Is Parkinson’s a Disability? Guide to Parkinson’s Disability Benefits

Important: We updated this article in March 2025 after checking Social Security Administration (SSA) policy data and scientific studies. Nearly 90,000 people in the U.S. receive a Parkinson’s disease diagnosis each year, according to Parkinson.org. It is a neurodegenerative disorder that specifically affects the neurons that make dopamine in a specific area of your brain. Symptoms usually appear slowly over several years starting around age 60 and gradually worsen over time. (About 1 in 10 people have PD before age 60; it’s about 1 in 20 for age 50 and younger). It also tends to affect men 1.5x more often than women, and it’s more common in non-Hispanic whites than any other population. But is Parkinson’s a disability? And if so, how hard is it to get Parkinson’s disease disability benefits from the Social Security Administration?

The good news is that yes, the Social Security Administration’s blue book lists Parkinson’s disease as a disability under neurological disorders. Learn about the SSD application process, how to qualify, usual pay amounts and more helpful info below.

Getting Social Security Disability Benefits for Parkinson’s Disease: Key Takeaways

• Parkinson’s disease can help you qualify for monthly payments if your symptoms impact your ability to work for at least 12 months in a row.
• You do not have to be out of work for at least a year before applying for Social Security disability benefits. In fact, your best bet is to file a claim as soon as you receive your official diagnosis.
• The two federal programs that offer disability benefits are Supplemental Security Income (SSI) and Social Security Disability Insurance (SSDI). While they have slightly different rules for getting monthly payments, the Social Security Administration manages both programs.
• Filing with a Social Security attorney makes you 2.9x more likely to get approved on your first try and receive your first payment within 180 days.
• Other types of disability benefits may also be available to you. These include things like VA disability for veterans, short-term or long-term disability benefits from your employer, etc.

Is Parkinson’s a Disability According to the Americans with Disabilities Act?

Parkinson’s disease can cause a range of physical symptoms at first, then gradually lead to cognitive impairment over time. As your symptoms progress, Parkinsonian syndrome can significantly impact your ability to perform:

• Daily tasks, like running errands, cooking, cleaning, and taking care of children
• Job duties as needed, such as lifting and carrying small objects or standing for long periods of time
• Hobbies and group activities you used to enjoy, like sports, gardening, or crafting

The Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA) defines disability as any physical or mental impairment that substantially limits one or more major life activities. Parkinson’s may negatively affect your mobility, balance, coordination, speech, and cognitive abilities. These issues can make everyday tasks harder, and you may need to request reasonable accommodations to keep working at your job.

What Common Symptoms Does Parkinson’s Cause In Most People?

According to the Parkinson’s Foundation, several early signs you may have this disease can include:

• Slight shaking in either your hands or chin (i.e., tremors)
• Changes in either your handwriting size or style
• Constipation
• Loss of smell
• Muscle stiffness
• Trouble sleeping

These symptoms can cause marked limitation in your ability to do normal daily tasks. And if they affect your daily life, they almost certainly hurt your ability to perform basic tasks at work, too.

In fact, fatigue is a major reason why people with Parkinson’s often need to stop working. If that describes your own situation, then it’s time for you to apply for Social Security disability benefits.

Two Federal Programs Offer Parkinson’s Disability Benefits

The Social Security Administration manages two programs that offer monthly disability payments to eligible applicants.

Program #1: Social Security Disability Insurance (SSDI) Benefits

The first program, Social Security Disability Insurance, is designed specifically to help disabled workers. Here are the rules you need to know:

1. You must prove you cannot work at all for 12 months in a row. The best way to do that is with solid medical records that support your SSDI application. We’ll explain more about the medical evidence requirements further down in this article.
2. Your individual monthly income must be less than $1,620 if you’re sighted, or $2,700 if you’re blind. This is because the SSA says anyone still working and earning more than that is engaging in “substantial gainful activity.” In other words, if your monthly income’s too high, they say you don’t actually need any financial assistance to survive.
3. You cannot receive any other Social Security payments each month when you apply for SSDI benefits. This rule is meant to exclude anyone who’s already retired and getting early or regular Social Security checks on their own work record.
4. You also must have at least 40 Social Security work credits in order to qualify. That means you worked at least 5 in the last 10 years while paying Social Security taxes out of every paycheck. You can earn up to 4 credits every year, 1 for every $1,810 in work earnings you pay taxes on through your employer.

SSDI benefits can pay a maximum of $4,018 each month. However, in 2025, the average monthly benefit pays $1,580. If you apply today, expect to get a monthly check that’s somewhere between those two dollar amounts.

Once you get SSDI payments for 24 months, you automatically qualify for Medicare coverage. This is true even if you’re younger than 65 when your SSDI anniversary hits.

