There is a record 8,733,461 workers currently receiving federal disability insurance payments as of June 2012 as documented by the Social Security Administration. This number has increased by several thousand people since the month prior and establishes the amount of people on federal disability as totaling more than the population of New York City which was estimated at 8,244,910 as of July 2011.
When compared with past figures of percentages of those earning a wage versus those collecting disability, there has been a significant increase in disability recipients over paycheck earners. Right now the estimate is there is 1 worker receiving disability payments for every 16.3 people earning a paycheck. Back in June 1992, the estimates averaged 1 person collecting disability for every 35.5 people working.
There are 11 states that have populations totaling over the 8,733.461 workers taking disability payments in the month of June. These 11 states include California, Florida, Georgia, Illinois, Michigan, New Jersey, New York, North Carolina, Ohio, Pennsylvania, and Texas.
Federal disability payments made to the 8 million plus workers averaged out to $1.111.42. In addition to the disabled worker payments, a total of 165,469 spouses of disabled workers have been getting disability payments. A total of 1,899,756 children of disabled workers are collecting benefits. Benefits are determined using the same rules as Social Security.
The Federal disability insurance fund is made possible by the 1.8 percent payroll tax which is divided between employers and employees. Those workers who are self-employed are required to pay out the entire 1.8%. In the last three fiscal years, the US government has had to borrow money to pay out disability benefits. In 2009, the fund was at a deficit of $8.5 billion. In 2010, the fund was at a deficit of $20.8 billion. In 2011, the deficit increased to $25.3 billion.
