Social Security Disability Insurance (SSDI) can bring some material support to people who have a severe, long-term disability that limits their working capacity and who have earned enough work credits through paying taxes.

There’s a lot to know about who’s eligible, how to apply, and how it all works — and this guide provides an overview to help answer those questions.

What is the difference between SSI and SSDI?

Supplemental Security Income (SSI) is a monthly payment issued to help meet the basic needs of older adults and people with disabilities (regardless of age). Recipients must be able to prove that they have limited income and few financial resources. 

Social Security Disability Insurance (SSDI), on the other hand, does not require low income, but it has strict requirements of having enough employment history to qualify, as well as a significantly reduced working capacity due to the applicant’s disability. 

It is also important to note that SSDI is only available to U.S. citizens and immigrants who have legal work authorization and have contributed to Social Security, such as green card holders, refugees and people who have been granted asylum.

How do I qualify to receive SSDI?

To qualify for SSDI, an applicant must be blind, have a disability that affects their ability to work for a year or more, or have a disability that will result in death. You must also have a certain number of Social Security work credits — how many credits you need for disability benefits depends on how old you are when your disability began — and generally, half of those credits must have been earned in the past 10 years. (Note: Applicants under age 24 may be accepted with less than five years of documented work history.) To earn the maximum of four credits per year, you must have an annual income of at least $7,560.

Read more about age-to-credit ratios and how to earn work credits, here.

Qualifying disabilities are separated into fourteen categories. The severity of one’s condition is evaluated based on the applicant’s submitted reports from medical specialists, as well as non-medical sources like employers who can describe how the impairment affects the applicant’s ability to perform tasks. Disabilities commonly approved for SSD monetary support include:

  1. Musculoskeletal Disorders: Back injuries, arthritis, degenerative disc disease, severe joint dysfunction
  2. Special Senses and Speech: Vision loss, hearing loss, loss of speech
  3. Respiratory Disorders: Chronic Obstructive Pulmonary Disease (COPD), asthma, cystic fibrosis
  4. Cardiovascular System: Heart failure, coronary artery disease, arrhythmia
  5. Digestive System: Crohn’s disease, liver disease, Hepatitis C
  6. Genitourinary Disorders: Kidney disease, kidney failure
  7. Hematological Disorders: Anemia, hemophilia, lymphoma, leukemia
  8. Skin Disorders: Severe burns, ichthyosis, severe dermatitis
  9. Endocrine Disorders: Diabetes, thyroid gland disorders, pancreas disorders 
  10. Congenital Disorders: Down syndrome, Tay-Sachs, fragile X syndrome
  11. Neurological Disorders: Multiple sclerosis (MS), Parkinson’s, epilepsy, cerebral palsy, traumatic brain injury
  12. Mental Disorders: Depression, anxiety, schizophrenia, autism, bipolar disorder, PTSD
  13. Cancer (Malignant Neoplastic Diseases): All body system cancers
  14. Immune System Disorders: HIV/AIDS, lupus, rheumatoid arthritis, scleroderma

Do I have to be fully unemployed to receive SSDI?

No. If you have continued to work in spite of your disability, your condition must limit you from earning more than the Substantial Gainful Activity (SGA) amount set by the Social Security Administration. The amount of monthly earnings considered as SGA depends on the nature of a person’s disability — and they can change based on changes in the national average wage index. In 2026, for instance, the Social Security Administration set the SGA for an individual at $1,690 per month, or $2,830 for blind individuals. 

How can I apply for SSDI?

Prepare Documents: Gather medical records, contact information for your doctors and specialists, work history and personal information such as tax returns and identity documents. Here’s a checklist of documents to help you get started. 

File your application: You can submit your disability application online or you can file in person at a local field office, or by calling 1-800-772-1213. Online and in person filing are currently the preferred methods.

Field Office Review: Your local social security office must verify non-medical eligibility such as age, social security payment history and work history.

Disability Determination: The state’s Division of Disability Determinations will evaluate the severity of your disability and its impact on your working capacity.

Approval or Denial of Claim: The Social Security Administration will send a written notice of whether your application was approved or denied. If you are denied —which is common due to the extensive nature of the evaluation — you can appeal that decision.

Is it possible for my family to receive SSDI benefits?

Possibly. Certain family members, like the spouse or child of the person receiving SSDI, can also apply for “family benefits” in the form of monthly payments up to half the amount of the SSDI recipient’s benefits. The family benefit payment is also limited by that family member’s income — and you can calculate an estimate here. 

Eligibility requirements for family members include:

  • The current spouse of the SSDI recipient, who has been married to them for at least one year and is 62 years old or older.
  • If under 62 years old and married for one year, the spouse must be caring for a child of any age with a disability, or caring for a child without a disability who is under 16 years old.
  • Unmarried children of the SSDI recipient may also be eligible under certain conditions.
  • Ex-spouses who were married to the SSDI recipient for ten years or more, stepchildren and grandchildren of the SSDI recipient may also apply for benefits and be approved on a case by case basis. 

Pro tip: If you think you may be eligible for SSDI, it is best to apply and let the Social Security Administration confirm or deny eligibility.

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