What We Mean By Disability

It's important that you understand how Social Security defines disability. That's because other programs have different definitions for determining disability. Some programs may pay for partial disability or for short-term disability. Social Security does not.

Disability under Social Security is based on your inability to work. You will be considered disabled if you cannot do the work you did before and we decide that you cannot adjust to other work because of your medical condition. Your disability also must last or be expected to last for at least a year or to result in death. Some consider this a strict definition of disability and it is. The program assumes that working families have access to other resources to provide support during periods of short-term disabilities, including worker's compensation, insurance, savings, and investments.