Social Security Disability Benefits

Excerpt from Social Security Administration  (SSA) publication, EN-05-10029 "Disability Benefits":

Social Security pay disability benefits through two programs:
the Social Security disability insurance program and
the Supplemental Security Income (SSI) program.
Social Security pays benefits to people who cannot work
because they have a medical condition that is expected
to last at least one year or result in death. Federal law
requires this very strict definition of disability. While some
programs give money to people with partial disability or
short-term disability, Social Security does not.
In general, to get disability benefits, you must meet two
different earnings tests:
1. A “recent work” test based on your age at the time you
became disabled; and
2. A “duration of work” test to show that you worked long
enough under Social Security.

In the quarter you turn age
31 or later

Work during five years out of the 10-
year period ending with the quarter
your disability began.

to meet the “duration of work test” if you become
disabled at various selected ages:

Examples of work needed for the “duration of work” test
If you become disabled...
Age 48
Then you generally need:
7 years

The SSA use a five-step process to decide if you are disabled.

in Step 5: Can you do any other type of work?
If you cannot do the work you did in the past, the state
agency looks to see if you would be able to do other work.
It evaluates your medical condition, your age, education,
past work experience and any skills you may have that
could be used to do other work. If you cannot do other
work, the state agency will decide that you are disabled. If
you can do other work, the state agency will decide that
you are not disabled.