If you have a disability, you can rely on your Social Security Disability Insurance (SSDI) to help cover your expenses while you cannot work. However, you must go through a rigorous application and review process to help determine which benefits can apply to you.
Also, you need to meet these qualifications to be eligible:
- Your job qualified for Social Security benefits
- Your disability meets strict conditions set by the Social Security Administration (SSA).
The SSA might only accept your application if you meet these criteria.
Definition of disability
The SSA has a unique set of conditions that qualify a disability for SSDI because they only provide benefits for total disabilities. It means that they do not include partial or short-term disabilities.
To qualify for SSDI, your disability must:
- Keep you from engaging in most types of work or substantial gainful activity (SGA).
- Make you unable to perform your previous job and other types of work.
- Have lasted or may last for a minimum of one year or cause death.
If your condition does not meet these restrictions, you might not quality for SSDI. However, you may seek other types of assistance, such as worker’s compensation or insurance.
Additional requirements and exemptions
Additionally, you must meet the minimum work credits set by the SSA. The amount is based on your annual income, allowing you to get up to four credits per year. In general, you may need to earn 40 credits. However, this can change depending on your age and when you got your disability.
Also, special situations can qualify you for SSDI without meeting all the requirements, such as blindness or low vision. Exceptions can also apply to surviving spouses and children with disabilities. Once you have determined your eligibility, you can take the necessary steps to expedite your application.
