1. Work Credit Requirements

To qualify for SSDI, you must have worked long enough and recently enough under Social Security. The rules include:

• Work credits: You need sufficient work credits, typically 40 credits, with 20 earned in the last 10 years before becoming disabled.
• Younger workers may qualify with fewer credits based on age.

In 2025, one work credit is earned for each $1,730 in wages, up to four credits per year.

2. Disability Definition

Under SSDI rules:

• Your condition must prevent you from engaging in substantial gainful activity (SGA).
• For 2025, SGA is defined as earning more than $1,470 per month (or $2,460 for blind individuals).
• Your disability must have lasted or be expected to last at least 12 months or result in death.

3. Medical Eligibility Rules

SSA evaluates your disability based on:

• Whether it meets or equals a condition in the Listing of Impairments (Blue Book)
• The severity of your condition and its impact on work abilities
• Your Residual Functional Capacity (RFC), which assesses your ability to perform work-related activities despite limitations

4. Five-Step Disability Evaluation Process

SSA uses a five-step sequential evaluation to decide your claim:

• Step 1: Are you engaging in SGA?
• Step 2: Is your condition severe?
• Step 3: Does it meet or equal a listed impairment?
• Step 4: Can you perform past relevant work?
• Step 5: Can you adjust to other work considering your age, education, and work experience?

If you fail any of these steps (except Step 3), your claim will likely be denied.

5. Continuing Disability Reviews

Once approved, your case is subject to Continuing Disability Reviews (CDRs) to determine if you still qualify. Reviews typically occur:

• Every 3 years if improvement is expected
• Every 5-7 years if improvement is not expected

6. SSDI Benefit Payments

• Payments are based on your lifetime average earnings covered by Social Security.
• There is a five-month waiting period after your disability onset date before benefits begin.

7. Working While Receiving SSDI (Trial Work Period)

SSDI recipients can test their ability to work through the Trial Work Period (TWP):



• You can work for up to 9 months (not necessarily consecutive) while still receiving full benefits if you earn over $1,110 per month in 2025.
• After TWP, the Extended Period of Eligibility (EPE) allows benefits to continue for months when your earnings are below SGA.