Qualifications for Long-Term Disability

The Social Security Administration (SSA) provides Supplemental Security Income (SSI) and Social Security disability benefits to individuals with medical conditions expected to last at least 12 months and/or result in death and are severe enough to prevent gainful employment. Obtaining long-term disability benefits through SSA requires meeting specific guidelines regarding impairments, income and resources and other requirements.

Employment Earnings

• Eligibility for long-term disability through SSA requires that an individual is unable to maintain gainful employment. Gainful employment is generally considered to be work for more than 20 hours per week with earnings higher than $1,000 per month on average. If you exceed either of these requirements, you generally will not be eligible for disability payments.

Medical

• You must have a medical condition that is considered to be severe enough to limit ability to maintain gainful employment. SSA maintains a list of conditions considered severe enough to cause disability. You may qualify if your condition is not listed if it can be shown through medical evidence that your condition prevents gainful employment and impairs daily functioning.

Work Credits

• You must have sufficient work credits to qualify for full disability payments. You earn one work credit per a specified amount of earnings per year with a maximum of four work credits earned per year. In 2010, one work credit is earned for $1,120 of wages or self-employment income. Generally, you must have 40 work credits to earn full Social Security benefits, but this amount may be lower if you are under age 31.

SSI

• If you do not qualify for disability, you may be able to collect SSI. You must meet specific income requirement and have less than $2,000 in resources. You must also meet the same disability criteria as disability.