1. Work Credit Requirements

To qualify for SSDI, you must have earned sufficient work credits through employment covered by Social Security.

How Work Credits Are Calculated

• In 2025, you earn one credit for each $1,730 in wages or self-employment income, up to a maximum of four credits per year.
• Generally, you need 40 credits, with 20 credits earned in the last 10 years ending in the year you became disabled.

Exceptions for Younger Workers

If you are younger and become disabled, you may qualify with fewer credits. For example:

• Before age 24: You may qualify with six credits earned in the three years before your disability began.
• Ages 24–31: You need to have worked half the time between age 21 and when you became disabled.

2. Medical Disability Requirements

SSDI benefits are only for individuals with severe, long-term disabilities that meet SSA’s strict definition.

Definition of Disability

To qualify:

• You must have a medically determinable physical or mental impairment.
• Your condition must be severe enough to prevent you from engaging in substantial gainful activity (SGA), which in 2025 is defined as earning more than $1,470 per month ($2,460 if blind).
• Your disability must have lasted or be expected to last at least 12 months or result in death.

3. The SSA Five-Step Evaluation Process

SSA uses a five-step process to determine disability eligibility:

Step 1: Are You Working?

If you are working and earning above SGA, you will not be considered disabled.

Step 2: Is Your Condition Severe?

Your impairment must significantly limit your ability to perform basic work activities.

Step 3: Does Your Condition Meet or Equal a Listed Impairment?

SSA has a Listing of Impairments, also known as the Blue Book. If your condition matches or equals a listed impairment, you may be automatically approved.

Step 4: Can You Perform Past Work?

SSA evaluates whether your condition prevents you from doing work you previously performed in the past 15 years.

Step 5: Can You Do Other Work?

If you cannot perform past work, SSA will determine whether you can adjust to other types of work based on your age, education, work experience, and medical limitations.

4. Documentation Needed to Prove Eligibility

To meet these requirements, you will need to provide:

• Medical Records: Diagnosis, treatment history, lab results, and doctor’s notes
• Work History: Detailed descriptions of your jobs over the last 15 years
• Statements from Doctors: Explaining how your condition limits your daily functioning
• Proof of Income: To establish your inability to engage in substantial gainful activity

5. Common Conditions That May Qualify

While any severe condition can potentially qualify, common SSDI-approved conditions include:

• Severe back disorders and spinal injuries
• Heart disease and circulatory disorders
• Cancer with advanced progression
• Neurological disorders such as multiple sclerosis or epilepsy
• Severe mental health conditions such as schizophrenia or major depressive disorder
• Autoimmune diseases such as lupus or rheumatoid arthritis

6. Additional Non-Medical Eligibility Factors

• Citizenship or Lawful Residency: You must be a U.S. citizen or lawful resident to receive SSDI.
• Not Currently Receiving Retirement Benefits: SSDI benefits convert to retirement benefits when you reach full retirement age.

7. What If You Do Not Meet SSDI Requirements?

If you lack sufficient work credits but meet the medical criteria and have limited income and resources, you may qualify for Supplemental Security Income (SSI) instead.