Not only retired or disabled workers: Social Security benefit payments by the numbers
The Social Security program has been around since 1935 and over the years it has undergone several major changes to cover more Americans.
Social Security is one of the most popular government programs nine decades after it was created. The program has helped reduce poverty among older Americans from perhaps as high as 66% before to just 10% these days.
Since it was established in 1935, Social Security has undergone several changes to make benefits available to more Americans. Initially, only workers in commerce and industry were covered by the program but not their children or spouses. Nor were disabled workers.
Nowadays 93% of workers in the United States are covered by Social Security and there are nearly 75.5 million recipients of retirement, survivor, family and spousal benefits, as well as disability insurance and Supplemental Security Income (SSI).
According to the monthly Social Security statistical snapshot from April 2026 the number of beneficiaries is as follows:
| Type of benefit | Number of recipients |
|---|---|
| Old-Age and Survivors Insurance | 63 million |
| Survivors benefits | 5.85 Million |
| Disability Insurance | 8 million |
| Supplemental Security Income | 7.3 million |
For those who retire in 2026 at full retirement age, 67 for those born in 1960 and later, the maximum monthly benefit you can receive is $4,152. For those who choose to retire before full retirement the amount they will receive is less and those who wait longer, up to age 70, the amount they will receive increases.
The maximum monthly disability payments are as follows:
| Non-Blind | $1,690 |
| Blind | $2,830 |
| Trial Work Period (TWP) | $1,210 |
Individual Supplemental Security Income recipients can get at most $994 per month while a couple can receive up to $1,491 per month.
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