What is the difference between Social Security Disability benefits and SSI benefits?
Social Security disability insurance (SSDI) is an insurance program by which a person who works on-the-books has deducted from his/her earnings a certain amount per paycheck to be used by SSA in case he/she becomes disabled and can no longer work. As such, it is required that those who would qualify for such benefits have credited to their SSA account at least 20 calendar quarters (5 years) of earnings out of the last 40 quarters (10 years) prior to their becoming disabled. However, for a younger adult Claimant (usually under age 30), less than 20 quarters of coverage is required. SSI (Supplemental Security Income) benefits have no such earnings requirement. Thus, people who have no earnings, or few earnings, posted to their SSA account could qualify for SSI benefits but not SSDI benefits. This also includes individuals who may have worked “off the books.” Another difference is that SSI benefits are means-tested. Thus, as in public assistance (welfare), one must financially qualify to
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