Do I Qualify for Social Security Disability?
The first sign that you may qualify for Social Security Disability benefits is that your health problems have gotten to the point that you can’t keep up at work anymore.
Social Security Disability benefits are designed to help you when health problems make it impossible to work and support yourself.
But qualifying for disability benefits isn’t as easy as it should be. Just reporting your situation to Social Security usually isn’t enough. Even when you think your medical condition and your inability to work are obvious, Social Security needs the right kind of proof.
These are some of the first questions you can ask to determine if you qualify for Social Security Disability:
- Can I get medical records from my treatment that show how severe my health problems are?
- Do I have to stop working completely, or can I still work some amount or in a different role?
- Can I explain how my symptoms block me from doing the specific tasks of my job?
- Am I more limited in my everyday life, less able to do things like running errands and taking care of things around the house?
- Have I worked several years and paid Social Security taxes? (This applies to Social Security Disability Insurance, SSDI, in particular.)
- Even if I can’t do the job I am doing now, is there other work I could still do?
Your answers to these questions are very important. The Social Security Administration (SSA) finds all kinds of reasons to deny applications. As many as four out of five initial applications are likely to be rejected.
It’s important to know how you can show that your health problems meet the SSA’s standards and definition of disability.
Nash Disability Law has helped thousands of people like you. If you need the financial lifeline that Social Security Disability provides, our Chicago disability lawyers can help you start by first assessing if your health conditions are eligible.
WE’VE HELPED MORE PEOPLE IN THE CHICAGO AREA WIN BENEFITS THAN ANY OTHER LAW FIRM.
What Are the Main Social Security Disability Qualifications?
Even if you have a medical condition or conditions that make it difficult to work and support yourself, you may not necessarily meet the Social Security Administration’s definition of having a disability.
To receive benefits, you must meet these eligibility rules:
- You have severe, medically confirmable health problems.
- Your health problems prevent you from working in your current job.
- You aren’t able to switch to another line of work.
- Your medical conditions will prevent you from working for 12 months or more.
If you do not meet all of these criteria, you won’t qualify for Social Security Disability benefits.
You need to show the SSA this is more than a temporary setback and that your health issues are going to keep you from working in a significant capacity for a long time.
On the 12-month rule, however, you should know you don’t have to miss 12 months of work first before you can get disability benefits. You just need medical evidence making it clear that your work-stopping health problems certainly will last a full year.
Social Security is strict about the kinds of work you’re able to do. If you had to leave a physically strenuous job because of your health problems, for example, they will look to see if your background and training might allow you to do sit-down, desk or office work.
Proving that your health condition is this debilitating is difficult, which is why it’s a good idea to talk to a Chicago disability attorney if you think you qualify for benefits.
A disability attorney can tell you more about how the SSA evaluates Social Security Disability benefit claims and help you build your case.
You pay no attorney fee until you win benefits.
What Different Types of Social Security Disability Benefits Could I Qualify For?
Social Security runs different types of disability benefits you could qualify for.
The first is Social Security Disability Insurance (SSDI). This is for people who have been working and paying into Social Security for years. You must have a qualifying work history and record of paying Social Security taxes recently.
If you get knocked out of the workforce because of an illness or medical issue, SSDI is supposed to be there to help you pay your bills.
Supplemental Security Income (SSI) is another disability benefit that doesn’t require the recipient to have much of a recent work history. Even if you never worked, you could receive SSI if a disability prevents you from working and supporting yourself.
SSI recipients also have to meet strict requirements concerning the amount of assets they hold and financial resources at their disposal.
Each of these programs also has variations for different people. Adult children of people who are deceased or receive Social Security could qualify for Disabled Adult Child benefits if their health impairments started before age 22 and they were never able to work much themselves.
SSI has a version for children with disabilities whose families meet the SSI financial requirements.
If you are applying for either kind of benefit, you must show that you cannot engage in “substantial gainful activity,” or SGA, which is how Social Security defines the amount of work it allows before it considers you ineligible for disability benefits.
The SGA number for allowed monthly wages changes over time with cost-of-living adjustments. If you can work and make more than the limit, you generally aren’t going to qualify for SSI or SSDI.
