FIVE Steps to Your Social Security Disability Determination for Depression
The five basic steps for determining disability are the same for most claims. Step three may vary depending on your actual diagnoses or conditions.
1. STEP ONE: Are you performing substantial gainful activity (working)?
What does “substantial gainful activity” (SGA) mean? This means that you worked and earned money before your depression (and/or other impairments) made you too disabled to work.
- Substantial: Work that requires significant physical or mental activities.
- Gainful: work that you do for pay or profit. $1170 or more per month (in 2017) is considered gainful.
- For blind persons, $1950 or more per month (in 2017) is conside
red gainful. - Self-employed persons have different SGA requirements to satisfy.
- See SSA’s Substantial Gainful Activity guide for more information.
- For blind persons, $1950 or more per month (in 2017) is conside
If you answered “NO” to the Step One question, go to STEP TWO.
If you answered “YES” because you are currently working and earning SGA, then you will not qualify for SSI or SSDI benefits.
2. STEP TWO: Is your depression severe?
What does “severe” mean?
- Severe means that your condition interferes with your ability to function independently, appropriately, effectively, and on a sustained basis.
- Your condition is considered “non-severe” if it does not significantly limit your ability to do basic work activities.
If you answered “YES” to the Step Two question, go to STEP THREE.
If you answered “NO” because your condition does not interfere with your ability to function, then you will not qualify for SSI or SSDI benefits.
3. STEP THREE: Does your condition meet the requirements of SSA’s “Listing of Impairments” for depression?
SSA looks to listing 12.04 for Depressive Disorders. To qualify for benefits under Step Three, you will need to meet the criteria for sections A and B, or sections A and C.
12.04 Depressive disorders, satisfied by A and B, or A and C:
A. Medical documentation of: Depressive disorder, characterized by five or more of the following:
- Depressed mood;
- Diminished interest in almost all activities;
- Appetite disturbance with change in weight;
- Sleep disturbance;
- Observable psychomotor agitation or retardation;
- Decreased energy;
- Feelings of guilt or worthlessness;
- Difficulty concentrating or thinking; or
- Thoughts of death or suicide.
AND
B. Extreme limitation of one, or marked limitation of two, of the following areas of mental functioning:
- Understand, remember, or apply information.
- Interact with others.
- Concentrate, persist, or maintain pace.
- Adapt or manage oneself.
OR
C. Your mental disorder in this listing category is “serious and persistent;” that is, you have a medically documented history of the existence of the disorder over a period of at least 2 years, and there is evidence of both:
- Medical treatment, mental health therapy, psychosocial support(s), or a highly structured setting(s) that is ongoing and that diminishes the symptoms and signs of your mental disorder; and
- Marginal adjustment, that is, you have minimal capacity to adapt to changes in your environment or to demands that are not already part of your daily life.
To qualify as disabled for your depression under Step Three, you need to meet the requirements outlined above in section A, plus meet the requirements in either section B or section C.
See SSA’s Listing of Impairments for more information.
Durational Requirement: In addition to meeting the guidelines discussed above, your disabling condition must be expected to keep you from working and earning SGA at least 12 consecutive months, or expected to end in death.
If you answered “YES” to the Step Three question, you probably qualify for SSI or Social Security Disability (provided you also meet the income or work credit requirements).
If you answered “NO” because your depression does not meet the requirements for this listing – DON’T GIVE UP! Move on to STEP 4.
4. STEP FOUR: Are you able to perform work that you have done in the past?
Do you have the mental or physical ability to perform the tasks required in previous jobs, despite your depression and other disabling conditions? Social Security is supposed to consider the combined effect of ALL of your disabling conditions (not just depression).
To determine this, you might:
- Identify the mental and physical requirements for all of the jobs that you have held in the past 15 years; and
- Ask your doctor to complete a form explaining your medical diagnosis and limitations; then
- Compare your current limitations to the tasks required in your former jobs.
If you answered “NO” to the Step Four question because you cannot perform any of those past jobs, then move on to STEP 5.
If you answered “YES” because you are still capable of performing any of the jobs you have held in the past 15 years, then you will not qualify for SSI or SSDI benefits.
5. STEP FIVE: Can you perform any OTHER work, considering your age, education, and work experience?
This step takes into account your age, education, skills and experience, along with your physical and mental limitations. Keep in mind that Social Security is supposed to consider the combined effect of ALL of your disabling conditions (not just depression).
If your answered “NO” to Step 5 question, then you probably qualify for SSI or Social Security Disability (provided you also meet the income or work credit requirements).
If you answered “YES” because you are able to performing some other type of work, then you will not qualify for SSI or SSDI benefits. Keep in mind that SSA wants to know if you can do ANY KIND OF WORK, not just work you are trained for or have performed in the past.
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