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Factors that affect eligibility include your work status and work history, medical evidence, and the severity of your condition.
If you are working and your earnings average more $1,550 each month, you will not be considered disabled by the SSA. This amount is adjusted annually. If you are not working, or your average monthly earnings do not exceed that amount, then your application will be considered for benefits.
In order to qualify for benefits, your condition must have lasted (or is expected to last) for at least 12 months and impact your ability to work.
The SSA maintains a List of Impairments in their ‘Blue Book,’ which outlines specific qualifying criteria for certain medical conditions. If your medical condition is not on the list or you do not meet all of the specific criteria in the Blue Book, then your condition will be reviewed to determine if it is severe enough to prevent you from working.
Your medical condition must prevent you from being able to do the work you did before. If not, you will not be eligible for benefits.
Your medical condition must prevent you from doing other work. Your medical condition, age, education, past work experience and skills are evaluated. If you can do other work, you will not qualify for benefits. If you are unable to do other work, you should consider filing an application for disability benefits.
You or a loved one may have a debilitating condition that affects your mental and/or physical health, and you may be wondering if you are eligible for disability benefits.
How do you know if your medical condition is considered a disability by the Social Security Administration (SSA)?
Being considered ‘disabled’ in terms of the SSA’s qualifications can be a complex process. There are many variables within the process and each case is different based on your personal situation. However, there are some rules and definitions that apply to all applications.
First and foremost, it’s important to know that the SSA’s definition of disability is strict, and involves multiple factors. To be considered disabled you must meet these conditions:
If you have answered yes to all of these questions, generally, the next step is to see if your condition meets or equals a listing in the SSA’s Blue Book, which is also called the Listing of Impairments.
There you will find a number of listings of conditions, in 14 different categories, ranging from the musculoskeletal system, respiratory disorders, cancer, mental disorders and more.
But, what happens if you do not see your condition listed? If your condition does not meet a listing, but you have symptoms similar to a listed condition, you may still be able to prove your disability.
In addition to ensuring your condition meets the SSA’s requirements for a disability, there are other non-medical factors that will need to be evaluated, including work history and income.
As Social Security Disability is funded by FICA taxes that employees pay, the SSA has rules regarding how many work credits a person needs to earn be eligible. A person can earn up to 4 work credits in a year.
Generally, if you become disabled before the age of 24 you will need 6 credits, or 1.5 years of work. If you became disabled at 50, you will need 28 work credits, or 7 years of work. However, this does not cover all situations and is only a guideline.
If you meet the work requirements, but you are currently working, you must not earn more than $1,550 a month to be considered disabled.
If you do not have enough work credits you may still be eligible for SSI.
Social Security looks at multiple factors when deciding if an applicant meets their definition of disability. These factors include your work history, medical records and compares this evidence with the disability guidebook which has a list of impairments that qualify for benefits.
The Social Security Administration's Blue Book, officially titled the "Disability Evaluation Under Social Security," is a comprehensive guide that details the medical criteria used to evaluate Social Security Disability Insurance (SSDI) and Supplemental Security Income (SSI) claims. It contains a list of impairments, both physical and mental, that are considered severe enough to prevent an individual from performing substantial gainful activity. The Blue Book is divided into two main sections: one for adult listings and another for child listings, outlining specific medical conditions and the required evidence needed to qualify for disability benefits. This guide is an essential resource for applicants, medical professionals, and legal representatives navigating the disability determination process. View the adult impairments in the table below.
| wdt_ID | wdt_created_by | wdt_created_at | wdt_last_edited_by | wdt_last_edited_at | Impairment | Details |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Musculoskeletal Disorders | Disorders of the skeletal spine resulting in compromise of a nerve root(s), Lumbar spinal stenosis resulting in the compromise of the cauda equina, Reconstructive surgery or surgical arthrodesis of a major weight-bearing joint, Abnormality of a major joint, Pathologic fractures, Amputation, Soft tissue injury or abnormality under continuing surgical management, Non-healing or complex fracture of the femur, tibia, pelvis, or one or more of the talocrural bones, Non-healing or complex fracture of an upper extremity | ||||
| 2 | Special Senses and Speech | Loss of central visual acuity, Contraction of the visual fields in the better eye, Loss of visual efficiency, Disturbance of labyrinthine-vestibular function, Loss of speech, Hearing loss not treated with cochlear implantation | ||||
| 3 | Respiratory Disorders | Chronic respiratory disorders, Asthma, Cystic Fibrosis, Bronchiectasis, Chronic pulmonary hypertension due to any cause, Lung transplant, Respiratory failure | ||||
| 4 | Cardiovascular System | Chronic heart failure, Ischemic heart disease, Recurrent arrhythmias, Symptomatic congenital heart disease, Heart transplant, Aneurysm of aorta or major branches, Chronic venous insufficiency, Peripheral arterial disease | ||||
| 5 | Digestive Disorders | Gastrointestinal hemorrhaging requiring three blood transfusions, Chronic liver disease (CLD), Inflammatory bowel disease (IBD), Intestinal failure, Weight loss due to any digestive disorder, Liver transplantation, Small intestine transplantation, Pancreas transplantation | ||||
