The Social Security Administration (SSA) states that it does not cover short-term disabilities but does not explain what “short-term” means.
On the same page, the SSA states that a disability must last at least twelve months. You do not need a permanent medical condition to qualify.
People with temporary disabilities expected to last twelve months or more should file a claim with Social Security.
Those with disabilities lasting less than twelve months will need to find alternatives like government benefits, state programs, or private coverage.
Short-Term Disabilities Lasting 12 Months
Apply for short-term disability benefits through Social Security if you expect your condition to last twelve months or more. Even though fifty-two weeks seems temporary, you might still qualify for benefits.
Application
The Social Security disability application process is the same for everyone, no matter how long their condition is expected to last.
Apply for disability benefits online through the SSA web portal. Claims adjusters will not ask your doctors to decide if you are temporarily or permanently disabled. They only need medical evidence showing you cannot perform any work.
- What are your illnesses, injuries, or conditions?
- When did they begin?
- How do they limit your activities?
- What did medical tests show?
- What treatment did you receive?
Legal Definition
Do not let unclear statements about Social Security covering short-term disabilities stop you from applying. Rely on facts, not vague language.
Use Social Security’s published definition as your guide when applying.
“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.”
SSDI Benefits
Apply for Social Security Disability Insurance (SSDI) if you have worked at least five of the last ten years and paid FICA taxes. SSDI covers conditions lasting at least twelve months.
SSDI monthly benefits vary, but there is a fixed waiting period.
SSDI Waiting Period
If your approved disability lasts twelve months, SSDI should pay benefits for seven months after a five-month waiting period.
The Social Security Administration pays your first benefit in the sixth month after your disability begins. Payments continue until you earn more income or your condition improves.
SSDI Amount
SSDI monthly amounts depend on your earnings history, including the years worked and FICA taxes paid. The current average benefit for an individual is about $1,500 per month.
Over seven months, this totals $10,500, a significant sum for a short-term disability lasting twelve months.
Log into your account at ssa.gov for an exact figure based on your work record.
SSI Benefits
Apply for Supplemental Security Income (SSI) if you have limited income and resources and have not made the minimum FICA tax contributions. SSI covers conditions lasting at least twelve months.
SSI Amount
SSI monthly amounts are smaller but increase slightly each year with cost-of-living adjustments. The monthly amount is reduced by subtracting countable income, and some states supplement SSI benefits. These are the current maximums:
| Recipient | Monthly Amount |
|---|---|
| Eligible individual | $943 |
| Eligible couple | 1,415 |
SSI Waiting Period
If your disability lasts twelve months, SSI should pay benefits for all twelve months since there is no waiting period.
Twelve times the maximum monthly amount for an eligible individual is $11,316, a significant sum for someone with a limited work history.
Short-Term Disabilities Less Than 12 Months
Social Security does not cover short-term disabilities if you expect to resume working within twelve months. You may want to explore alternative solutions, as even three, six, or nine months without income can be challenging.
Expense Benefits
Although Social Security does not cover short-term disabilities lasting three, six, or nine months, this has a silver lining. You might become eligible for other government programs that support low-income families.
Government benefits for personal expenses like childcare, rent, groceries, internet, home repairs, and energy become available when your income drops.
Eligibility for these programs depends on the income you expect to report in the upcoming tax season, not what you earned last year. A three, six, or nine-month employment gap can help you qualify.
State Disability
State short-term disability covers medical conditions lasting less than twelve months, whereas Social Security does not.
However, many cannot use it because only eight states have mandatory temporary disability programs: California, Connecticut, Colorado, Hawaii, Massachusetts, New Jersey, New York, Rhode Island, and Washington. The other forty-two states offer nothing.
If you work in one of these states, you can apply for state disability benefits. Only California’s program has a twelve-month benefit period; four states offer six months, and three provide even shorter periods.
Private Disability
Short-term disability from private insurance covers medical conditions lasting less than twelve months, unlike Social Security. File a claim if you bought this coverage before your illness or injury.
Pregnancy is the most common temporary disability, typically resolving within twelve months. Social Security will not help, even in worst-case scenarios. A three-month leave before birth, an eight-week recovery from a C-section, and three months of postpartum complications total eight months.
You can buy short-term disability insurance while pregnant, but it will not cover pre-existing conditions for one year. Be proactive and purchase private coverage before conception, injury, or illness.
Do not expect Social Security to cover all disability-related needs.
