Things to Think About Before Applying for Disability Benefits
Reading Time: 2 MinutesLast Updated: November 2, 2023
Social Security is with you throughout life’s journey. We provide vital financial support to tens of millions of American workers, primarily through retirement benefits. But we’re also there for you if the unexpected happens and a serious medical condition stops you from working to support yourself and your family.
Disability benefits replace a portion of your income
If you become seriously disabled, you may qualify for Social Security disability benefits that replace a portion of your lost income. Here are the three key factors we use to determine if you may qualify for disability benefits:
- You must have a lasting medical condition so severe that it prevents you from doing the work that you did in the past or adjusting to other types of work.
- Your physical or mental impairment(s) must have lasted or be expected to last at least a year or result in death.
- You must have worked long enough — and recently enough — in jobs covered by Social Security.
What you should know about earning credits
You become eligible for Social Security benefits by working and paying Federal Insurance Contribution Act taxes, which translate into Social Security “credits.” A person can earn up to four credits a year. How old you are when you become disabled determines the number of credits you need to receive disability benefits.
For example, if you become disabled at age 31 or older, you generally must have earned at least 20 credits in the 10 years immediately before you became disabled. Twenty credits are equal to five years of substantial earnings. Younger workers may qualify with fewer credits.
Please log in to or create your personal my Social Security account to see how many credits you have earned and to estimate future benefits. Visit our Social Security Credits webpage to learn more about credits.
What if I don’t have enough credits
Those who have not worked enough to qualify for Social Security benefits may be eligible for help through our Supplemental Security Income (SSI) program. SSI provides monthly payments to adults and children with a disability or blindness, as well as older people, who have little or no income or resources. Unlike Social Security disability benefits, SSI is funded with general tax revenue, not through Social Security taxes. Learn more on our SSI webpage.
Social Security helps you and millions of other Americans secure today and tomorrow by providing important financial benefits, information, and planning tools. Learn more by visiting our website. Please share this information with your family and friends – and post it on social media.
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Tags: Disability, my Social Security, my Social Security account, SSI
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Darlynda Bogle, Assistant Deputy Commissioner
Darlynda Bogle, Assistant Deputy Commissioner
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Amayl M.
Hi, Social Security of your Messaging, thank and appreciate to you.
Michael A.
I am age 63 and applied for Social Security disability and yet to receive any reply on my application.
V.V.
Hi Michael, thank you for using our blog. You can log in to or create a my Social Security account to check the status of your application online.
If you are unable to check your status online, you can call us at 1-800-772-1213 (TTY 1-800-325-0778) or your local Social Security office. Please look for the general inquiry telephone number at the Social Security Office Locator. The number may appear under Show Additional Office Information. Please be aware that our call wait times are longer than normal. We hope this information helps.
Kate T.
This is some bullshit.
PCE
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Andre C.
If I have an amputation to my foot and I haven’t been able to work for the last six months can I apply for disability.
V.V.
Hi Andre. We pay disability benefits through two programs: the Social Security Disability Insurance program (SSDI) and the Supplemental Security Income (SSI) program. To qualify for SSDI benefits, you must have worked long enough and recently enough in jobs covered by Social Security (usually within the last 10 years). The (SSI) program is a needs based program that gives cash assistance to disabled individuals with limited income and resources. We pay disability benefits to people who are unable to work because of a medical condition that is expected to last one year or more or to end in death. If you think you may be eligible to receive disability benefits and would like to apply, you can use our online application.
If you are unable to file online, please call us at 1-800-772-1213 (TTY 1-800-325-0778) for assistance or you can contact your local Social Security office. Please look for the general inquiry telephone number at the Social Security Office Locator. The number may appear under Show Additional Office Information. Please be aware that our call wait times are longer than normal.
For more information visit our “Frequently Asked Questions” web page on disability. Thanks!
Olive b.
If I have been on pip for 5 years and it’s due to stop what will happen
V.V.
Hi Olive. For your security, we do not have access to private information in this venue. We ask that members in our Blog community work with our offices with specific questions. You can call us at 1-800-772-1213 for assistance or you can contact your local Social Security office. Please look for the general inquiry telephone number at the Social Security Office Locator. The number may appear under Show Additional Office Information. Please be aware that our call wait times are longer than normal. We hope this information helps.
Kathleen C.
I’ve been trying to get disabilty for over 3 years,t,hey deny me. Said I can work. I can’t bend anymore,standing more then 5 minutes locks my hip, can’t go upstairs to my bedroom. Have a bed downstairs in the livingroom. I have degenarite arthritis hips. Plus I have a heart condition. Is there any way I can get help? Three months ago I sent back an appeal and haven’t heard back.
V.V.
Hi Kathleen, thank you for using our blog. You can log in to or create a my Social Security account to check the status of your application online.
If you are unable to check your status online, you can call us at 1-800-772-1213 (TTY 1-800-325-0778) or your local Social Security office. Please look for the general inquiry telephone number at the Social Security Office Locator. The number may appear under Show Additional Office Information. Please be aware that our call wait times are longer than normal. We hope this information helps.
Shirley M.
My husband has been on SSDI for a while.The past four yrs. I have been taking care of him for the rest of his health issues of being alone. I considered this work I did so tired of all the not put him in a nursing facility, one cuz he refused and still had his mental faculties , two I believe I could take care of him better here. He passed away Sept 2019 I am trying for widow survivors benefits cuz of Love I am financially burdened. I am
Jeffrey L.
