The Social Security Disability is a rigorous process that grants social security claims after analyzing both medical and non-medical pre-requisites for each person.
The non-medical requirements may include work credits, or a specific number of years you worked in substantial gainful activity, SGA or at least 5 years of social security taxes paid (depending on the number of years you worked). Generally, you will need a maximum of 40 work credits and a minimum of 23 work credits to qualify for social security disability insurance.
Non-medical requirements to qualify for SSDI
The Social Security Disability is for disabled people who have earned enough work credits but are unable to perform substantial gainful activity, SGA due to the disability now. Since one work credit equates to exactly $1360 as of 2019, you would need a total of $5440 to earn a total of 4 earnable work credits in a year. Having enough work credits is crucial to qualify for SSDI, but there are also a few other exceptions and requirements to that rule:
- Disabled before 24 years old: If you developed a chronic disease or a disability before the age of 24 then you need to have earned at least 6 work credits three years before the disability striked;
- Disabled between 24 and 30 years old: you will need to have earned credits for half the amount of time since turning 21 years old to the age when disabled. For instance,if you became disabled at age 26 and have worked for 5 years then you must have earned work credits for half the amount of time you worked i.e., 2.5 years that translate to a total of 10 work credits provided that you earned enough.
- Disabled at 31 years old or older: If you are born after 1929, then depending on your age and the number of years you worked, you would need a minimum of 23 work credits in 10 years before the disability began (5 years of the 10 years require work)
Substantial Gainful Activity, SGA
In addition to the work credits, it is also imperative that you don't earn an amount equivalent under 'substantial gainful activity, SGA' to qualify for SSDI. The monthly SGA amount for a non-blind is stated by the SSA as $1240 while for blind it is $2040.
You may contact a social security attorney for more detailed guidance.