Which of the following is a requirement of a disability as defined by the Social Security Administration?

If you're disabled and unable to work, this doesn't automatically mean that you qualify for Social Security Disability Insurance benefits (SSDI), or that you won't have to fight for the benefits you deserve. Your eligibility for disability income depends on both your work history and disability. Here, we discuss basic eligibility requirements that you need to meet.

What Are the Work History Eligibility Requirements for SSDI?

To meet the work eligibility requirements to qualify for SSDI, you must have worked long enough and recently enough to qualify. Eligibility is based on the number of work credits you have earned. For each quarter of work with income of a certain amount, you can earn one work credit.

The amount of work needed changes, but for example, in 2017, if you earn $1,700 per quarter or more in the year, you would earn four credits for the year.

How many credits you will need to qualify for benefits will depend on your age. These general rules apply:

• Generally, you must have earned 40 work credits with 20 of them having been earned in the last 10 years.
• If you're younger than 31 years old, you may qualify for SSDI benefits with fewer work credits.

Disability Requirements for Social Security Disability Benefits

• ​You can no longer perform your former job; and
• You cannot perform other work due to your medical condition; and
• Your disability has lasted or is expected to last for at least one year, or result in your death.

The SSA maintains a Medically Approved Listing of Impairments. If your medical condition is on the list, you may automatically qualify for benefits. However, if your disability isn't on the list, this doesn't mean you're not entitled to SSDI benefits.

If you don't qualify for SSDI benefits, you may be eligible for Supplement Security Income benefits (SSI). To be approved, you must be disabled and meet strict asset and income rules.

Let Us Help You With Your Social Security Disability Claim

Even if you clearly qualify for SSDI benefits, you shouldn't be surprised if your application for benefits is denied. Unfortunately, the SSA denies many legitimate claims. If you need help filling out your initial application for benefits or fighting for the benefits you deserve, our Roswell Social Security disability lawyers are here to help. Call our office today to schedule a free, no-obligation consultation.

Adult Listings (Part A)

Childhood Listings (Part B)

General Information

Evidentiary Requirements

Listing of Impairments (overview)

Disability Claims Process Video Series

Revisions to Rules Regarding the Evaluation of Medical Evidence

Disability Evaluation Under Social Security

Part III - Listing Of Impairments

The Listing of Impairments describes, for each major body system, impairments considered severe enough to prevent an individual from doing any gainful activity (or in the case of children under age 18 applying for SSI, severe enough to cause marked and severe functional limitations). Most of the listed impairments are permanent or expected to result in death, or the listing includes a specific statement of duration. For all other listings, the evidence must show that the impairment has lasted or is expected to last for a continuous period of at least 12 months. The criteria in the Listing of Impairments are applicable to evaluation of claims for disability benefits under the Social Security disability insurance program or payments under the SSI program.

Part A of the Listing of Impairments contains medical criteria that apply to the evaluation of impairments in adults age 18 and over. The medical criteria in Part A may also be applied in evaluating impairments in children under age 18 if the disease processes have a similar effect on adults and younger children.

Part B of the Listing of Impairments contains additional medical criteria that apply only to the evaluation of impairments of persons under age 18. Certain criteria in Part A do not give appropriate consideration to the particular effects of the disease processes in childhood; that is, when the disease process is generally found only in children or when the disease process differs in its effect on children and adults. Additional criteria are included in Part B, and the impairment categories are, to the extent possible, numbered to maintain a relationship with their counterparts in Part A. In evaluating disability for child under age 18, part B will be used first. If the medical criteria in part B do not apply, then the medical criteria in part A will be used.

The criteria in the Listing of Impairments apply only to one step of the multi-step sequential evaluation process. At that step, the presence of an impairment that meets the criteria in the Listing of Impairments (or that is of equal severity) is usually sufficient to establish that an individual who is not working is disabled. However, the absence of a listing-level impairment does not mean the individual is not disabled. Rather, it merely requires the adjudicator to move on to the next step of the process and apply other rules in order to resolve the issue of disability.