Find out more about your eligibility for Social Security Disability in a FREE consultation.
Qualifying for Social Security Disability FAQs
How do I qualify for Social Security Disability benefits?
To qualify for Social Security Disability, you must have a severe health problem, you must be unable to work due to your health, and your inability to work must have lasted a year, or looks like it clearly will. You can’t simply self-report that you meet the qualifications for disability benefits. You must provide evidence from independent sources like doctors, therapists, supervisors, friends, family, and others who know your situation.
Do I Qualify for SSDI?
To qualify for Social Security Disability Insurance (SSDI) benefits, you must have an eligible impairment plus a substantial recent record of working and paying Social Security taxes. SSDI is for workers whose working years are cut short by medical conditions.
Do I Qualify for SSI?
To qualify for Supplemental Security Income (SSI), you must have an eligible impairment and limited financial resources. Your savings, investments or property other than your primary residence cannot exceed strict limits. People who haven’t worked much or in a long time can qualify for SSI if their resources are low enough and their health problems are severe.
What medical conditions qualify for Social Security Disability?
Any health problem that prevents you from working can qualify for disability benefits. Social Security maintains a list of dozens of medical conditions that can qualify, but having a diagnosis on the list doesn’t guarantee you’ll be approved for benefits. And lacking an illness on the list doesn’t mean you’ll be denied. Your individual symptoms and how they interfere with the tasks you need for work determine if you qualify for benefits.
How is my impairment rated for Social Security Disability?
Social Security judges your medical condition for disability benefits using a measure called your “residual functional capacity,” or RFC. Your RFC is a rating of the basic physical and mental activities you can do even with your health problems—things like standing, walking, lifting, carrying, remembering information, and concentrating on tasks. Your disability lawyer can help you figure out what evidence you need to prove the RFC needed to win your case. This may include specific information from your doctor that is often not contained in medical records.
What age do I need to be for Social Security Disability?
Anyone of adult age can get Social Security Disability, but your age affects your chances of approval. Younger adult workers may find it harder to win benefits because Social Security applies a higher standard for the severity of your health impairments. At a young age, they may decide you could switch to less strenuous work and continue working despite your health problems. To qualify for benefits, your health limitations must make all forms of work impossible. If you’re over 50 or over 55, Social Security could conclude you’re unlikely to switch to new kinds of work, so they’ll still award benefits that they might not to a younger person.
Can children qualify for Social Security Disability benefits?
Families of children 18 or under with disabilities can seek financial assistance from SSI for children. Your child’s impairments must leave them unable to function the same way as other children their age. Your family must meet the financial requirements for SSI, which means you have extremely limited financial resources. There is also a form of SSDI benefits for adult children of people with qualifying Social Security records. To qualify, the individual must be unable to work because of disabilities that started before age 22.
Can I qualify for Social Security Disability if I’m working?
You can only work a small amount and still qualify for Social Security Disability. The goal of disability benefits is helping people who can’t work. Work that amounts to what Social Security calls “substantial gainful activity (SGA)” will disqualify you from benefits. Social Security sets a monthly income limit to decide what counts as SGA. The exact number typically changes every year with inflation. But even if you work few hours and earn under SGA, you have to be careful about working while applying for Social Security Disability. Social Security could view your work activity as a sign you could work more.
Can I get health care coverage with Social Security Disability?
With approval for Social Security Disability benefits, you qualify for government-provided health care plans. SSDI gets you into Medicare even when you’re not the usual retirement age. There is a waiting period to get Medicare after your disability benefits are approved, but when you’re finally covered by Medicare, it can be life changing. With SSI benefits, you qualify for Medicaid health coverage.
How much payment do I qualify for from Social Security Disability?
Your monthly SSDI checks are calculated using your past earnings. Because of that, the amount varies for everyone. Social Security estimated the national average SSDI payment to be about $1,630 per month in 2026. Your number could be lower or higher. For SSI, the federal government sets a uniform amount every year. It set $994 a month as the SSI rate for an individual in 2026. Your SSI amount can be reduced by other benefits you receive. Talk to the Chicago disability lawyers at Nash Disability Law to pursue the financial relief you need for a more secure life after health problems.
