Securing Social Security Disability Insurance (SSDI) benefits isn’t as straightforward as simply proving you’re disabled. The Social Security Administration (SSA) uses a rigorous five-step process to determine eligibility. Each step filters out those who don’t meet specific criteria, so understanding the system can improve your chances of success.
Step 1: Are You Earning Too Much?
The first hurdle in the SSDI process is the “Substantial Gainful Activity” (SGA) test. If you’re earning more than $1,550 per month in 2025 from work, your SSDI claim will be automatically denied, regardless of how severe your condition is. This threshold applies to non-blind individuals. The SSA doesn’t approve SSDI claims if you are still able to earn substantial income, signaling that you are capable of engaging in some form of work.
Step 2: Is Your Condition Severe?
Next, the SSA evaluates whether your condition is truly severe. Your impairment must be serious enough to limit basic work activities and is expected to last at least one year or be terminal. If your condition doesn’t meet these criteria, your claim is stopped here, and SSDI benefits are not approved. This step ensures that only individuals with significant, long-term disabilities are considered for assistance.
Step 3: Does Your Condition Match SSA’s “Blue Book” Listing?
Step 3 is often the biggest medical challenge. The SSA uses a list of impairments in its “Blue Book,” which categorizes physical and mental conditions that automatically qualify for SSDI. If your condition is found in the Blue Book, approval can be swift. However, many legitimate disabilities don’t neatly fit these strict criteria, forcing claimants into the next step of the process.
Step 4: What Can You Still Do?
If your condition doesn’t match a Blue Book listing, the SSA assesses your Residual Functional Capacity (RFC). This evaluates how much work you can still do despite your limitations. The SSA will determine if you can still perform any of your previous jobs. If you are still able to do your old job, even with the limitations, your application will likely be denied. Only if the SSA decides you cannot perform any previous work will you move on to the final step.
Step 5: Can You Do Any Other Job?
This is the final decision-making stage. The SSA uses your RFC, age, education, and work experience to determine whether you can perform any other type of substantial work in the economy. This is known as the “vocational grid,” which assesses your ability to transition into new jobs based on factors like your skill set. For instance, a 60-year-old former construction worker with minimal education will face different considerations compared to a 30-year-old with a college degree. If the SSA decides that no significant work exists that you can do given your circumstances, you will be approved for SSDI.
Work Credits: The Foundation of SSDI Eligibility
SSDI isn’t welfare—it’s earned through your work history. To qualify, you must have accumulated sufficient work credits by paying FICA taxes during your career. Typically, this means earning 40 credits, with at least 20 earned in the 10 years immediately before you became disabled. Younger individuals may need fewer credits, depending on when their disability occurs. For example, if you became disabled before age 24, you only need six credits earned in the three years leading up to your disability.
In 2025, one work credit is earned for every $1,810 in covered wages, with a maximum of four credits earned per year. You can check your credits and work history by logging into your “My Social Security” account.
What Conditions Are Most Likely to Be Approved?
The SSA’s statistics reveal which conditions are most likely to result in SSDI approval.
- Mental Disorders are the leading cause of SSDI awards, accounting for 34.6% of approvals. Conditions like schizophrenia, severe depression, and bipolar disorder require evidence that they significantly impair your ability to work—just having the diagnosis isn’t enough.
- Musculoskeletal Problems follow closely at 30.1%. Conditions such as chronic back pain, arthritis, and spinal disorders make it difficult to perform physical tasks like walking, lifting, and standing.
- Sensory and Speech Issues (about 10%) include conditions like legal blindness or severe deafness that cannot be corrected with hearing aids.
- Serious Heart Conditions (6.8%) need proof that the condition severely limits physical exertion, with tests showing symptoms such as chest pain or shortness of breath.
- Cancer (3%) can qualify for SSDI under “Compassionate Allowances” if the condition is advanced and debilitating.
- Severe Diabetes (2.3%) can lead to approval if complications like nerve damage or kidney failure are severe enough to stop work.
- Lung Diseases (2.4%), like COPD, may qualify if tests show low oxygen levels and an inability to work.
- Kidney Failure (1.7%), particularly if dialysis is required, often results in approval.
- Neurological Conditions (such as MS and Parkinson’s) and Immune System Disorders (like advanced lupus or HIV/AIDS) can result in SSDI approval with evidence of impaired function. ALS (Lou Gehrig’s disease) is an automatic approval under Compassionate Allowances.
While qualifying for SSDI can be a complex and challenging process, understanding the five-step evaluation and the specific conditions that most commonly win approval can help you navigate the system more effectively. The SSA is committed to ensuring that only individuals with truly debilitating conditions receive benefits, with approval hinging on medical evidence, work history, and the ability to perform any work at all.
