In general, we pay monthly benefits to people who are unable to work for a year 12 consecutive months or more because of a disability. We may pay Social Security disability benefits for as many as 12 months before the date your application was filed, if we find you had a disability during that time and you meet all other requirements. Benefits usually continue until you can work again on a regular basis.
There are also several special rules, called work incentives, that provide continued benefits and health care coverage to help you make the transition back to work.
If you are receiving SSDI benefits when you reach full retirement age , your disability benefits automatically convert to retirement benefits, but the amount remains the same.
In addition to meeting our definition of disability , you must have worked long enough β and recently enough β under Social Security to qualify for disability benefits. Social Security work credits are based on your total yearly wages or self-employment income.
You can earn up to 4 credits each year. The amount needed for a work credit changes from year to year. The number of work credits you need to be eligible 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 be eligible with fewer credits.
