The Role of Work History in SSDI Eligibility

When you apply for Social Security Disability Insurance (SSDI), the SSA evaluates your work history to determine if you’ve earned enough work credits to qualify for benefits. These credits are based on the amount of money you’ve earned and the number of years you’ve worked.

• Work Credits: To qualify for SSDI, you need to have earned 40 work credits, with at least 20 of those credits being earned in the last 10 years. A work credit is earned by working and paying Social Security taxes on your income. In 2025, for example, you earn one credit for every $1,640 you earn in wages or self-employment income, up to a maximum of four credits per year.
• Recent Work Requirement: The SSA requires that you have earned enough work credits recently in order to qualify for SSDI. For people under 31, the number of credits needed is lower. The SSA considers your age and the number of years you’ve worked when determining how many work credits you need.

For example, if you are 35 years old and have worked for 15 years, you would likely qualify for SSDI benefits because you have earned enough work credits within the required timeframe.

The "Recent Work" Test for SSDI

In addition to the number of work credits, the SSA also looks at when you last worked. This is referred to as the “recent work” test. The SSA wants to know if you were working recently before your disability started, as this indicates you’ve been actively contributing to Social Security and are still eligible for benefits.

• Recent Work Test by Age: Your age determines how recently you need to have worked before your disability started. For example:
• If you’re under 24, you typically need to have worked at least 1.5 years during the last 3 years before your disability.
• If you’re 24 to 31, you generally need to have worked for half of the time between when you turned 21 and the time you became disabled.
• If you’re 31 or older, you need to have worked for 5 out of the last 10 years before your disability began.

If you don’t meet the recent work test, you may not be eligible for SSDI benefits, but you could still qualify for Supplemental Security Income (SSI), which doesn’t require a work history, as long as you meet the financial requirements.

Work History and the Impact of Your Disability

While your work history determines eligibility for SSDI, the SSA will also consider how your disability affects your ability to work. Your work history can provide insight into your abilities and job skills before your disability began. Here’s how:

• Type of Work Performed: The SSA will consider your past jobs and determine whether you were able to perform Substantial Gainful Activity (SGA), which is a measure of whether you were making enough money from work to support yourself.
• Transferable Skills: The SSA will assess whether your previous work history has given you any skills that you could transfer to other types of jobs, even if you can’t continue your previous occupation. This helps determine whether you can still work in some capacity despite your disability.

For example, if you were a construction worker and have a back injury that prevents you from lifting heavy objects, the SSA will look at your work history and other transferable skills (e.g., administrative skills, customer service) to assess if you can work in a less physically demanding job.

How SSA Uses Your Work History to Determine Disability

The SSA uses a five-step evaluation process to determine if you qualify for disability benefits, and your work history plays a part in these steps:

• Step 1: Are You Working? The SSA first determines if you are currently working and whether you’re earning above the Substantial Gainful Activity (SGA) limit. If you are working and earning above the monthly threshold (in 2025, $1,470 per month for non-blind individuals), your claim may be denied, as you are considered able to work.
• Step 2: Is Your Condition Severe? The SSA evaluates whether your disability is severe enough to limit your ability to perform basic work activities. Your work history may help demonstrate that you have significant limitations in your previous job.
• Step 3: Is Your Condition on the SSA’s List of Impairments? If your disability meets or equals one of the SSA’s listed impairments, you can be approved for benefits. Your work history can be helpful here in showing how your condition has affected your daily work activities.
• Step 4: Can You Do Your Past Work? The SSA evaluates whether you are still able to perform your past work, based on your disability and work history. If you cannot do your past job, they will move on to Step 5.
• Step 5: Can You Do Other Work? The SSA looks at whether you can do other types of work that you might be qualified for based on your skills, education, and work history. If the SSA determines that there is no other work you can do due to your disability, you may be approved for benefits.