What is the difference between SSI (Supplemental Security Income) and SSDI (Social Security Disability Income) ?

Basically, you qualify for SSDI if you have worked 5 of the past 10 years and had Social Security withheld from your paycheck. Part of that withholding goes into an insurance fund for disability so that ,if you  have paid into the fund, you can then draw benefits from the fund if you qualify.

SSI benefits apply to someone who has not worked and earned substantial gainful wages in the past 5 of 10 years. This means you do not have the disability insurance coverage. However, you also can not have “assets” to qualify for this program. In most cases you will not qualify for SSI if you own a house, car and/or other substantial property.

You can look on your annual Earnings Statement, sent to you by SSA, to see if you have had earnings reported in the past 5 of 10 years. The Social Security Office near you will evaluate your application to determine if you qualify for SSI or SSDI.