Trump Proposes Social Security Change That Could End Disability Benefits for Hundreds of Thousands

[Kaleva]

50. She would have had to earn 6 work credits in the three years prior

"However, younger workers can qualify for disability benefits with fewer work credits. If you become disabled before age 24, you must have earned 6 credits in the three years prior to the onset of your disability. If you become disabled between age 24 and 31, you need credits for half the time between age 21 and the onset of your disability. For example, if you become disabled at age 29, you would need four years of prior work, or 16 credits."


https://www.disability-benefits-help.org/faq/work-requirement-qualify-social-security-disability

"Workers can receive a maximum of four work credits each year. The exact amount of work credits you earn each year will depend on your employment activity and the amount of your earnings. In 2019, a worker must earn $1,360 to earn one work credit."

https://www.disability-benefits-help.org/glossary/work-credits

"Social Security bases your retirement and disability benefits on the amount of income on which you've paid Social Security taxes—called "covered earnings." Your average covered earnings over a period of years is known as your average indexed monthly earnings (AIME). A formula is applied to your AIME to calculate your primary insurance amount (PIA)—the base figure the SSA uses in setting your benefit amount. The formula consists of fixed percentages of different amounts of income (called "bend points," which are adjusted each year). For example, in 2019, 90% of the first $926 of your AIME is added to your PIA, plus 32% of your AIME from $926 to $5,583, plus 15% of your AIME over $5,583. These amounts are added up to come up with your PIA."

https://www.disabilitysecrets.com/how-much-in-ssd.html

In order to get $2000 a month in disability (SSDI), your friend would have had to have paid in a great deal in FICA taxes before the age of 19. For comparison, I worked for over 30 years before going on disability and I get paid $1194 a month.