What Is The Eligibility Age For SSDI?

There is generally no particular age limit for an individual to apply for and receive Social Security Disability Insurance. Because employees begin earning benefits when they start working at their first job, you do not need to reach a certain age to apply for SSDI.

The Social Security Administration anticipates that 25% of Americans suffer from a disability by the time they reach 67 years of age. The SSA, however, processed more than 4.5 million applications for SSDI benefits submitted by individuals between the ages of 18 and 64 in 2018.

In Ohio, nearly 70% of eligible SSDI recipients fell into the 18-to-64 age bracket during the year 2018, according to data noted on the SSA website. An individual may suffer from a severe injury or debilitating medical condition at any age, and the health-related factor is a critical issue in determining SSDI eligibility.

What Are the Requirements to Apply for Benefits?

As noted by U.S. News & World Report, you must provide certified documentation from a health care professional and undergo a medical evaluation to determine your SSDI eligibility. There must be a diagnosis of a serious condition expected to last for at least a year or one that has already existed for 1 year.

How Are SSDI Work Credits Earned?

It generally requires employment for at least 10 years for you to earn enough work credits to qualify for SSDI. Every year that an individual works and pays taxes, he or she may earn four credits toward eligibility. When an applicant is younger than 18 or has fewer work credits, he or she may also qualify for benefits based on the amount of a parent’s income and work credits.