If you’re unable to work with a disability, it doesn’t mean that you can automatically qualify for government benefits. Whether you’re applying for Social Security Disability Insurance or other benefits, you may need to fight to receive the benefits you deserve. Eligibility for benefits depends on a number of factors, but there are several steps that can help increase your chances of getting approved.
The SSDI Work History Eligibility Requirements
There are work eligibility requirements in order to qualify for SSDI. Eligibility is based on the work credits you’ve earned in the recent past. For each quarter of work with income at a certain level, you will earn one work credit.
The work needed to earn credits changes. For example, in 2017 an income of $1,700 per quarter would earn you four credits for the entire year. How many credits will also be determined by your age. However, there are some general qualification rules.
Generally, you must have earned at least 40 work credits with 20 of these being earned in the last ten years. For those younger than 31, it may be possible to qualify with fewer work credits.
| Benefit Program | Who It’s For | Administered By | How to Apply | Key Notes |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Social Security Disability Insurance (SSDI) | Individuals who have worked and paid into Social Security but can no longer work due to disability | Social Security Administration (SSA) | Online at SSA.gov, phone, or local SSA office | Must have sufficient work credits and a qualifying disability |
| Supplemental Security Income (SSI) | Low-income individuals with a disability, regardless of work history | Social Security Administration (SSA) | Online at SSA.gov, phone, or local SSA office | Income and resource limits apply |
| Veterans Disability Benefits | U.S. military veterans with service-connected disabilities | U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs (VA) | VA.gov or through a VA representative | Ratings from 0–100%; benefits increase with severity |
| State Disability Insurance (SDI) | Short-term disability coverage for eligible workers in certain states (e.g., CA, NY, NJ) | State governments | Varies by state (e.g., EDD in CA) | Usually covers temporary conditions like recovery from surgery |
| Workers’ Compensation | Employees injured on the job or who develop a work-related illness | State Workers’ Comp boards or employers’ insurance | Through employer or state board | Covers medical bills and lost wages; may include rehab or retraining |
| Private Long-Term Disability Insurance | Individuals who purchased private disability coverage (or have it through an employer) | Private insurance companies | Through insurer directly | Payouts and eligibility vary widely based on policy terms |
| Disability Pension Plans | Employees of certain public or union employers | Employer or pension plan administrator | Contact HR or pension board | Benefits depend on years of service and disability determination |
The SSDI Disability Requirements
In order to qualify for SSDI, you also need to be considered disabled. The SSA (Social Security Administration) determines disability with these requirements.
- You are unable to perform your former job
- You cannot perform other work due to your condition
- Your disability has lasted or is anticipated to last for a minimum of one year or will result in your death.
The SSA has a Medically Approved Listing of Impairments, so if your medical condition is listed, you may qualify for benefits automatically. In a scenario where your disability does not feature on the list, you may still be entitled to SSDI benefits.
Bear in mind that if you don’t qualify for SSDI, there are other government benefits including Supplemental Security Income (SSI.)
Determining Qualifying Disabilities
If your disability is not on the SSA list, there are five questions that will help to determine if you have a qualifying disability.
Are You Currently Working?
Generally, the SSA will use earnings guidelines to determine whether your work is substantial gain activity or SGA. For example, in 2025 if you have average earnings of more than $1,620 per month, generally, you cannot be considered to have disabilities.
If you are not performing SGA or not working, your application will be sent to the Disability Determination Services office who will use the following questions to make a determination.
Do You Have a Severe Condition?
This can seem a nebulous term, but essentially your condition must limit your ability to do basic work related activities significantly for a minimum of 12 consecutive months. Basic activities include standing, walking, lifting, sitting or remembering. If the answer to this question is yes, you will move on to the next question.
Is Your Condition Listed?
As we discussed earlier the SSA maintains a list of medical conditions that are considered severe enough to prevent SGA. If your condition is not listed, the SSA will need to determine if your condition is a qualifying disability. There are compassionate allowances where a confirmed diagnosis of certain conditions such as acute leukemia, means qualification. There are also quick disability determinations where computer screening is used to identify those cases with a high probability of allowance.
