THINGS THAT DISQUALIFY YOU FOR DISABILITY BENEFITS

1. You haven't worked and paid into Social Security for several years. Your coverage may have expired. Generally, you must have worked at least 5 years out of the past 10 year period.

2. You are now working or self-employed. In 2023, you are performing "substantial gainful activity" (SGA) if you work and earn at least $1,470 per month.

3. Your impairment or disability won't last at least 12 straight months.

4. Your medical problems aren't so severe that they prevent you from doing all work (especially if you are under age 50).

5. You are still able to perform one of the jobs you've done during the past 15 years.

Generally, Social Security requires that you have a severe and medically determinable impairment which prevents your ability to work and which will last for at least 12 straight months. You will need good medical evidence in the form of records from doctors, hospitals or clinics that have treated your impairment(s).

As a matter of practice, Social Security denies about 70 percent of initial applications. They must go through the extensive appeals process to get paid. The earlier stages of the application process are "weeding out" processes that are designed to deny most claims. The more severe impairments may still win with appeals--usually with a hearing before a federal administrative law judge (ALJ).

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