Both Supplemental Security Income (SSI) and Social Security Disability Insurance (SSDI) provide financial assistance to people with disabilities. However, SSI and SSDI have different eligibility requirements and application processes. Many wonder if it is easier to get approved for SSI or SSDI benefits.
The short answer is that it is often easier to get approved for SSI than SSDI, especially for adults with limited work histories. SSI has strict financial eligibility criteria but more lenient non-medical requirements. SSDI has strict work history requirements but similar disability criteria as SSI.
This article will compare the eligibility rules and application process for SSI vs SSDI. We’ll go over key differences that make SSI an easier program to qualify for.
SSI Eligibility Requirements
To get SSI, you must meet several financial and non-medical eligibility rules. Here are the main requirements to receive SSI:
Income/Resources Test
– Your countable monthly income cannot exceed the federal SSI benefit rate. This includes earned wages and unearned income like alimony or pensions. In 2023, the maximum SSI payment for an individual is $914 per month.
– Your countable resources, such as cash, bank accounts, and investments, must not exceed $2,000 for an individual or $3,000 for a married couple.
citizenship/Residency Test
– You must be a U.S. citizen living in one of the 50 states, D.C. or the Northern Mariana Islands.
– Legal non-citizen residents and refugees may qualify for SSI. Undocumented immigrants do not qualify.
– You must reside in the U.S. Certain temporary absences abroad are allowed if your primary home remains in the U.S.
Disability Test
– You must have a medically determinable physical or mental impairment expected to last at least 12 continuous months or result in death.
– Your disability must prevent you from engaging in substantial gainful activity (SGA). In 2023, the SGA limit is $1,470 per month for blind individuals or $1,350 per month for non-blind people.
– Your condition must meet or equal the severity of an impairment on the SSA’s official Listing of Impairments.
SSDI Eligibility Requirements
To qualify for Social Security disability benefits, you must meet strict eligibility rules related to your disability, prior work history, and Social Security coverage. Here are the main SSDI requirements:
Disability Test
– You must have a medical condition that meets Social Security’s definition of disability. The disability criteria are the same as those for SSI (listed above).
Work Credits Test
– You must have earned a certain number of work credits in the years prior to your disability. In 2023, you need 20 work credits (5 years of work) out of the past 10 years. Workers younger than 24 may qualify with fewer credits.
– Work credits are based on your total annual wages or self-employment income taxed for Social Security. Most people need 40 credits (10 years of work) over their career to qualify for Social Security retirement benefits.
Recent Work Test
– You must meet a “recent work” requirement. This means you must have worked a certain number of quarters in the years right before your disability began. The number of required quarters is based on your age when your disability started:
| Age Disability Began | Required Quarters of Work |
|---|---|
| Younger than 24 | Six quarters |
| 24 to 30 | 12 quarters |
| 31 or older | 20 quarters |
Easier Approval for SSI
Though both programs require a severe disability, getting approved for SSI benefits tends to be less difficult than SSDI for several reasons:
No Work Requirements
SSI does not have any prior work or work credits requirements. As long as you have limited income and assets, you can qualify for SSI based on disability status alone. This makes SSI more accessible for:
– Adults with sporadic or no work histories
– Young adults who become disabled before gaining much work experience
– Homemakers without consistent paid employment
However, SSDI requires that you earned enough work credits in the past decade. Many older adults or younger individuals fail to meet these strict work requirements, even if they have a legitimate disability.
Faster Application Processing
The average processing time for initial SSI claims is 3-5 months. However, the average SSDI decision takes about 4-6 months just at the initial level, and can take over a year if you need to appeal.
The Social Security Administration (SSA) prioritizes SSI applications because those recipients rely on the benefits as their sole income source. SSDI applicants may receive temporary benefits from private disability insurance or workers’ compensation while awaiting an SSDI decision.
Higher Approval Odds
Approval rates at the initial application level are only around 37% for SSDI but about 48% for SSI applicants. SSI claims are less likely to be denied outright and more likely to be approved quickly.
Approval rates diverge more significantly at the hearing level. If you appeal an SSDI denial, you have a 56% chance of approval at a disability hearing. For SSI hearings, approval rates exceed 75%. The long wait for an SSDI hearing is also avoided for expedited SSI cases.
Conclusion
While both programs have strict disability criteria, SSI has more lenient non-medical requirements than SSDI. SSI does not require any prior work history or Social Security earnings. SSI applications are typically processed faster and have higher approval odds at all stages. For these reasons, many adults with limited work histories find it far easier to get approved for SSI disability benefits. However, those with steady work records may still wish to file for SSDI benefits concurrently or instead. Consulting an experienced disability law firm can help you determine whether to apply for SSI, SSDI, or both programs.