Can You Do Your Previous Work?
This question is to determine if your medical condition prevents you performing any tasks from your past work. If it does, the assessor will move on to the next question, but if the answer to this question is yes, you will be classified as not having a qualifying disability.
Are You Able to Do Other Types of Work?
If you are unable to do the work you completed in the past, the assessor will look to see if there are other tasks or work you could do despite your medical situation. Your medical conditions, education, age, past work experience and if you have any transferable skills will be considered. If you can do other work, your claim will be denied as you will be classified as not having a qualifying disability. If you are unable to do other work, you are eligible for disability benefits.
Special Situations
While the above questions can determine eligibility for most claims, there are some special situations when an exception may be made. This includes if you’re blind, if you’re a survivor, a wounded warrior or veteran. There are also exceptions for children with disabilities.
You are considered to be legally blind if your vision cannot be corrected to 20/200 or better in your better eye. You are also considered legally blind if you have a 20 degree or less field of vision even with corrective lenses. While you may meet the legal definition of blindness, you may still have some sight, could read large print and be able to move around without a guide dog or cane.
If you do not meet the blindness legal definition, it doesn’t mean that you are not eligible for government benefits. Your vision problems or a combination of your vision and other health issues could prevent you from working.
There are a number of special rules for the blind which recognize the impact of blindness on the ability to work. For this reason, the monthly earnings limits for the blind are generally higher than the limits applied to non blind workers. In 2025, the monthly earnings limit or SGA for the legally blind is $2,700.
The Application Process
Since it can take a while for your application to be processed, you should apply as soon as you start with your disability. SSDI has a five month waiting period for benefits, which means your benefit payments will not start before your sixth full month of disability. However, there is no waiting period in some circumstances. For example if your disability is a result of ALS (amyotrophic lateral sclerosis) and you are approved for the benefits on or after July 2020.
Other government benefits such as Supplemental Security Income disability payments begin the first full month after you file your claim or the date you became eligible.
Since getting approved for disability benefits can be complicated, you can simplify the process and increase the chances of getting approved with the following steps.
Assess Your Disability Situation
The first thing you need to do is assess your situation through the SSA lens. Does the SSA consider your health condition a disability? While you may be struggling, to be eligible for benefits the government must consider your condition to be a disability, meeting the criteria we discussed above.
Bear in mind that some illnesses such as terminal cancer are considered to be “listing level” conditions, and you can expect your application to be processed and moved along more quickly.
Decide Which Benefits Program is Appropriate
There are two main forms of disability government benefits; Social Security Disability Insurance (SSDI) and Supplemental Security Income. SSDI is based on employment history, and the payouts are calculated on how much you have earned, while SSI has lower payouts and more restrictions.
Go through the work history eligibility we discussed above to see if you could be eligible for SSDI. If not, you will need to investigate SSI.
Gather Your Documentation and Paperwork
The SSA will require evidence of your disability, so you will need to check the application to see what records, documentation and paperwork you will need to provide to support your application. It can save time and effort to gather all of this paperwork before you actually begin the submission process.
Examples of documentation you may need to provide include medical records, education records, work history, financial information, and contact information for your doctor.
It can also be a good idea to keep a symptom diary and ask your doctor to note these entries within your medical records. This could be useful later in the application process.
Complete and Submit the Application
The forms for both SSDI and SSI are quite in depth, with upwards of 30 pages to complete. So, it can take hours to fully fill out your application, but you can save time by being well prepared with all of your information before you begin. If you struggle with forms and paperwork, there are legal professionals who can assist you.
Once you have completed your application, you can submit it in person, via the SSA website or even via the phone helpline.
Provide Any Supplemental Information
Regardless of how diligent you are with your application form, the SSA may require additional information, evidence or documentation. There is no need to worry if the SSA reaches out to you, they are simply looking to more deeply understand your situation.
Collect the information that they ask for, paying careful attention to what they require. You can then submit the details. Often you will need to send more documentation or records. The SSA may also request you have an appointment for an examination with one of its medical experts.
