1. Work Credit Requirements

To qualify for SSDI, you must have worked long enough and recently enough under Social Security-covered employment to earn sufficient work credits.

• How work credits are earned:
• In 2025, you earn one credit for every $1,730 in wages or self-employment income, up to four credits per year
• General rule:
• Most applicants need 40 work credits, with 20 earned in the last 10 years before becoming disabled
• Younger workers:
• Fewer credits may be needed if you become disabled at a younger age (for example, individuals disabled before age 24 may qualify with as little as 6 credits earned in the 3 years before disability onset)

2. Medical Disability Requirements

In addition to work credits, you must meet the Social Security Administration’s definition of disability, which includes:

• Severe medical condition:
  Your condition must be severe enough to significantly limit your ability to perform basic work-related activities, such as lifting, standing, sitting, or remembering.
• Long duration:
  The disability must have lasted or be expected to last at least 12 consecutive months or result in death.
• Inability to engage in substantial gainful activity (SGA):
  You cannot earn above a certain income threshold due to your condition. In 2025, SGA is $1,550 per month for non-blind individuals and $2,590 for blind individuals.

3. Meeting or Equaling a Listed Impairment

The SSA maintains a Listing of Impairments (Blue Book) that includes medical conditions considered severe enough to qualify for benefits automatically if your documented symptoms and limitations meet the listed criteria.

• Examples include:
• Certain cancers
• Severe musculoskeletal disorders
• Debilitating cardiovascular diseases
• Neurological conditions like epilepsy or multiple sclerosis
• Severe mental health disorders such as schizophrenia or bipolar disorder

If your condition is not listed, you can still qualify by proving that it limits your functional capacity to the extent that you cannot perform any work in the national economy based on your age, education, and work experience.

4. Inability to Perform Past Work or Other Work

The SSA evaluates your Residual Functional Capacity (RFC) to determine:

• Whether you can perform any of your previous jobs
• Whether you can adjust to other types of work considering your limitations, age, and vocational background

Applicants over age 50 often have a higher likelihood of approval under grid rules that consider age and transferable skills.

5. Residency and Citizenship Requirements

• You must be a U.S. citizen or lawful permanent resident
• You must live in the United States or its territories (Rhode Island residents qualify as it is a U.S. state)