Social Security Disability Insurance (SSDI)

More than seven million disabled workers currently receive Social Security Disability Insurance (SSDI) benefits. However, the application and disability review process can be challenging.

Understanding how the SSDI program works goes a long way toward making the application process less frustrating. As you read through this explanation of the program, remember that an SSDI lawyer at the Law Firm of Nikki L. Prasad, P.C., is available to provide advice and answer questions for you.

What is SSDI?

SSDI is a federal program that provides financial assistance to workers who become disabled before they reach retirement age. The SSDI program receives funding through FICA payroll taxes.

The federal tax revenues are deposited into two Social Security trust funds held by the U.S. Treasury. Money held in the Old-Age and Survivors Insurance Trust Fund pays Social Security retirement and survivor’s benefits. Social Security Disability Insurance (SSDI) payments are funded by the Disability Insurance Trust Fund.

Workers earn their SSDI benefits through the Social Security taxes paid on their wages. SSDI lets injured workers access the equivalent of their retirement benefits. When a worker receiving SSDI benefits becomes old enough to collect Social Security retirement benefits, their disability benefits end, and their retirement benefits automatically begin.

SSDI Approval Requirements

The SSDI has medical and non-medical requirements that applicants must meet to be approved for benefits:

• Non-medical requirements: Applicants need a long enough work history, as measured by the accumulation of work credits at jobs subject to payment of Social Security taxes.
• Medical requirements: A person must be unable to do substantial gainful work activity due to a medically determinable physical or mental impairment (or a combination of both) that is expected to result in death or to last for a continuous period of at least 12 months.

The disability standard reflects the fact that SSDI benefits are not available for partial or temporary disabilities.

Work Credits Explained

A person must have worked long enough and recently enough to be approved to receive SSDI benefits. The SSA relies on work credits to determine whether a person is insured under the SSDI program.

Workers can earn up to four work credits each year. Work credits are earned based on wages or self-employment income. The SSA annually sets the amount required to earn one work credit. For example, it takes $1,810 to earn a work credit in 2025. It increases to $1,890 per credit in 2026.

The age of a worker when they apply for SSDI benefits determines the number of work credits needed and how recently some of them must have been earned. Generally, a person needs 40 work credits to apply for SSDI benefits, with 20 of them earned within 10 years of the onset of a disability. The SSA refers to this as its 20/40 rule.

Workers who become disabled and unable to work when they are young do not need as many work credits. For instance, workers whose disability begins before age 24 require six work credits earned within three years before their disability onset date. It may sound confusing, but a disability attorney can answer any questions you have about work credits and whether or not you have enough to apply for SSDI benefits.

Medical Requirements & Evidence Needed

A doctor saying that you have a disabling medical condition may not be enough to be approved for Social Security disability benefits. An application for SSDI must be supported by evidence proving the existence of a severe, long-term condition that prevents you from working.

Medical evidence that SSDI claims examiners generally rely upon includes:

• Notes of physical examination findings, including a diagnosis, treatment plan, and prognosis.
• Hospital records, if any.
• Results of laboratory tests, such as blood testing.
• Diagnostic imaging reports, including X-rays, MRIs, CT scans, and ultrasound.
• Specialized imaging, PET scans, mammography, and SPECT scans that aid in the diagnosis of certain types of cancer.
• Documentation of prescribed medication, therapies, and other treatment recommendations by the treating physician.

Depending on the medical condition, statements from specialists may be included in the medical evidence supporting a claim for SSDI.

Your SSDI lawyer in NY collects medical evidence to strengthen your benefits claim, preparing to submit it if needed. Taking a proactive approach rather than waiting for a Social Security claims examiner to request medical records from your doctors could help you avoid processing delays or a denial of the claim should medical offices fail to respond to the requests.

Social Security Disability Insurance (SSDI) Timeline

The SSDI timeline varies depending on several factors, including:

• The extent of mistakes, omissions, or inconsistencies in an application.
• How long it takes for medical offices to provide requested medical records.
• Whether a claims examiner requests a medical examination.
• The nature of the disabling medical condition.

It generally takes six to eight months from when you apply for disability benefits to receive an initial decision from the SSA. Interruptions to the application review process caused by Social Security requests for additional information or documentation extend the time to reach an initial decision. How long it ultimately takes depends on how quickly the SSA receives responses to its requests.

An appeal of a benefits denial after the initial review will extend the SSDI timeline. There are four appeal levels: Reconsideration, Hearing, Appeals Council Review, and Federal Court Action. Each level adds time to the timeline, which could range from several months to several years before completion.

Working with a skilled SSDI lawyer can help to avoid unnecessary delays in the application review and appeals process.

How A Lawyer Helps with SSDI Claims?

According to the SSA, 68% of applicants for disability benefits are denied during the initial application review process. Representation by an SSDI lawyer in NY early in the process can help identify common application mistakes, omissions, and inconsistencies that delay the review process or lead to claim denials.

Having an experienced disability attorney representing you makes a difference by helping you navigate through a complex process that requires knowledge of federal laws and regulations. Some of the other ways that SSDI lawyers help include:

• Identifying and Gathering Evidence: SSDI attorneys know the evidence and documentation needed to build a strong claim. They work with your medical providers to obtain medical records and avoid delays in responding to claim examiner requests for records and information.
• Skilled Representation Supporting Your Claim: Disability lawyers understand the appeals process and what is required to give you the best chance of success at each appeal level. For example, a hearing with an administrative law judge is a critical level of the appeals process because it gives you the opportunity to testify in support of your claim.
• Prepares You for Hearings: A disability attorney spends time before hearings to prepare you to testify and help you feel confident and assured. When you have questions, you can depend on your disability lawyer to be there for you with answers.

Contact An SSDI Disability Lawyer in NY

The disability team at the Law Firm of Nikki L. Prasad, P.C., does more than provide outstanding representation that you can depend on to get the job done. Our disability professionals become someone you can rely on for guidance and support throughout your quest for Social Security Disability Insurance (SSDI) benefits. When you need help, contact us for a free consultation and case evaluation.