Social security disability benefits

Question

I read the following in my social security statement.
"Disability — If you become disabled before full retirement age, you can receive disability benefits after six months if you have:
—
enough credits from earnings (depending on your age, you must have earned six to 20 of your credits in the three to 10 years before you became disabled); and ...
Does this mean that if has been more than, say 10 years, since I last earned social security credits, I will not qualify for disability regardless of how many credits I have? What does the "depending on your age" clause mean in this regard? How does this requirement of "having earned 6 to 20 of your credits in the 3 to 10 years before you became disabled" depend on age?

mkennedy · Accepted Answer

It didn't take me long to find this page by searching.
According to SSA, you have to pass a recent work test and a duration/length of work test. These are based on how many "credits" you have earned per year. In 2020, you earn 1 credit per every "$1410 of covered earnings" and you max out at 4 credits a year once you earn $5640. The dollar amount per credit changes every year.
For recent work:

Before age 24 - You may qualify if you have 6 credits earned in the 3-year period ending when your disability starts.
Age 24 to 31 – In general, you may qualify if you have credit for working half the time between age 21 and the time you become disabled.
As a general example, if you become disabled at age 27, you would need
3 years of work (12 credits) out of the past 6 years (between ages 21
and 27).
Age 31 or older - In general, you must have at least 20 credits in the 10-year period immediately before you become disabled.

For duration of work:

If you become disabled...    Then you generally need...
Before age 28                  1.5 years of work
Age 30                         2 years
Age 34                         3 years
Age 38                         4 years
Age 42                         5 years
Age 44                         5.5 years
Age 46                         6 years
Age 48                         6.5 years
Age 50                         7 years
Age 52                         7.5 years
Age 54                         8 years
Age 56                         8.5 years
Age 58                         9 years
Age 60                         9.5 years

Social security disability benefits

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