Social Security Disability Insurance

Program objective

Social Security pays benefits to people who can’t work because they have a medical condition(s) that’s expected to last at least one year or result in death. Certain members of the individual's family may be eligible for benefits based on the individual's work history.

As published in the SAM.gov Assistance Listing.

No open or forecasted opportunities are currently posted under this listing. Programs often post notices on an annual cycle — see recently closed opportunities below for timing.

Eligible applicants (program level)

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A disabled worker is entitled to Social Security disability benefits if he or she has worked for a sufficient period of time under Social Security to be insured, has not attained "full-benefit retirement age", has filed an application, and is under a disability as defined in the Social Security law. The law defines disability as the inability to do any substantial gainful activity by reason of any medically determinable physical or mental impairment which can be expected to result in death or which has lasted or can be expected to last for a continuous period of not less than 12 months. The insured status requirements depend upon the age of the applicant and the date they became disabled. Coverage credits under the social security systems of certain foreign countries with which the U.S. has reciprocal agreements may be taken into account to meet the requirements. Certain family members of disabled workers may also be entitled to benefits. : (1) Unmarried children under age 18, or under age 19 for full-time students in elementary or secondary school; (2) unmarried adult offspring at any age if continuously disabled since before age 22; (3) wife or husband at any age if child in his or her care is receiving benefits on worker's Social Security record and is under age 16 or disabled; (4) spouse age 62 or over; and (5) divorced wives or husbands age 62 or over who were married to the worker for at least 10 years. (Benefits are also payable to auxiliaries, including certain disabled widow(er)s, disabled surviving divorced spouses, children under age 19 who are full-time students in an elementary or secondary school, and disabled children of the worker, after the worker dies. See 96.004 "Social Security-Survivors' Insurance".) A person at and above full-benefit retirement age (FRA) will not have Social Security benefits reduced because of earnings. In the calendar year in which a beneficiary reaches FRA, benefits are reduced $1 for every $3 of earnings above the limit allowed by law, $65,160 in 2026, but this reduction is applied only to months prior to attainment of FRA. Further, no benefit can be paid to an alien in the United States unless he or she is lawfully present in the United States. In addition, an alien cannot qualify for benefits if he or she never had a work-authorized Social Security Number (SSN) (effective for benefit applications based on SSNs issued after 2003).

Program-level eligibility from SAM.gov. Each funding notice sets its own requirements.

Frequently asked questions