What Qualifies as a Disability in Michigan?

Living with a health condition that keeps you from working or caring for daily needs is tough, and the paperwork can feel like a second full-time job. Questions pop up fast, like what counts as a disability and which programs are worth your time.

At Bassett Murray Law Group, PLLC, our Michigan team has spent more than 30 years helping families with estate planning, elder law, and probate. In this guide, we explain how disability is defined in Michigan and how that definition affects eligibility for federal and state disability benefits.

Disability in Michigan: An Overview

“Disability” does not have one single meaning. The definition changes based on the program, such as Social Security benefits, State Disability Assistance, or workplace rights under anti-discrimination laws.

In Michigan, most questions about disability start with three programs: Social Security Disability Insurance, Supplemental Security Income, and State Disability Assistance. The details below can help you see which path fits your situation.

Social Security Disability Benefits: SSDI and SSI

SSDI and SSI are federal programs run by the Social Security Administration. Both use the same medical standard for disability, yet they differ in financial rules and who qualifies.

If you are unsure which to try first, it helps to look at work history and household resources. That quick check often points to the right application.

Social Security Disability Insurance (SSDI)

SSDI pays benefits to workers who paid Social Security taxes and who now have a disability that keeps them from substantial employment. To qualify, you must show that you cannot engage in substantial gainful activity because of a medically determinable physical or mental impairment.

The condition must be expected to last at least 12 months or result in death, as explained by SSA.gov. The SSA uses a five-step review to decide if someone is disabled.

• Step 1: Are you working and earning above the substantial gainful activity amount, $1,690 per month in 2026, adjusted each year? If yes, the claim is usually denied.
• Step 2: Is your condition severe, meaning it limits basic work activities for at least 12 months?
• Step 3: Does your condition meet or equal a listing in the SSA Blue Book?
• Step 4: Can you still do your past work as you actually performed it or as it is generally performed?
• Step 5: Can you adjust to any other work, considering your age, education, and past jobs?

Even if you do not meet a listing, the last two steps leave room to prove that real-world limits remove all competitive jobs. Many SSDI approvals turn on strong medical records and clear statements about functional limits.

Supplemental Security Income (SSI)

SSI supports people with limited income and resources who are aged, blind, or disabled. Unlike SSDI, SSI does not require work credits or a past earnings record.

The medical test for disability mirrors SSDI, including the 12-month duration rule and the SGA standard. Financial limits apply, including a resource cap of $2,000 for an individual and $3,000 for a couple in 2026, and income limits linked to the federal benefit rate of $994 per month for individuals and $1,491 for couples in 2026.

Before moving on, it can help to see these programs side by side. The table below highlights the core points that often drive eligibility.

Program	Who Qualifies	Financial Rules	Disability Standard	Benefit Source
SSDI	Workers with enough work credits and a qualifying disability	No asset limit. Earnings must be below SGA levels	Cannot engage in SGA, condition lasts 12 months or results in death	Federal, SSA
SSI	Low-income individuals who are aged, blind, or disabled	Assets capped at $2,000 individual or $3,000 couple in 2026. Income limited by FBR	Same medical test as SSDI	Federal, SSA
SDA	Michigan residents who meet state disability criteria	Cash assets up to $15,000. Property limit of $200,000 as of Dec. 1, 2019	State disability definition, including 90-day work incapacity in some cases	State-funded, MDHHS

 

Even with a clear comparison, the right choice depends on your records and your current finances. Many people apply for both SSDI and SSI if they qualify.

The SSA’s ‘Blue Book’ (Listing of Impairments)

The SSA Blue Book lists medical conditions that are severe enough to keep someone from substantial gainful activity. The book is organized by body systems and includes both adult and child listings.

Each listing spells out medical criteria that must be shown through labs, imaging, clinical notes, or other evidence. Here are the broad categories you will see in the Blue Book.

• Musculoskeletal system, bones, joints, spine
• Certain senses and speech, vision, hearing
• Respiratory disorders, asthma, COPD
• Cardiovascular system, heart disease, heart failure
• Digestive system, IBS, liver disease
• Genitourinary disorders, kidney disease
• Hematological disorders, blood disorders
• Skin disorders
• Endocrine disorders, diabetes, thyroid disorders
• Neurological disorders, epilepsy, multiple sclerosis, Parkinson’s
• Mental disorders, schizophrenia, depression, anxiety, autism
• Cancer, malignant neoplastic diseases
• Immune system disorders, HIV or AIDS, lupus

If your diagnosis is not on the list, the SSA still looks at medical equivalence. In practice, that means your condition needs to be at least as severe as a listed impairment when all symptoms and test results are weighed together.

State Disability Assistance (SDA) in Michigan

SDA is a Michigan program that pays cash assistance to certain disabled adults. It often helps people while a federal disability claim is pending or when other cash support is not available.

Eligibility includes both disability status and financial limits. For disability under SDA, a person can qualify in more than one way:

• Receiving disability-related benefits, such as Medicaid, based on disability or blindness
• Living in a facility, such as a licensed Adult Foster Care Home
• Being certified by MDHHS medical consultants as unable to work due to a mental or physical disability for at least 90 days.

SDA financial rules allow cash assets up to $15,000, with a property or real estate limit of $200,000 as of December 1, 2019. Income rules can change with budget policies and living arrangements, so double check current guidance with MDHHS.

Other Considerations

Two themes run through most disability claims: proof and process. Getting both right makes a real difference.

The Importance of Medical Evidence

Strong medical evidence carries real weight with both SSA and the state. Your file should include clear diagnoses, lab and imaging results, treatment history, and notes that describe day-to-day limits.

Written opinions from your doctor can help connect the dots between symptoms and work limits. Keep records current and consistent, and try not to skip follow-up care without a documented reason.

Next comes the process side. Even a solid case can stall without organized paperwork and careful forms.

The Role of Legal Counsel

The disability system has many steps, strict deadlines, and detailed forms. An attorney can help pull together medical records, write a tight summary of your limits, and present your case at a hearing.

We also help with related issues, such as estate planning, guardianship, and benefit coordination for long-term care or VA benefits. That broader view can protect income, housing, and health coverage while a claim moves forward.

Need Assistance with a Disability Claim? Contact Bassett Murray Law Group, PLLC

Invested in improving lives, we help Michigan families sort out disability questions with care and clear guidance. If you want to talk through SSDI, SSI, or SDA, call 734-930-9200 for our Ann Arbor office or 231-427-2292 for our Petoskey office and tell us what is going on.

You can also reach us through our Contact Us page to schedule a time to talk. We welcome your questions, and we work hard to secure strong results that protect you and the people you love.