If you are required to have a medical examination, you shouldn’t need to worry about it, but you do need to remember that the examiner is not your doctor. So, it is important to discuss your situation properly. For example, when you are asked about symptoms, don’t simply discuss how you feel during the appointment, but rather how your symptoms feel most days. You can also remind the doctor why you are applying for disability. For example, reiterate your condition is mental if you’re living with depression, rather than just completing the physical exam.
Await the Decision
Once your application is complete, you will simply need to wait for the decision. If you aren’t approved, there is a hearings and appeals process, which we will cover in more detail, so you can be prepared.
If you receive communications that your application is rejected, this is not the end of the road. Bear in mind that only a percentage of applications are approved initially and many of the successful applications relate to fast track conditions.
Fortunately, you don’t need to keep applying over and over as you can appeal the decision. You have 60 days to request reconsideration and have the SSA examine your application for a second time. However, unless they missed a crucial detail, it is unlikely you will get approved at this stage. But, after this step, you can request a hearing, where you can make your case in front of a judge. You have 60 days from the last decision to request a hearing and it will involve a judge, a vocational expert, you and your legal representative, a court reporter and possibly a medical expert.
A hearing provides an opportunity to state your case, explaining why you need the benefits. If you can make your case, the approval decision will be changed. You will need to be prepared to answer questions relating to your condition and application. The judge will ask specific and open ended questions and the vocational and medical experts will evaluate how your condition impacts your day to day life. It is a good idea to have a legal representative or lawyer with you for this process, as they can coach you on how to answer tricky questions and provide guidance such as only asking questions that are specifically asked to you, providing simple, concise answers without over-explaining. It is perfectly acceptable to answer yes or no, but you should be specific about how your symptoms feel most days. For example, saying I can only stand for five minutes is a better answer than saying “standing is difficult.” You should not downplay your symptoms even if you’re having a good day on the hearing date.
Even if your application is not approved post hearing, you can still re-appeal, scheduling more hearings to make your case again. In fact, you can appeal multiple times. If you have a good disability lawyer, they will help you to improve your case from the judge’s feedback for a better chance of future approval.
How Much Will You Receive?
When your application is approved, you need to know when you’ll get paid and how much you can expect. The government benefits will depend on the program,and your employment history earnings. The amount you receive will also depend on whether you qualify for back pay, which is a lump sum that covers the time you were disabled but awaiting approval for benefits.
As with the benefit application process, it can be quite complicated to determine your benefits payout. There are online calculators that use the SSA formulas to provide an estimate.
Unfortunately, getting these benefits can take quite a long time. If you have a listing level condition, the process does tend to move quite quickly, but in many cases, it may take as long as two or two and a half years to get a final decision and start receiving payments. However, if you need to go through multiple hearings and appeals, you could be waiting up to five years to get a final approval.
This is why it is crucial to start the application process as soon as you become disabled. If you have a long term health condition that is limiting your ability to work or preventing you from completing your typical work activities, it is important to start investigating government benefits and submitting your application.
Government benefits are not automatically given and even if you do have a serious health condition, you may not qualify for benefits. You need to meet the SSA criteria for your medical situation and/or your employment history before you will be able to even start the application process. So, it is well worth taking a little time to fully investigate the benefits and understand the application process before you begin. This can save you a great deal of time and frustration in the long term. Remember that each time you need to submit additional documentation, request re-evaluation or lodge an appeal, it will add more time to the entire process. This means that it could end up taking years before you receive any benefit payments.
So, work through all the details we’ve covered in this article and if necessary seek professional legal advice from a disability specialist lawyer to streamline the process and increase the chances of being approved. An expert can also provide insights into the amount of benefit you could expect if your application is approved and what hurdles you may face during the process.
It is important to appreciate that going into the application process with your eyes open can help you achieve a successful outcome. Many applicants have their claims rejected multiple times before they receive an approval decision, so you need to be ready to be patient and diligent, providing all of the information requested of you, along with supporting documentation to confirm your claim.
