The Social Security Disability Insurance (SSDI) benefit program provides payments to those workers who have made their respective contributions in Social Security taxes, through the so-called “work credits”, and who have suffered an accident or medical condition that has caused them to be unable to perform a lucrative activity.
To access the SSDI benefits, you must have a minimum number of years worked and have contributed a minimum amount of work credits, both numbers being subject to the age of the insured at which they request the benefit. Now, how do you know how many work credits are necessary, depending on your age? Stay, we will tell you everything you need to know.
Minimum requirements to access SSDI benefits
Disabled workers represent the majority in this group. To qualify, they must demonstrate a severe disability and a history of contributions to the Social Security system. Spouses and children access auxiliary benefits under specific criteria.
The minimum number of years of work required to qualify for Social Security Disability Insurance (SSDI) benefits depends on the age at which your disability began and you decided to claim the benefit:
If your disability began:
- Before the age of 24: Generally you need 1.5 years (6 work credits) earned in the 3 years prior to the start of your disability.
- Between 24 and 31 years old: Generally you need to have worked for half the time between age 21 and the time your disability began. For example, if you became disabled at age 27, you would typically need 3 years of work (12 work credits).
- At 31 years or older: Generally you need to have earned at least 20 work credits in the last 10 years before your disability began. It’s often known as the “5-year rule,” which means you generally need to have worked for at least 5 of those 10 years. The exact number of credits required increases with age after age 31, up to a maximum of 40 credits.
These are general guidelines, and we only fulfill the task of informing you, so your particular case could be different: each individual has unique conditions and circumstances that make everything change when compared to other beneficiaries.
When will SSDI beneficiaries receive their next payments?
The SSA divides payments into three monthly groups based on date of birth to manage the administrative burden. This practice was implemented in May 1997. Beneficiaries who received SSDI before that date or those receiving SSI may have different payment dates (usually the 3rd of each month).
The closest payments are those for the month of May, which for most have not started. Recipients of the first group of SSDI payments scheduled for May 14, 2025 are people with birthdays between the 1st and 10th of any month. This group includes disabled workers, spouses and dependent children, according to data from the Social Security Administration (SSA).
The other two groups have these dates: those born between the 11th and 20th of any month will receive their deposits on Wednesday, May 21, and those with birthdays after the 21st of any month will see their money arrive on May 28.
Maximum and average SSDI benefits
The maximum SSDI benefit possible in May 2025 is $4,018, but very few very high-income earners can reach this amount. The average SSDI benefit for disabled workers in 2025 is estimated to be $1,580 per month. The average for a disabled worker with a spouse and children is approximately $2,826 per month.
According to the Monthly Statistical Snapshot for April 2025, the total number of SSDI beneficiaries is 8.24 million. Approximately 32.26% (10/31 days) correspond to the first group, which gives an estimate of 2.66 million people, with disabled workers being the main recipients (72%) of the group.