Frequently Asked Questions

Social Security Disability Insurance (SSDI) is a federal program that gives monthly payments to people who have worked, paid Social Security taxes, and now have a disability that limits their ability to work. After you get SSDI benefits for 24 months (two years), you automatically get Medicare health coverage. Some people call SSDI by other names, such as "DI," "Title II," or "Social Security disability benefits." Learn more about SSDI.

• Social Security Disability Insurance (SSDI) gives monthly payments to people with disabilities who qualify because they used to work. Learn more about SSDI.
• Supplemental Security Income (SSI) gives monthly payments to people with disabilities who have low income and low resources. You do not need to have worked in the past to get SSI. Learn more about SSI.

Both programs are run by the federal Social Security Administration (SSA), and some people get both SSDI and SSI at the same time. If you get benefits from Social Security, but aren’t sure which ones you get, open a free my Social Security account or order a free Benefits Planning Query (BPQY) at your local Social Security office or by calling 1-800-772-1213 or 1-800-325-0778 (TTY).

Adults who have a disability that began before they turned 22 can get Childhood Disability Benefits (CDB) benefits based on the taxes their parents paid into the Social Security system. CDB is similar to Social Security Disability Insurance (SSDI), but you do not need to have worked to qualify for CDB. Note: Childhood Disability Benefits (CDB) are also called Disabled Adult Child (DAC) benefits.

Learn more about CDB.

If you have questions about Social Security Disability Insurance (SSDI) and need to talk with someone, call Social Security at 1-800-772-1213 or 1-800-325-0778 (TTY) or visit your local Social Security office.

If you want to ask about how work might affect your SSDI benefits, try contacting:

• The Ticket to Work Help Line at 1-866-968-7842 or 1-866-833-2967 (TTY)
• Competitive Integrated Employment services offered by the Division of Vocational Rehabilitation (DVR)
• Ability Connection Colorado (ACCO), a Work Incentives Planning and Assistance (WIPA) program
• A certified benefits counselor

To get Social Security Disability Insurance (SSDI), the Social Security Administration (SSA) must decide that you have a disability. You also need to have worked a certain amount of time and paid enough in Social Security taxes.

Social Security uses a series of tests to decide if you qualify. Generally, you qualify if you've got enough work credits and your disabling condition is severe enough to limit your ability to work. It can take a long time for Social Security to decide if you qualify. Sometimes, it only takes a month or two, but sometimes it takes more than a year. The average is around six months.

Note: If you are a military veteran, let them know when you apply. Social Security may review your case faster.

You can apply for Social Security Disability Insurance (SSDI):

• Online (which starts the application process immediately instead of having to wait for an appointment)
• By calling Social Security at 1-800-772-1213 or 1-800-325-0778 (TTY) to make an appointment to apply either:
  • Over the phone, or
  • In person at your local Social Security office.

To get help with the application process, make an appointment with Social Security or contact:

• The SOAR Works program, part of Easter Seals Colorado
• Some of Colorado's Centers for Independent Living (not all centers provide help with the SSDI application process)

You may need to give this information when you apply for Social Security Disability Insurance (SSDI):

• Names, addresses, and phone numbers of doctors, therapists, hospitals, clinics, and others who have treated you
• Prescriptions and results of medical tests
• Copies of medical records
• Your Social Security number and the Social Security numbers of your spouse and any children under the age of 18
• A certified copy of your birth certificate
• Proof of U.S. citizenship or of legal residency, if you were born outside the U.S., like naturalization papers, your U.S. passport, or your green card
• A certified copy of your military discharge papers (Form DD 214), if you were in the military
• Copies of recent tax records or W-2 forms
• Information on any Workers’ Compensation you’ve gotten
• A list of the jobs you've done for the past 5 years

Social Security has a detailed checklist of the information you need to complete the application process.

Your Social Security Disability Insurance (SSDI) benefits amount is based on how much you’ve earned from work over your lifetime. After you start getting benefits, you usually get a small increase in your benefits amount each January to account for changes in the cost of living. Learn more about SSDI.

You automatically qualify for Medicare after you get Social Security Disability Insurance (SSDI) benefits for 24 months (two years). Medicare coverage continues as long as you’re getting SSDI benefits.

Learn more about Medicare in DB101's How Health Benefits Work article.

Substantial Gainful Activity (SGA) is a level of earnings Social Security uses to figure out if you have a disability that qualifies for Social Security Disability Insurance (SSDI) benefits. If your monthly countable earned income is greater than the SGA level ($1,550 per month in 2024), Social Security says you don't have a disability. Note: The rules are different if you are blind.

