Qualifying for Social Security Disability: Social Security Disability Insurance (SSDI) Benefits

If you are unable to work and have a medical condition that is disabling, then you may be eligible for Social Security Disability benefits. To begin, there are two basic types of Social Security Disability benefits someone may qualify for: 1) Social Security Disability Insurance (SSDI) benefits; and 2) Supplemental Security Income (SSI) benefits. Both SSDI and SSI benefits have their own criteria of eligibility. In some situations, you may qualify for both types of benefits and you may file a concurrent claim. However, this blog post will focus on what it takes to qualify for Social Security Disability Insurance (SSDI) benefits. This is also often referred to as Title 2 benefits. The main qualifying factor SSDI benefits are focused on is your past work and earnings. To qualify for SSDI benefits, you must have worked long enough (and recently enough) under Social Security. Overall, when you are working and paying taxes to Social Security, you are earning what is called “work credits.” You earn 1 work credit for every quarter (3-month period) that you worked a job that pays into Social Security. The amount needed for work credit changes depending on the year, however in 2022 you earn 1 work credit for each quarter you earn at least $1,510 in wages or self-employment income. Therefore, if you earned a total of $6,040 or more in 2022 then you will have earned 4 work credits. The maximum possible work credits to earn each year is 4. While the Social Security Administration says generally you need at least 40 work credits over your lifetime to qualify for Social Security benefits at retirement, the amount of work credits you need to qualify for SSDI benefits varies depending on your age. Therefore, it is important to work with an experienced law firm to determine whether your work history, past earnings, and specific circumstances make you eligible for SSDI benefits.