WHO QUALIFIES FOR SSDI

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SSDI Is a federal program administered by the Social Security Administration. Social Security benefits sometimes make up the bulk of a person's income.

Social Security Disability Insurance (SSDI)  provides payments to workers with disabilities who've paid into the Social Security trust fund through FICA taxes (or self-employment taxes) over the years. When you pay into the Social Security program, you're essentially buying long-term disability insurance coverage. Once you've paid into the program for a specified period, you could be eligible for benefits if you have to stop working due to a disability. (SSDI payments are usually higher than payments from Supplemental Security Income, a need-based program for low-income elderly, disabled, and blind people.)

The SSDI program has specific requirements, based on age, for the number of years you need to have worked and how recently you need to have worked to qualify for SSDI. Learn about these eligibility requirements, how Social Security makes disability determinations, and how to file for disability benefits. 

 No matter how old you are, if you have a medical disability that prevents you from working, you might be able to claim benefits from the Social Security Administration (SSA). There are two benefit programs you can apply for, SSDI or SSI. Supplemental Security Income (SSI) is available to disabled or elderly people whose incomes and assets are very low. Social Security Disability Insurance (SSDI) is only available to disabled people who've worked for a certain number of years. This article is about SSDI qualifications and benefits 

SSDI is part of the United States' Social Security program, which is officially known as the "Old Age, Survivors and Disability Insurance Program," or OASDI. SSDI benefits are for people who have to stop working before they reach retirement age. The amount of your Social Security disability benefit is generally the same as your future Social Security retirement benefit—but collecting disability benefits before full retirement age won't lower your eventual retirement benefits.

If your SSDI application is approved, your Social Security disability benefits will include cash payments in an amount based on your personal earnings record. Average payments range from $1,300 to $1,800 a month (the average in 2026 is $1,630). Higher earners who paid more FICA taxes or self-employment taxes will get a larger benefit (the maximum in 2026 is $4,152).

Not all workers who pay Social Security taxes and who are eligible for Social Security retirement at age 62 are eligible for Social Security disability insurance benefits.

To be eligible for SSDI, you must not only be disabled, but you must also have built up sufficient "work credits" with Social Security. Exactly how many credits you'll need to be insured for SSDI depends on your age and the year you become disabled. You must also have worked at least some part of five of the last ten years before you become disabled. (We'll discuss who qualifies for Social Security disability in detail below.)

In addition, you shouldn't be working a substantial amount when you apply for benefits, or you won't be considered disabled enough to qualify for Social Security benefits. If you're still working, you can't earn more than the "substantial gainful activity" (SGA) limit. The SGA limit is $1,690 per month in 2026 for disabled applicants and $2,830 for blind or low vision applicants. Besides this limit on earnings, SSDI doesn't have an income limit for eligibility on money like interest income, income earned by your spouse, pensions, and gifts from family or friends.

Finally, you must be a U.S. citizen or a permanent resident, or fit into an exception, to be eligible for SSDI benefits. Briefly, veterans and active-duty members of the U.S. military can qualify if they aren't permanent residents, as can certain people who are lawfully present in the U.S. and meet certain other criteria