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What is Social Security Disability Insurance (SSDI)?

Social Security Disability Insurance (SSDI) is a federal program in the United States that provides monthly benefits to people who have a disability that prevents them from working. It's funded by payroll taxes. Social Security pays benefits to people who can’t work because they have a medical condition that’s expected to last at least one year or result in death.

Certain members of your family may be eligible for benefits based on your work history.

They include:

• -Your spouse, if he or she is age 62 or older.
• - Your spouse at any age, if he or she is caring for a child of yours who is younger than age 16 or who is disabled.
• - Your unmarried child, including an adopted child, or, in some cases, a stepchild or grandchild. The child must be younger than age 18 (or younger than 19 if still in high school).
• - Your unmarried child, age 18 or older, if he or she has a disability that started before age 22. The child’s disability must also meet the definition of disability for adults.

Different from Supplemental Security Income (SSI)

While both programs provide benefits to people with disabilities, SSI is needs-based and funded by general tax revenues, while SSDI is based on work history and funded by payroll taxes.

How much can you get?

Not everyone gets the same amount. The amount you get will depend on how long you worked and your earnings over that time.

How do you qualify for SSDI?

The SSDI program pays monthly benefits to a disabled person and certain family members, if the disabled person is “insured,” meaning that person worked long enough — and recently enough — and paid Social Security taxes on those earnings.

The number of work credits you need to qualify for disability benefits depends on your age when your disability begins. Generally, you need 40 credits, 20 of which were earned in the last 10 years ending with the year your disability begins. However, younger workers may qualify with fewer credits.