1. Work Credits Requirement

SSDI is an insurance program funded through payroll taxes. To qualify, you must have earned enough work credits:

• You earn work credits based on your annual income.
• In 2025, you earn one credit for every $1,730 earned, up to four credits per year.
• Generally, you need 40 work credits, with 20 earned in the last 10 years before becoming disabled.
• Younger applicants may qualify with fewer credits depending on their age at the time of disability.

For example:

• If you become disabled before age 24, you may qualify with six credits earned in the three years before your disability began.
• If you are between ages 24 and 31, you may qualify with credits for working half the time between age 21 and the onset of disability.

2. Disability Requirement

You must meet the SSA’s strict definition of disability, which includes:

• A medically determinable physical or mental impairment
• Severe enough to prevent you from engaging in substantial gainful activity (SGA)
• Expected to last at least 12 months or result in death

In 2025, earning over $1,550 per month ($2,590 if blind) generally indicates you are engaging in SGA and would not qualify.

3. Severity of Condition

Your condition must significantly limit your ability to:

• Perform basic work-related activities such as lifting, standing, walking, sitting, or remembering tasks.
• If your condition is not severe enough to limit these activities, your claim will likely be denied.

4. Listed Medical Conditions

The SSA maintains a Listing of Impairments (Blue Book) with specific conditions that automatically qualify if you meet the outlined medical criteria. Common examples include:

• Neurological disorders: Epilepsy, multiple sclerosis, Parkinson’s disease
• Musculoskeletal disorders: Severe back injuries, arthritis
• Cardiovascular conditions: Chronic heart failure, coronary artery disease
• Mental health disorders: Schizophrenia, depression, PTSD, bipolar disorder
• Respiratory disorders: COPD, severe asthma
• Cancer: Certain aggressive cancers, especially those that have metastasized

5. Residual Functional Capacity (RFC) Assessment

If your condition does not meet a listed impairment, the SSA evaluates your Residual Functional Capacity (RFC) to determine:

• Whether you can perform any of your past work
• Whether you can adjust to any other type of work based on your age, education, and work history

If the SSA determines that your condition prevents you from performing any substantial work, you may be approved through a medical-vocational allowance.

6. Duration Requirement

Your disability must:

• Have lasted or be expected to last at least 12 continuous months, or
• Be terminal (expected to result in death)

Short-term or partial disabilities do not qualify under SSDI.

7. Citizenship or Legal Status

You must be:

• A U.S. citizen or
• A lawfully present non-citizen with work authorization and a valid Social Security number

8. Not Engaging in Substantial Gainful Activity

If you are currently working and earning above the SGA limits, your application will generally be denied regardless of your medical condition.

9. Continuing Disability Reviews

Once approved, SSDI recipients undergo periodic Continuing Disability Reviews (CDRs) to assess whether they remain eligible based on their medical condition.