Disability is something most people do not like to think about. But the chances 
that you will become disabled probably are greater than you realize. Studies show 
that a 20-year-old worker has a 3 in 10 chance of becoming disabled before 
reaching retirement age.

Disability benefits are paid through two programs: the Social Security disability 
insurance program and the Supplemental Security Income (SSI) program. 
This booklet is about the Social Security disability program. For information 
about the SSI disability program for adults, see Supplemental Security Income (SSI) 
(Publication No. 05-11000). For information about disability programs for children, 
refer to Benefits For Children With Disabilities (Publication No. 05-10026).  
Publications are available at www.socialsecurity.gov.

Social Security pays benefits to people who cannot work because they have a 
medical condition that is expected to last at least one year or result in death. Federal 
law requires this very strict definition of disability. While some programs 
give money to people with partial disability or short-term disability, Social Security 
does not.

Certain family members of disabled workers also can receive money from 
Social Security. This is explained in "Can my family get benefits?"

You should apply for disability benefits as soon as you become disabled. It can 
take a long time to process an application for disability benefits 
(three to five months). To apply for disability benefits, you will need to complete
 an application for Social Security Benefits and the Disability Report. You can complete 
the Disability Report at www.socialsecurity.gov/disability/3368. You can also 
print the Disability Report, complete it and return it to your local Social Security office. 

The information we need includes:

• Your Social Security number;
• Your birth or baptismal certificate;
• Names, addresses and phone numbers of the doctors
• Caseworkers, hospitals and clinics that took care of you and dates of your visits;
• Names and dosage of all the medicine you take;
• Medical records you already have in your possession;
• Laboratory and test results;
• A summary of where you worked and the kind of work you did; and
• A copy of your most recent W-2 Form (Wage and Tax Statement)
• If you are self-employed, your federal tax return for the past year.

In addition to the basic application for disability benefits, there are other forms 
you will need to fill out. One form collects information about your medical condition 
and how it affects your ability to work. Other forms give doctors, hospitals and 
other health care professionals who have treated you permission to send us information 
about your medical condition.

Do not delay applying for benefits if you cannot get all of this information 
together quickly. We will help you get it.