SSDI Work Credits: What Maryland Workers Need to Know

SSDI Work Credits: What Maryland Workers Need to Know

Social Security Disability Insurance (SSDI) is an earned benefit — not a welfare program. To qualify, you must have paid into the Social Security system long enough and recently enough to meet the program's work credit requirements. For many Maryland workers who become disabled, understanding these requirements is the first step toward knowing whether they can even apply for benefits.

What Are Social Security Work Credits?

Work credits are the units the Social Security Administration (SSA) uses to measure your work history. You earn credits based on your annual wages or self-employment income. In 2024, you earn one credit for every $1,730 in covered earnings, up to a maximum of four credits per year. This threshold adjusts slightly each year for inflation.

Credits do not expire — they accumulate over your entire working lifetime. However, as explained below, the SSA also requires that a portion of your credits be earned recently, not just at some point in the past.

How Many Work Credits Do You Need for SSDI?

The number of credits required depends on your age at the time you become disabled. The SSA applies two separate tests:

• Total credits test: How many credits have you earned throughout your entire work history?
• Recent work test: Have you worked recently enough before becoming disabled?

For most adults who become disabled at age 31 or older, the general rule is that you need 40 work credits, with at least 20 of those credits earned in the 10 years immediately before your disability began. Put simply, if you are a typical worker in your 40s or 50s, you generally need to have worked roughly five of the last ten years.

Younger workers face different thresholds:

• Before age 24: You need 6 credits earned in the 3-year period ending when your disability begins.
• Ages 24–30: You need credits for half the time between age 21 and the onset of your disability.
• Age 31 or older: The sliding scale below applies, but most workers in this group need 20 credits in the last 10 years.

Here is the full breakdown by age for workers 31 and older:

• Disabled at 31–42: Need 20 credits (5 years of work)
• Disabled at 44: Need 22 credits
• Disabled at 46: Need 24 credits
• Disabled at 48: Need 26 credits
• Disabled at 50: Need 28 credits
• Disabled at 52: Need 30 credits
• Disabled at 54: Need 32 credits
• Disabled at 56: Need 34 credits
• Disabled at 58: Need 36 credits
• Disabled at 60: Need 38 credits
• Disabled at 62 or older: Need 40 credits

The Date Last Insured: A Critical Deadline for Maryland Claimants

One of the most misunderstood aspects of SSDI is the concept of the Date Last Insured (DLI). This is the date by which you must establish that your disability began in order to qualify for benefits based on your work history. Once you stop working and accumulating credits, your insured status eventually lapses — typically after five years.

For Maryland workers who left the workforce due to illness or injury, this deadline creates a real problem. If you became unable to work in 2020 but did not apply for SSDI until 2026, you must still prove your disability existed on or before your DLI. Medical records from the period before your DLI become critically important in these cases.

You can find your DLI on your Social Security Statement, available through your my Social Security online account at ssa.gov. Maryland claimants are strongly advised to check this date before assuming they are still insured — many people are surprised to find their coverage has already lapsed.

What Happens If You Don't Have Enough Work Credits?

If you fall short of the required work credits, you are not automatically without options. Supplemental Security Income (SSI) is a needs-based program that does not require work credits. SSI provides monthly payments to disabled individuals with limited income and resources, regardless of work history.

Maryland also has state-specific resources for disabled residents who do not qualify for federal SSDI. The Maryland Department of Disabilities and the Maryland Medical Assistance Program may provide support while you pursue other benefits. Additionally, some workers may have gaps in their credit history due to time spent as a caregiver — a situation disproportionately affecting women in Maryland's workforce. In these cases, a careful review of your full work record with an attorney can sometimes identify credits that were not properly reported by a former employer.

It is also worth noting that work performed "off the books" does not count toward SSDI credits, because no Social Security taxes were paid. Seasonal workers, gig economy workers, and self-employed individuals in Maryland must be especially careful to report all income to ensure their credits are properly recorded with the SSA.

Applying for SSDI in Maryland: Practical Steps

Once you have confirmed you have enough credits, the next challenge is demonstrating that your medical condition meets the SSA's definition of disability — a separate and often more difficult hurdle. The SSA requires that your condition prevent you from doing any substantial gainful activity and that it is expected to last at least 12 months or result in death.

Maryland SSDI applicants should take these concrete steps:

• Obtain your Social Security Statement to verify your total credits and DLI.
• Gather all medical records documenting your condition, especially from the period near your disability onset date.
• File your application as soon as possible — the SSA has a five-month waiting period before benefits begin, and delays in applying cost you retroactive benefits.
• Understand that initial denials are common; approximately 67% of first-time SSDI applications in Maryland are denied at the initial level.
• Request a hearing before an Administrative Law Judge (ALJ) if denied — this stage has a significantly higher approval rate.

Working with an experienced SSDI attorney from the outset can make a measurable difference. Attorneys who handle disability cases in Maryland know which medical evidence the SSA and local ALJs find most persuasive, and they can help ensure your application is as complete as possible before submission.

Need Help? If you have questions about your case, call or text 833-657-4812 for a free consultation with an experienced attorney.

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