Disability and Working – Affecting Factors and Ability to Work

How Work Is a Factor

You work for years, paying Social Security taxes so that in the event you become disabled and can no longer work, you have financial support. When you apply for Social Security Disability (SSD) benefits, the Social Security Administration (SSA) follows strict guidelines to determine if you are eligible for benefits, based on your work history and ability to do other work.

Work History

In most cases, the SSA requires that you pass an earnings test:

1. A “recent work” test based on your age at the time you became disabled
2. A “duration of work” test to show that you worked long enough under Social Security

Ability to Work

The SSA will also determine if your disability is so severe that you:

1. Can no longer do the work you did before
2. Cannot do any other type of work