To qualify for Social Security disability benefits, you must first have worked in jobs covered by Social Security. Then you must have a medical condition that meets Social Security's definition of disability. In general, we pay monthly benefits to people who are unable to work for a year or more because of a disability. Benefits usually continue until you are able to work again on a regular basis. There are also a number of special rules, called "work incentives," that provide continued benefits and health care coverage to help you make the transition back to work.
If you are receiving Social Security disability benefits when you reach full retirement age , your disability benefits automatically convert to retirement benefits, but the amount remains the same.
In addition to meeting our definition of disability , you must have worked long enough β and recently enough β under Social Security to qualify for disability benefits. Social Security work credits are based on your total yearly wages or self-employment income. You can earn up to four credits each year. The amount needed for a work credit changes from year to year. The number of work credits you need to qualify for disability benefits depends on your age when you become disabled.
Generally, you need 40 credits, 20 of which were earned in the last 10 years ending with the year you become disabled. However, younger workers may qualify with fewer credits. For more information on whether you qualify, refer to How You Earn Credits. The definition of disability under Social Security is different than other programs. Social Security pays only for total disability.
No benefits are payable for partial disability or for short-term disability. This is a strict definition of disability. Social Security program rules assume that working families have access to other resources to provide support during periods of short-term disabilities, including workers' compensation, insurance, savings, and investments. If you have enough work to qualify for disability benefits, we use a step-by-step process involving five questions to determine if you are disabled.
