If you are disabled and unable to work, you may be wondering if you can claim disability benefits on your spouse's record. The Social Security Administration (SSA) provides two disability programs: Social Security Disability Insurance (SSDI) and Supplemental Security Income (SSI). Each program has its own eligibility requirements, and it is important to understand how these requirements may affect your ability to claim disability benefits on your spouse's record.

Social Security Disability Insurance (SSDI) is a program that provides financial assistance to individuals who are unable to work due to a severe physical or mental impairment. To be eligible for SSDI, you must have a certain number of work credits, which are earned through your employment or self-employment. The number of work credits you need to qualify for SSDI depends on your age when you became disabled.

If you do not have enough work credits to qualify for SSDI, you may still be able to claim disability benefits on your spouse's record. In order to do this, your spouse must have enough work credits to qualify for SSDI and must be receiving SSDI benefits or be fully insured for SSDI. If your spouse meets these requirements, you may be eligible to receive spousal disability benefits, also known as auxiliary benefits, based on your spouse's work record.

To claim spousal disability benefits, you must meet certain eligibility requirements. You must be at least 62 years old and you must be unmarried. You must also be either the spouse or the divorced spouse of a person who is receiving SSDI benefits or is fully insured for SSDI. If you meet these requirements, you may be able to receive up to 50% of your spouse's full retirement benefit or disability benefit, whichever is higher.

In addition to spousal disability benefits, you may also be able to receive auxiliary benefits on your spouse's record if you are caring for a child who is receiving benefits based on your spouse's work record. In this case, you may be eligible to receive up to 75% of your spouse's full retirement benefit or disability benefit, whichever is higher.

It is important to note that if you are receiving spousal or auxiliary disability benefits on your spouse's record, your own disability will not be evaluated by the SSA. This means that you will not be eligible for SSDI benefits based on your own work record, even if you later become fully insured for SSDI.

If you do not have enough work credits to qualify for SSDI and are not eligible for spousal or auxiliary disability benefits on your spouse's record, you may still be able to receive disability benefits through the Supplemental Security Income (SSI) program. SSI is a program that provides financial assistance to individuals who are aged 65 or older, blind, or disabled and have low income and limited resources. SSI is not based on your work credits, but rather on your income and resources.

To be eligible for SSI, you must meet certain income and resource limits set by the SSA. These limits are subject to change each year, so it is a good idea to check the current limits before applying for SSI. If you are married, your spouse's income and resources will also be considered in determining your SSI eligibility.

It is important to note that if you are receiving SSI, you may also be eligible for Medicaid, which is a program that provides health insurance to low-income individuals. Medicaid eligibility is based on your income and resources, and it is not dependent on your work credits.

Overall, if you are disabled and unable to work, there may be several options available to you for receiving disability benefits, even if you do not have enough work credits to qualify for SSDI.