Through so-called “work credits,” the Social Security Disability Insurance (SSDI) benefit program pays workers who have paid their fair share of Social Security taxes and who have been disabled by an accident or illness that prevented them from engaging in profitable work.
You must have a minimum number of years worked and a certain amount of work credits in order to be eligible for SSDI payments; both requirements are based on the insured’s age at the time of benefit request.
Now, how can you determine how many work credits you’ll need based on your age? We’ll tell you all you need to know, so stay put.
Minimum qualifications needed to get SSDI benefits
The majority of workers in this group are disabled. They must have a history of making contributions to the Social Security system and have a severe handicap in order to be eligible. Auxiliary benefits are available to spouses and children based on certain requirements.
The age at when your disability started and you chose to apply for Social Security Disability Insurance (SSDI) determines the minimum number of years of employment needed to be eligible for benefits:
If your impairment started:
- Prior to the age of 24: Typically, you must have completed 1.5 years (6 work credits) within the three years before your impairment began.
- Between the ages of 24 and 31: In most cases, you must have worked half the time between the age of 21 and the onset of your impairment. For instance, you would normally require three years of employment (12 labor credits) if you become incapacitated at the age of 27.
- If you are 31 years of age or older: In most cases, you must have accrued 20 or more work credits over the ten years prior to the onset of your impairment. The “5-year rule,” as it is commonly called, states that you must typically have worked for at least five of those ten years. After age 31, the precise amount of credits needed rises with age, reaching a maximum of 40 credits.
- Since these are merely general recommendations and our job is to enlighten you, your specific situation may differ from others’ because every person has various situations and variables that affect everything.
When will the next SSDI payments be made to beneficiaries?
In order to manage the administrative burden, the SSA separates payments into three monthly groups according to date of birth.
Read Also: Didn’t Receive Your Social Security Payment Yesterday? What You Should Know
In May 1997, this procedure was put into effect.
Payment dates for SSI recipients (often the third of each month) and SSDI recipients who received benefits prior to that date may differ.
The nearest payments are for May, which hasn’t begun for the majority of people. Those whose birthdays fall between the first and tenth of any given month are eligible to receive the first round of SSDI benefits, which is set for May 14, 2025.
According to Social Security Administration (SSA) data, this group consists of dependent children, spouses, and disabled workers.
The dates for the other two categories are as follows: on Wednesday, May 21, individuals born between the eleventh and twentieth of any given month will receive their deposits, and on May 28, those born after the twenty-first of any given month will receive their funds.
Average and maximum SSDI benefits
The highest SSDI compensation that can be received in May 2025 is $4,018; however, very few extremely high-income individuals are able to exceed this sum.
It is projected that disabled workers will get an average SSDI payment of $1,580 per month in 2025. A disabled worker with a spouse and kids typically makes around $2,826 a month.
As to the April 2025 Monthly Statistical Snapshot, there are 8.24 million SSDI beneficiaries overall.
The first category, which includes an estimated 2.66 million persons, accounts for about 32.26% (10/31 days), with disabled workers accounting for the majority of the group’s recipients (72%).
