When you develop a new disability or have a current illness or injury that has worsened, you may want to look into seeking Social Security Disability Insurance. In 2022, you will need to have a maximum of 40 credits to qualify for SSDI. Depending on how old you are and how long you’ve been able to work, the number of credits you’ll need may be lower.
Every year you work, you can earn up to four credits. Generally speaking, that means that you will need to work for 10 years to get the 40 credits you need to qualify for SSDI. You get one credit for every $1,510 in earnings.
Can you get Social Security Disability after working only one year?
No, that’s typically not the case. If you develop a disability that qualifies for SSDI before you turn 24, you will need to have six credits before you can apply for SSDI. That means that you’ll need to work at least 1.5 years.
That being said, the amount of money you need to earn to get credit is relatively low. If you think that you have a disability but can manage to earn a little over $6,000 for the year, you’ll be able to earn credits toward that goal.
Sometimes, people are not able to work at all. In that case, they may not qualify for SSDI, because SSDI is designed for workers who become disabled. Instead, you may want to look into Supplement Security benefits or other benefits offered by your state, so you can focus on your health.
As you get older, you need more credits
If you’re not young and don’t have many credits, you probably won’t be able to work a single year to catch up. However, you will not necessarily need 40 credits. For example, someone who becomes disabled at 44 needs 22 credits, which works out to 5.5 years of work if you earn four credits per year.
Keep this in mind as you focus on getting SSDI. You may have options open to you to help you qualify and get the support you need.