Resources

January 1, 2024

How Long Do I Have to Work to Qualify for SSDI?

Understanding how long you need to work before qualifying for Social Security Disability Insurance (SSDI) is crucial if you become disabled and unable to continue your job. Typically, to qualify, you must have accumulated a certain number of credits based on your income and time spent working in a job covered by Social Security. For many, SSDI represents a lifeline, but many wonder, What are the rules for working while on SSDI? 

At the Law Offices of Jennifer R. Solomon, we understand that every SSDI case is unique. Our firm, led by Jennifer Solomon, uses the knowledge she gained from her years as an insurance defense attorney to help clients navigate SSDI claims effectively. We are committed to providing personalized attention and support to guide you through the complicated weave of federal SSDI law. 

Social Security Disability Insurance (SSDI) Work Credits 

Social Security awards work credits based on your total yearly wages or self-employment income. Generally, to qualify for SSDI, you must:

• Earn at least 40 work credits,
• Earn at least 20 credits within the 10 years immediately before your disability begins, and
• Meet Social Security’s definition of a qualifying disability.

Most people need to work for approximately 10 years to qualify for SSDI, but requirements vary based on age, employment gaps, or periods of unemployment.

What Is a Work Credit?

The Social Security Administration (SSA) uses a unit called work credits to measure your benefit eligibility. You earn work credits based on how much income you receive from employment or self-employment each year. In 2025, you earn one credit for each $1,810 of earned income, and you can earn up to 4 credits per year. So, if you earn at least $7,240 in a year, you earn the maximum number of credits for that year.

How Many Work Credits Do You Need for SSDI?

To qualify for SSDI, you typically need:

• Six credits in the 3 years before your disability starts if you are under age 24;
• If your disability begins when you are aged 24 to 31, credits for half the time between age 21 and your age when you become disabled; and
• Twenty credits earned within the last 10 years, totaling 40 credits overall if you are 31 or older.

These age-based variations can be confusing, so consider the following examples:

• If you become disabled at age 23, you qualify if you have earned 6 credits within the last 3 years, or approximately 1.5 years of work credits;
• If you become disabled at age 27, you need credits for half the time between turning 21 and becoming disabled, so you must have earned credits for at least 3 of 6 years, totaling 12 credits; and
• If you become disabled at age 46, the standard rule of earning at least 20 of your 40 total credits within the 10 years immediately preceding your disability applies.

These examples illustrate how credit requirements vary depending on age and employment history, emphasizing the importance of tracking your work record accurately.

Are There Special Cases?

Social Security offers special work credit rules for unique circumstances:

• Blind individuals. Recent work credit requirements are relaxed, but total credit accumulation rules remain.
• Widows or widowers. Surviving spouses may use their deceased spouse’s earnings record if they meet specific eligibility criteria, such as age and the spouse’s insured status.
• Adults disabled before age 22. These individuals may qualify based on their parent’s earnings record, bypassing the need for personal work credits.
• Military service members. Credits may be awarded for certain periods of military service or active duty, ensuring service members are not disadvantaged by their service.

These special rules recognize unique circumstances and provide alternative pathways to SSDI eligibility.

Having a Qualifying Disability

In addition to work credits, applicants must prove they have a qualifying disability. A qualifying disability means a medical condition that significantly limits your ability to perform basic work-related tasks. You must also expect your disability to last for at least 12 consecutive months or be terminal.

What Are the Rules for Working While on SSDI?

A common concern among SSDI recipients is whether they can continue working while receiving benefits. Can you work on disability? Yes, but it is crucial to follow legal requirements to avoid placing your benefits at risk. Those requirements relate to:

• The type of work you do,
• How much you earn, and 
• A potential trial work period.

Carefully following these guidelines allows SSDI recipients flexibility to return to work. 

Type of Work and How Much You Earn

To be eligible for SSDI, you must have a disability that prevents you from performing substantial gainful activity (SGA). For work to qualify as substantial, it must involve significant mental or physical activities. Work is gainful if it is:

• Performed for profit or pay,
• A type of work that is typically performed for profit or pay, or
• Otherwise intended for profit or pay, even if you do not earn a profit.

You may work while on SSDI only if you do not earn more than a threshold SGA amount. For blind individuals, that amount is $2,700 in 2025. For individuals with other disabilities, that amount is $1,620. 

Trial Work Period

You may test your ability to work for at least 9 months within any consecutive 60-month period. During this time, you can continue to receive full SSDI payments regardless of your earnings. After the trial period, you have three additional years to receive SSDI benefits if your earnings fall below the SGA threshold.

Get Help from the Law Offices of Jennifer R. Solomon

Navigating SSDI eligibility can be overwhelming, especially as you adjust to life with a disability. At the Law Offices of Jennifer R. Solomon, we believe in breaking down complex issues into clear, manageable steps to provide compassionate, informed guidance. With Jennifer’s extensive experience and personalized approach, our firm helps clients build compelling SSDI claims to increase their chances of approval. Contact us today for a free 15-minute consultation.

Resources:

• Social Security Administration, Determinations of Substantial Gainful Activity (SGA), link.
• Social Security Administration, Disability Benefits | How Does Someone Become Eligible?, link.
• Social Security Administration, How You Earn Credits, link.
• Social Security Administration, Red Book, link.
• Social Security Administration, Substantial Gainful Activity, link.
• Social Security Administration, Trial Work Period, link.
• Social Security Administration, Try Returning To Work Without Losing Disability, link.
• Social Security Administration, What Is Substantial Gainful Activity?, link.