• You’re 62 or older. There is no need to prove disability.
• You’ve worked and paid Social Security taxes for 10 years or more.
• The amount of benefits depends on your earnings history and the age at which you start collecting benefits.
• The longer you delay taking benefits until you reach full retirement age, currently 66 years and 10 months, your benefit amount will increase.
• At age 65, you will automatically receive Medicare Health Insurance.

• Are between the ages of 18 and 65. The SSA is generally more favorable to disabled applicants over 50.
• “The duration of work test”. You must have a significant work history and have paid Social Security taxes through which you have earned the required amount of work credits. The younger you are, the fewer years you need to have worked. No one needs more than 10 years of work to be eligible.
• “The Recent Work Test” You must have worked recently enough that your work credits are current and have not expired. If you have not worked recently enough, Social Security will deny your claim.
• Additionally, you must meet the SSA’s definition of disability, meaning you have a medical condition expected to last at least one year or result in death, which prevents you from engaging in substantial gainful activity (known as SGA).
• Have a medical condition that meets Social Security’s definition of total disability. No benefits are payable for partial disability or short-term disability.

  How much can I get?

• Not everyone gets the same amount. The amount you get will depend on how long you worked and the amount of your earnings over that time. For those with higher earnings, your SSD benefits will be more.
• There is a 5-month waiting period. Generally, payments are paid in the sixth full month after the “date of onset” (date the disability began), but no more than 12 months before application.
• Monthly benefits are deposited directly into your bank account or on an SSA Direct Express Card.
• If you are receiving SSDI benefits when you reach full retirement age, your disability benefits automatically convert to retirement benefits, and the amount remains the same.
• If you receive other government benefits, such as Workers’ Compensation, public disability benefits, it may reduce the amount of Social Security benefits payable to you.

  Do I get Health Insurance?

• You are automatically enrolled in Medicare (Parts A Hospital Insurance and Part B Medical Insurance) 2 years after you begin receiving disability benefits.

• Unlike SSDI, SSI does not require any work history. Eligibility is based on financial, legal, and disability status. It is the appropriate benefit for those who have never worked or worked in the past but have not earned the required work credits.
• Must be a US Citizen. Green card holders can only get SSI benefits if they worked and earned sufficient work credits.
• If you are 65 or older, blind, or disabled, you do not need to prove.
• People younger than 65 must have a disability that meets the SSA’s criteria.
• SSI is a needs-based program for those with little or no income and assets. To qualify, applicants must meet strict income and resource limits. To be eligible for SSI, your resources cannot be worth more than $2,000 for a single person or $3,000 for a married couple living together.

How much can I get?

• Benefits begin one month after the. application filing date
• The amount of your monthly benefit is based on your income and resources. For 2025, the maximum monthly SSI payment is $967 for an individual and $1,450 for a couple. Your amount may be lower if you have other income and depending on your living situation.

Do I get Health Insurance?

• SSI recipients are enrolled in Medicaid.

• If you return to work, you must report this to SSA.
• SSDB: You can work and collect your full SSDB check if you stay under substantial gainful activity, which, as of 2025, is $1,620 per month.
• SSA allows a 9-month Trial Work Period. During the 9 months, you can test your ability to work and still get your full disability payment, regardless of how much you’re earning. In 2025, a trial work month is any month in which your total earnings are over $1,160.
• After the 9-month work trial, there’s a 36-month period called an Extended Period of Disability (EPE), where you can continue to collect your SSDB check only if your monthly earnings are less than SGA.
• After the EPE period, your benefit will typically end if you continue working.

• The amount of SSI payments is based on how much other income you have. When your other income goes up, your SSI payments usually go down.
• If your earnings exceed the SSI income limit, your SSI could be terminated right away. This limit is different in every state.

• After you qualify for SSDB benefits, you are not guaranteed to receive them for the rest of your life. The SSA performs periodic evaluations to assess whether you still meet the medical criteria to be considered disabled and continue receiving those benefits. These are known as continuing disability reviews or CDRs. They generally take place every three, five, or seven years.
• When your claim is being reviewed, SSA will send you forms to complete and request new or updated medical evidence over the past 12 months.
• SSA may decide to terminate your benefits if it finds that your condition has improved to the point that you are capable of working. It may also terminate your benefits if you fail to cooperate with the review process.
• If they decide to terminate your benefits, you can appeal the decision by requesting a Reconsideration of Continuing Disability Review at a hearing before a disability hearing officer (DHO).