SSDI Guidelines

You must have worked and paid into the program – with mandatory payroll taxes – for five of the last 10 years to qualify for Security Disability Insurance (SSDI) benefits. You also must have been disabled before reaching your full retirement age (65-67), and must meet Social Security's definition of disability.

Social Security uses a five-step process to determine if you qualify for SSDI benefits:

1. Determine if you’re "working (engaging in substantial gainful activity)" based on the SSA definition. Earning more than $1,000 a month as an employee disqualifies you from receiving Social Security disability benefits.


2. Conclude the disability must be severe enough to significantly limit your ability to perform basic work activities needed to do most jobs, such as:
   • Walking, standing, sitting, lifting, pushing, pulling, reaching, carrying or handling
   • Seeing, hearing and speaking
   • Understanding/carrying out and remembering simple instructions
   • Responding appropriately to supervision, co-workers and usual work situations
   • Dealing with changes in a routine work setting


3. Establish if the disability meets or equals a medical listing.


4. Discover your ability to perform work you’ve done in the past despite your disability. If the SSA decides that you can do your past work, disability benefits are denied. If you cannot, then the process proceeds to the final step.


5. Examine age, education, work experience and physical/mental condition to determine what other work, if any, you can perform. The SSA uses medical-vocational rules, which vary according to age.

We can help you prepare for your SSDI evaluation.

Check out additional information on Social Security disability guidelines on the SSA’s website.

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Complete our FREE and easy Social Security disability benefits evaluation now to determine if you qualify for SSDI.

A recent report by the federal government indicated that people submitting an initial SSDI application might benefit from using a third-party disabilityrepresentative.