Non-Medical Requirements for Disability Benefits
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Before assessing the severity of a disability applicant's medical impairment, the SSA will look at whether the applicant is working and, if so, whether the applicant is earning too much income to be considered disabled. In addition, for SSDI (the disability program for workers who have paid Social Security taxes), the applicant has to be eligible for payments from the Social Security trust fund. For SSI (the low-income, needs-based disability benefit), the SSA will also look at the applicant's family income and assets to see if they are over the limits. And for non-U.S. citizens, the SSA will look to see if the applicant is in a qualifying alien category.
Overview
Can I Work and Apply for Disability?
A person who is earning more than a certain small monthly amount won't be considered disabled, regardless of their impairment.
Before the SSA looks at how your medical condition impairs your ability to work, the SSA will look whether you are working and how much you are making.
If you make over a certain amount of money, you do have to quit work -- and regardless of how much money you make, it's advisable in most cases to quit work before you apply.
Financial and Legal Requirements for SSDI
SSDI stands for Social Security disability insurance, and to be eligible for it, you have to have paid FICA taxes into the Social Security system for many years.
To qualify for SSDI, you must have worked enough years paying taxes into the Social Security system to earn enough "credits."
The SSDI program doesn't have income and asset limits like SSI, but if you work and earn over a minimal amount, you won't be considered disabled.
Financial and Legal Requirements for SSI
SSI stands for Supplemental Security Income, which a needs-based disability program for low-income people who haven't worked long enough to qualify for SSI.
The SSI program has strict income limits on what you and your spouse make (or you and your parents, if you're a child applicant).
SSI claimants who exceed the asset limit are ineligible for benefits, but certain assets are excluded from being counted.
Citizenship and Residency Requirements
Permanent residents and lawfully present foreign workers who have paid taxes into the Social Security system are often eligible for SSDI disability benefits.
Permanent residents, asylees, refugees, and other qualified aliens can be eligible for SSI under certain conditions.