability. So, disability severity does not impact your disability benefit amount. Apart from making you eligible for benefits in the first place, your disability or condition will not determine whether or not you receive the maximum benefit amount of $3,345 each month in New Jersey.

What Can Impact Your Access to the Maximum Disability Benefit Amount in New Jersey?

While your monthly disability benefit payments won’t reduce unprompted, they can stop altogether under certain circumstances. In New Jersey, SSDI recipients that earn over a certain amount each month can see their payments stop. When a disability is removed, your maximum disability benefit may halt entirely. Although the amount of your monthly payments is seemingly set in stone once you qualify for SSDI, failing to adhere to the Social Security Administration’s regulations can threaten your access to the maximum disability benefit amount in New Jersey.

Substantial Gainful Activity

In order to qualify for SSDI benefits at all, your disability or condition must make it impossible for you to engage in substantial gainful activity (SGA). Social Security Disability benefits are designed to replace income for those unable to earn it because of a medical condition. The Social Security Administration may believe you don’t require benefits if you earn over a certain amount each month.

In New Jersey, those that earn over $1,350 a month in additional income, or $2,260 if they are blind, breach the SGA threshold. Going over the SGA limit won’t just cause your monthly payments to decrease for the month in question. Instead, it can cause you to lose access to your monthly disability benefits altogether.

Trial Work Periods

The Social Security Administration provides a pathway for SSDI recipients to test whether they can return to work. This is known as a trial work period (TWP). While TWPs can be helpful to recipients, they can also be harmful. In New Jersey, a TWP is triggered every month you earn over $970. If left unchecked for nine months, TWPs can cause SSDI recipients to lose access to their disability benefits in New Jersey.

Unfortunately, TWPs are triggered automatically, leaving many New Jersey SSDI recipients none the wiser until it is too late. To avoid losing access to the maximum monthly benefit amount of $3,345, speak to a New Jersey disability lawyer to learn more about trial work periods.

Improved Condition

Social Security Disability benefits are meant for those unable to work because of a disability or medical condition. If your condition is removed and you can return to work, your benefits will cease. Because SSDI benefits are for those with total disability, an improved condition will cause your monthly benefits to stop altogether.

Call Our Attorneys to Learn More About Disability Benefits in New Jersey

If you need assistance applying for disability benefits in New Jersey, our attorneys are here to help. For a free case evaluation with the Mount Laurel, NJ disability lawyers at Young, Marr, Mallis & Deane, call today at (609) 557-3081.