Disability for Social Security purposes is defined as the inability to engage in any substantial gainful activity by reason of any medically determinable physical or mental impairment that can be expected to result in death or can be expected to last for a period of at least twelve months or longer. This is a fairly difficult definition to meet because it requires that disabled individuals be so severely disabled that they not only be unable to work at their previous occupations or professions but be unable to engage in any kind of gainful employment at all.
Reproduced with permission. Copyright The National Underwriter Co. Division of ALM