I stayed home with my kids when they were little, so I didn't have enough work credit hours close enough to the time I was found to be disabled by the Social Security Administration. Thus, did not qualify for SSDI. However, I do qualify for SSI, and I was found to be disabled due to mental illness. I had to appeal the first denial. Sometimes I think they deny the first time just to discourage people from continuing the process. I had documentation from my therapist and my psychiatrist, but still had to go to the appeal hearing and be checked out by their own "expert". Hopefully the other info someone else posted about taxes is helpful for you.