1. Work Credit Requirements

SSDI is an insurance program funded through payroll taxes. To qualify, you need to have paid into the Social Security system and earned enough work credits:

• You earn one work credit for every $1,730 in earnings in 2025, up to four credits per year
• Generally, you need 40 work credits, with 20 earned in the last 10 years before becoming disabled
• Younger applicants can qualify with fewer credits depending on their age at the time of disability

For example:

• If you are under 24, you may qualify with six credits earned in the three years before your disability began
• Between ages 24 and 31, you may qualify if you worked at least half the time between age 21 and the disability onset

2. SSA Definition of Disability

You must meet the SSA’s strict definition of disability, which means:

• Having a medically determinable physical or mental impairment
• Severe enough to prevent you from engaging in substantial gainful activity (SGA)
• Expected to last at least 12 months or result in death

In 2025, earning over $1,550 per month ($2,590 if blind) generally means you are engaging in SGA and will not be considered disabled.

3. Severity of Your Condition

Your medical condition must significantly limit your ability to:

• Perform basic work-related tasks such as lifting, standing, walking, sitting, or remembering instructions
• If your condition is not severe enough to limit these activities, the SSA will deny your claim

4. Listed Medical Conditions

The SSA maintains a Listing of Impairments (Blue Book) that includes conditions considered severe enough to qualify for disability automatically if medical criteria are met. Examples include:

• Neurological disorders: Epilepsy, multiple sclerosis, Parkinson’s disease
• Musculoskeletal conditions: Severe back injuries, arthritis
• Cardiovascular diseases: Chronic heart failure, coronary artery disease
• Mental health disorders: PTSD, schizophrenia, bipolar disorder, severe depression
• Respiratory illnesses: COPD, severe asthma
• Cancer: Certain aggressive or metastatic cancers

If your condition does not exactly match a listing, you may still qualify if it is medically equivalent in severity.

5. Residual Functional Capacity (RFC) Assessment

If your condition does not meet a listing, the SSA evaluates your Residual Functional Capacity (RFC) to determine:

• Whether you can perform any of your past work
• Whether you can adjust to any other type of work based on your age, education, and work experience

If the SSA finds that your limitations prevent you from working in any substantial capacity, you may be approved through a medical-vocational allowance.

6. Duration Requirement

Your disability must:

• Have lasted or be expected to last at least 12 continuous months, or
• Be terminal (expected to result in death)

Short-term disabilities, partial disabilities, or conditions expected to improve within a year do not qualify.

7. Citizenship or Legal Status

You must be:

• A U.S. citizen, or
• A lawfully present non-citizen with a valid Social Security number and eligible work history

8. Not Engaging in Substantial Gainful Activity

If you are currently working and earning above SGA limits, the SSA will generally deny your claim regardless of your medical condition.

9. Continuing Disability Reviews

After approval, SSDI recipients in New Mexico undergo periodic Continuing Disability Reviews (CDRs) to determine if they remain eligible for benefits based on their current medical status.