For SSDI, your countable earned income is your gross monthly earnings minus your sick leave pay, vacation pay, wage subsidies, and Impairment Related Work Expenses (IRWEs). Learn more about these deductions.

Note: If you are self-employed, Social Security looks at more than just your income, because the amount of money you actually get from your business depends on many things. Learn about the three tests Social Security uses to see if a self-employed person is working at the SGA level.

Social Security Disability Insurance (SSDI) does not have a resource limit. No matter how much you have in resources, you may still qualify for SSDI.

When you apply for SSDI benefits, the Social Security Administration (SSA) follows a five-step process to see if your condition meets their standards for disability.

1. Are you working at a level of Substantial Gainful Activity (SGA)?
2. Is your condition severe?
3. Is your condition on Social Security's list of impairments?
4. Can you do the same work as before?
5. Can you do any other type of work?

This process can take anywhere from a couple of months to a year to complete. (The process is different if you are blind.)

Get more details about the disability determination process.

The Trial Work Period (TWP) is a period of time during which you can earn any amount and keep getting Social Security Disability Insurance (SSDI) benefits. The TWP ends when you use nine Trial Work months within five years.

During this five-year window, any month where your gross earnings are over the Trial Work level ($1,110 in 2024) is considered a Trial Work month. Your nine Trial Work months could be in a row or could be spread out over the five years. During your Trial Work months, you continue to get full SSDI benefits.

If you earn less in a month than the Trial Work level, you still get SSDI benefits and do not use up a Trial Work month.

Note: The Trial Work level changes every year.

If you get Social Security Disability Insurance (SSDI) benefits and go back to work, after you use up your Trial Work Period (TWP), a three-year Extended Period of Eligibility (EPE) begins. The first time your monthly countable earned income (your gross monthly earnings minus deductions) reaches the Substantial Gainful Activity (SGA) level during the EPE, there’s a three-month Grace Period during which you keep getting SSDI benefits no matter how much you make. (SGA is $1,550 per month in 2024; $2,590 if you’re blind.)

Once your Grace Period ends, you do not get SSDI benefits in any month when your countable monthly earnings go over the SGA level. If your countable earned income drops back under the SGA level, you can call Social Security and get your benefits reinstated. During the EPE, you can keep getting SSDI benefits for any month during which your earnings are below the SGA level.

If you used to get Social Security Disability Insurance (SSDI) benefits and your benefits ended within the last five years, Expedited Reinstatement means you can get up to six months of temporary SSDI benefits if your countable earned income drops below the Substantial Gainful Activity (SGA) level. During your period of Expedited Reinstatement, you can deduct Impairment Related Work Expenses (IRWEs) and employer subsidies from your gross monthly earnings to help you qualify for SSDI benefits.

During the six months of temporary benefits, the Social Security Administration (SSA) does a medical review to see if you have medically improved. If Social Security decides that you still have a disability, you keep getting benefits and don't have to reapply for SSDI. If they decide that you don't have a disability anymore, your SSDI benefits stop.

For Social Security Disability Insurance (SSDI), you must tell Social Security right away if:

• You start or stop work
• You reported your work, but your duties, hours, or pay change; or
• You start paying expenses for work because of your disability.

You also need to let Social Security know if your address changes, if you get any other disability benefits, such as Workers’ Compensation, or if you use any SSDI deductions when figuring out your income. If you don’t report your earnings, you may have to pay back the SSDI benefits you get to Social Security.

To report changes, contact your local Social Security office and ask how and when you should report your earnings. You may be able to report:

• By phone, mail, or in person at your local Social Security office, or
• With the my Social Security online reporting tool.

Note: If you get both SSDI and Supplemental Security Income (SSI) benefits, you must report your income to SSDI and SSI separately. Learn more about SSI income reporting in DB101's SSI article.

Yes. If your application is denied, you can appeal the decision. More than half of appeals are successful.

An appeal may take several months. If your application is denied for medical reasons and you want to appeal, submit an Appeal Request. The report asks you for updated information about your medical condition and any treatment, tests, or doctor visits you've had since Social Security made their decision.

If your application is denied for nonmedical reasons, contact your local Social Security office to ask for a review or call Social Security at 1-800-772-1213 or 1-800-325-0778 (TTY).

For help with your appeal, contact Disability Law Colorado (DLC).

Learn more about appeals.