What is SSDI?

Social Security Disability Insurance (SSDI) is a federal program designed to provide financial assistance to individuals who are unable to work due to a disability. The key to qualifying for SSDI is not just having a disability, but also having a sufficient work history and having paid into the Social Security system through FICA (Federal Insurance Contributions Act) taxes.

Can I Qualify for SSDI Without Full-Time Employment?

While it’s often easier to qualify for SSDI if you have a long history of full-time employment, you don’t need to have worked full-time to qualify. However, you still must meet specific work history requirements based on the amount of work you have done over your lifetime and the number of Social Security "work credits" you've accumulated.

• Work Credits: SSDI eligibility is primarily based on the number of work credits you’ve earned. In general, you need to have earned 40 work credits, with 20 of those credits coming from the last 10 years of work. However, if you are younger than 31, you may qualify with fewer credits. For example, a person who is 24 years old may qualify with as few as 6 credits.
• How Credits Are Earned: You earn work credits by working and paying Social Security taxes. For 2025, you earn one credit for every $1,640 in earnings, up to a maximum of 4 credits per year. So, even if you’ve never worked full-time, you can still accumulate the necessary credits if you’ve worked part-time or on a seasonal basis.
• Part-Time Work and Self-Employment: Even if you’ve worked part-time or as a self-employed individual, the Social Security Administration (SSA) will still consider your work history as long as you’ve earned enough credits. The key is making sure that your earnings are sufficient to accumulate credits and that you meet the SSA's specific requirements for your age group.

What Else Do I Need to Qualify for SSDI?

In addition to earning the required number of work credits, you must also meet the SSA’s definition of disability. This includes:

• Having a severe medical condition that prevents you from doing substantial gainful activity (SGA).
• The condition must last for at least 12 months or be expected to result in death.
• Medical Documentation: You’ll need to provide detailed medical evidence from your doctors that proves your condition is severe enough to keep you from working.

What if I’ve Never Worked?

If you’ve never worked or haven’t worked enough to earn sufficient credits for SSDI, you may still qualify for Supplemental Security Income (SSI), which is another disability program administered by the SSA. SSI is based on financial need rather than work history, so if you have limited income and assets, you may be eligible for SSI even if you’ve never worked or worked very little.