| 6 | Genitourinary Disorders | Chronic kidney disease with chronic hemodialysis or peritoneal dialysis, Chronic kidney disease with kidney transplant, Chronic kidney dieease with impairment of kidney function, Nephrotic syndrome, Complications of chronic kidney disease | ||||
| 7 | Hematological Disorders | Hemolytic anemias including sickle cell disease, thalassemia, and their variants, Disorders of thrombosis and hemostasis, Disorders of bone marrow failure, Hematological disorders treated by bone marrow or stem cell transplantation, Repeated complications of hematological disorders | ||||
| 8 | Skin Disorders | Genetic photosensitivity disorders, Burns, Chronic conditions of the skin or mucous membranes | ||||
| 9 | Endocrine Disorders | Pituitary gland disorders, Thyroid gland disorders, Parathyroid gland disorders, Adrenal gland disorders, Diabetes mellitus and other pancreatic gland disorders, Hyperglycemia, Diabetic ketoacidosis (DKA), Chronic hyperglycemia, Hypoglycemia | ||||
| 10 | Congenital Disorders that Affect Multiple Body Systems | Non-mosaic Down syndrome (chromosome 21 trisomy or chromosome 21 translocation) | ||||
| 11 | Neurological Disorders | Epilepsy, Vascular insult to the brain, Benign brain tumors, Parkinsonian syndrome, Cerebral palsy, Spinal cord disorders, Amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS), Post-polio syndrome, Myasthenia gravis, Muscular dystrophy, Peripheral neuropathy, Neurodegenerative disorders of the central nervous system (such as, Huntington's disease, Friedreich's ataxia, and spinocerebellar degeneration), Traumatic brain injury, Coma or persistent vegetative state, Motor neuron disorders other than ALS | ||||
| 12 | Mental Disorders | Neurocognitive disorders, Schizophrenia spectrum and other psychotic disorders, Depressive, Bipolar and related disorders, Intellectual disorder, Anxiety and obsessive-compulsive disorders, Somatic symptom and related disorders, Personality and impulse-control disorders, Autism spectrum disorder, Neurodevelopmental disorders, Eating disorders, Trauma and stressor related disorders | ||||
| 13 | Cancer (Malignant Neoplastic Diseases) | Soft tissue cancers of the head and neck, Skin, Soft tissue sarcoma, Lymphoma, Leukemia, Multiple myeloma, Salivary glands, Thyroid gland, Breast, Skeletal system sarcoma, Maxilla, orbit or temporal fossa, Nervous system, LungsPleura or mediastinum, Esophagus or stomach, Small intestine, Large intestine, Liver or gallbladder, Pancreas, Kidneys, addrenal glands, or ureters carcinoma, Urinary bladder carcinoma, Cancers of the female genital tract carcinoma or sarcoma, Prostate gland carcinoma, Testicles, Penis, Cancer treated by bone marrow or stem cell transplantation, Malignant melanoma | ||||
| 14 | Immune System Disorders | Systemic lupus erythematosus, Systemic vasculitis, Systemic sclerosis (scleroderma), Polymyositis and dermatomyositis, Undifferentiated and mixed connective tissue disease, Immune deficiency disorders, excluding HIV infection, Inflammatory arthritis, Sjögren’s syndrome, Human immunodeficiency virus (HIV) infection |
Any physical and/or mental condition that limits an individual’s ability to work, perform activities of daily living or enjoy everyday activities. The Social Security Administration (SSA) lists conditions that qualify in the “Blue Book;” however, this list is not exhaustive. Consider consulting with a Social Security Disability attorney to discuss the particulars of your situation.
The Social Security Administration (SSA) will not consider you to be qualified for SSDI benefits unless your condition prevents you from working for a minimum of 12 months, or is considered to be terminal. The SSA does not pay benefits for partial disability, and in order to qualify, you must have worked long enough and recently enough to be insured for benefits. The SSA may terminate payments at any time if they believe you no longer qualify as disabled under their guidelines.
The Social Security Disability benefit amount you receive depends on your average indexed monthly earnings prior to becoming disabled. For 2024, the average monthly amount is $1,537, while the maximum amount you can receive is $3,822.
When it comes to SSI benefits, the maximum benefit in 2024 is $943 for an individual and $1,415 for a family. In addition, some states, including Michigan, pay a supplement to people who are receiving SSI benefits. The maximum benefit is adjusted annually to reflect that year’s Cost-of-Living Adjustment (COLA).
For more information, read our latest Disability Report.
SSI is available to children and adults who are disabled or blind. The program is also available to those 65-years-old or older. This benefit is for those living with a disability who are unable to work, have limited or no work history, and limited assets.
These asset limitations are $2000 for individuals and $3000 for couples. Applicants cannot earn more than the monthly federal benefit rate, which is $943 per month for individuals and $1,415 for couples in 2024.
You can own a home if you are receiving SSDI benefits, as SSDI is not an income-based program and does not have asset limitations.
SSI, on the other hand, allows you to own 1 home, so long as you live in it, and 1 vehicle. Anything above this is counted as an asset/resource.
The decision maker in a social security disability case is the judge. The judge will rely on medical evidence that is provided by your doctors and obtained by your representative. Representatives have specific forms that will provide your doctors with the chance to provide specific information as it relates to your disability hearing.
While individuals can apply for disability benefits on their own, the process can be confusing and difficult to navigate. A dedicated disability attorney can assist you with the application process and help ensure that all evidence and documentation is gathered and submitted in a timely manner.
If you’ve been denied, a disability lawyer can help you appeal the decision and will be by your side throughout the appeals process, which can also be complicated.
Hiring an attorney to help guide you through Social Security Disability costs you nothing upfront. The Social Security Administration regulates the legal fees for attorneys representing claimants before the SSA. The fee is 25% of the eligible back pay with a maximum cap set by the Social Security Administration at the time of decision.