I applied for dissability almost 5 yr’s ago,i have worked hard in the concrete trade for over 40yr’s,My body just refused to work like it did as soon as 10 yr’s ago,because i tried to keep working for 3 or so yr’s ,even tho it was killing me.i was refused dissability because i hadn’t worked 5 of the last 10 yr’s, I tried not to be a burden to the social security dept,which is why i hung on to working for as long as i possibly could,but 4 yr’s ago i was denied ssdi because of the 5 out of 10 yr policy,By trying to do the right thing and not applying for ssdi until there was no possible way i could do anything work wisenow i am suffering dearly.I make $305 dollar’s a month on ssi,i am swampted in debt,im a moment’s notice away from being homeless,just because i tried to not have to sign up for dissability,I believe the 5 out of 10 past working yr’s should apply to people of good health,but there should be exception’s for people like me who try to keep working even tho it causes us horrific pain,just so we don’t have to apply for dissability pay.
Ann
I completely understand your situation. I have not filed for ssd/ssi yet but have been sick for approx. 10 yrs, it took about 4yrs to figure out what was wrong. Autoimmune deficiency, degenerative disc disease in back & neck- it’s bone on bone w/shards causing severe nerve pain & inflammation causing narrowing in my spinal canal which causes neurological issues. There’s a few other issues/diagnosis on that list but prior to the autoimmune stuff I had already been considered partially disabled due to a car accident 26yrs ago. I’ve worked my butt off my entire life, often had 2-3 jobs at one time and majority of my jobs have been extremely physically & mentally demanding & stressful. I pushed through the pain and continued working so I could provide for my son & so I could have income to pay for insurance & meds. I hated the idea of not working, relying on someone else & really hated the thought of becoming a burden to the government & those in my life. Plus hated not knowing how I’d survive and care for my son if I stopped working, knowing the horror stories behind applying for ssd/ssi and what a lengthy process it can be. It took doc after doc appt, clinic after clinic & ER after ER, test after test and approx 30K in medical bills before they figured it out plus the continued “maintenance” costs. Even with insurance the copays for specialist, the meds & time off work caught up to me and I simply couldn’t stay afloat. Then I was let go from my job of 6yrs. I’ve attempted to work other places in the last 5yrs since I lost that job but have not been able to stay for any length of time. And until recent income changes for medicaid, if I worked I’d lose medicaid coverage. Without meds I can barely get out of bed let alone work. Each job I’ve had since all this was informed by me at interviews that I have health problems & typically miss 2-3 days a month of work, all of them said “no problem, we can work with you”. Every one of them let me go on 2nd-3rd time of missing work. I live in small town where there’s minimal decent employment especially anything that’s full time, has benefits or pays decent. It became so stressful wondering how long I’d be able to keep a job, having to constantly look for a job & trying to abide rules for the work program so I could continue receiving food assistance and the insurance/medicaid. All that stress was only making me sicker & cause the disease to progress. I finally decided I couldn’t continue on that roller coaster so I stopped attempting to find work. I’ve gotten by from small side jobs for people but it’s only been enough to keep my son fed & clothed (barely & not w/o help from others). Thankfully my family has had my back & supported me, given my son & I a place to live and even ensured we’ve been able to enjoy life a little (camping, a movie etc.) I finally gave in & decided to file so I contacted disability attorney, but couldn’t file because I didn’t have current history w/specialist and at that rime had worked to recently. Took forever to get into specialist then when I finally did get in for appt, covid19 caused delay of several months to get any further testing or follow up appt. The entire situation is SO FRUSTRATING as I’m sure you know all to well! This country needs a program for people like us that are stuck in the middle, people that want to work but aren’t/can’t be reliable/dependable enough for stable employment. The years of this stressful roller coaster has taken it’s tole on me not just physically making my symptoms flare up but also mentally. It’s awful being in constant pain, surviving these things day after day with little hope of a better way & dealing with the situational depression. I hope by using an attorney to file that the process will be faster, slightly less stressful & give me a small piece of my life back. Good luck to you!
Kenya
Wow. I’m in a similar situation or combination of other stories. Stick with the attorney you have and keep appealing if you dont get the ssi/SSI. Keep at it.
I have an attorney as well and they saying because of this Covid19 it will be delayed dr visits, test, etc etc etc. Meanwhile, my symptoms are getting worse, my stress is getting worse and soon I will have no insurance at all. A matter of weeks. But you have to keep going. I’m also a caregiver. So yeah. Hang on there with me. We can do it.!
Jim D.
The last thing you should fret a bout is being a burden to the govt! People have no idea how much of a burden the gov’t is on us! Sounds like you have a legitimate need yet the gov’t who steals from us every day and squanders our hard earned $$ makes it nearly impossible for you to get help. They will pay for your Dr visits once you apply for ssdi but they typically use Drs that find in their favor. Good luck, hope it works for you. Lots of us had to wait 3 years to get approved after a couple of refusals.
My N.
I want to know if my daughter applies for Disability Insurance and SSI and SS denies her disability claim will she lose her Medicare Coverage if she is denied.
The application that I have from Social Security for her states that if Social Security denies her claim for Disability within 6 months she will lose her Medicare.
Nikki
Unfortunately, yes. If she is denied SS disability then she will lose her Medicare Coverage. But, she should be able to get Medicaid from her state; assuming she doesn’t already.