Benefits help those who are disabled

When life takes an unexpected turn, like a serious medical condition that stops you from working, you may qualify for Social Security disability benefits. Here are three of the factors used to determine if you qualify:

>> You must have a lasting medical condition so severe that it prevents you from doing the work that you did in the past or adjusting to other types of work;

>> Your physical or mental impairment(s) must have lasted or be expected to last at least a year or result in death; and

>> You must have worked long enough — and recently enough — in jobs covered by Social Security.

To learn more, visit socialsecurity.gov/disability.

You become eligible for Social Security by working and paying FICA taxes, which translate into Social Security “credits.” How many credits you need to receive disability benefits depends on how old you are when you become disabled.

For example, if you become disabled at age 31 or older, you generally must have earned at least 20 credits in the 10 years before you became disabled. Younger workers may qualify with fewer credits.

To see how many credits you have earned and to estimate future benefits, log in to socialsecurity.gov/myaccount.

Those who don’t qualify for disability benefits may be eligible for the Supplemental Security Income program. This provides financial assistance to disabled people, who have little or no income or resources. Learn more at socialsecurity.gov/ssi.

Nicole Tiggemann is a spokeswoman for the Social Security Administration.