Program #2: Supplemental Security Income (SSI) Benefits

Can’t meet the work requirements for SSDI benefits? Then you may still get Supplemental Security Income if all the following describes you:

1. You own less than $2,000 in countable assets as an individual, or $3,000 between you and your spouse combined. That includes things like your bank account balance, property you own, etc.
2. Your total income as a household is less than $2,019 in 2025. Note that this isn’t just your income, but everyone who lives with you that pays for housing, food, monthly bills, etc.
3. You are blind, disabled, or at least 65 years old on the day you file your SSI claim. If you aren’t blind or disabled, being 65+ is enough to pass the medical evaluation for SSI benefits.

SSI pays no more than $967 per person, or $1,450 per couple.

The same month your SSI payments begin, you should also automatically qualify for Medicaid coverage.

Is Parkinson’s a Disability That Can Help You Qualify for Monthly Benefits?

Yes, according to the SSA, Parkinson’s is a disability, provided you meet all the technical and medical eligibility requirements.

How the SSA Evaluates Your Motor and Non-Motor Symptoms for Parkinson’s Disease

Parkinsonian syndrome qualifies for disability benefits when you have motor function disorganization in two limbs that severely limits your ability to do at least one of the following:

• Stand up from a seated position
• Remain balanced while you’re standing or walking without needing any help
• Use both of your arms

You may also qualify if it takes considerable effort for you to function in the following ways, despite following your doctor’s prescribed treatment for at least 3 months in a row:

• Physical functioning (i.e., seeing, breathing, or swallowing like you did before your diagnosis)
• Remembering or applying information
• Interacting with others (i.e., trouble speaking, communicating with, or understanding other people)
• Persisting or maintaining pace (this means you frequently get tired, experience pain, or require considerable effort to do normal daily activities)
• Adapting or managing yourself (meaning you can behave as expected and meet realistic goals at your job, dress appropriately, maintain a good attitude, etc.)

The SSA also considers medical vocational rules to evaluate your overall ability to perform work-related activities. In plain English, that means if you’re over 50 years old, they don’t expect you to do things like go back to college or move to change careers.

Pro Tip: Watch this video from Parkinson’s expert Jill Ater. She’s a Davis Phinney Foundation Ambassador who’s lived with Parkinson’s for years. In it, she talks about her experience getting disability benefits and why it’s smart to work with a lawyer from the beginning.

Medical Records and Your Residual Functional Capacity (RFC) Assessment

Here are the things you’ll need as far as medical evidence to support your Parkinson’s disability benefits claim:

• A Residual Functional Capacity (RFC) assessment form completed and signed by your doctors. This form helps explain to the SSA how Parkinson’s disease affects your daily life and limits your ability to function at work.
• Any prescription medications you currently take to treat your PD symptoms. Be sure to include the dosage, frequency, cost, and any known side effects for each drug you take. It’s also a good idea to include over-the-counter drugs, vitamins, supplements, etc.
• Your complete medical records from the past year, along with documentation of your official Parkinson’s diagnosis.
• Imaging scans (MRIs, CT scans, X-rays), blood tests, and any treatment notes or letters detailing your doctors’ opinions. These help the SSA confirm your symptoms prevent you from working and earning a living.

How to Apply for Parkinson’s Disability Benefits from the SSA

Here are your options for filing your claim:

1. File in person at your local SSA office. It’s very important to call ahead and make an appointment, since the application process can take up to 5 hours.
2. Call the SSA directly to apply over the phone. You can do this by calling 1-800-772-1213 toll free Monday through Friday during normal business hours.
3. Disability lawyers in your area can also help you apply for free. This service costs you nothing up front and greatly boosts your odds of approval right away, the first time you file.

If you’re only interested in SSDI, you can apply for those benefits online at SSA.gov. Be aware, however, that no online application for SSI exists.

The SSA Will Likely Approve Your Application for SSDI Benefits on Your First Try

Studies show 2 in 3 Parkinson’s patients who apply for SSD within 5 years of symptom onset get benefits on their first try. Parkinson’s disease causes a big economic burden for both patients and caregivers alike. This is a good reason why it’s important to start the application process as soon as you possibly can.

Researchers at the Parkinson’s Disease and Movement Disorders Center at the University of South Florida in Tampa performed a study on PD patients’ experience with SSDI. PD patients diagnosed before age 60 were invited to participate in a survey concerning their employment history and experience with SSDI. Out of 68 patients, 82% felt they were too disabled to work full-time starting about 3.4 years after PD diagnosis.

Patients applied for SSDI at a mean of 5 years after diagnosis. About 67% of PD patients who applied for SSDI got it on their first attempt. The main symptom that led to being too disabled to work in this study was fatigue (49% of patients).

Important: Patients who got SSDI had lots of solid medical evidence showing routine doctor visits and a disability lawyer helping them file.

How to Learn if You May Qualify for Parkinson’s Disability Benefits Before You Apply

Worried you don’t have as much medical evidence as you need to get disability payments? Or that your symptoms aren’t far enough along to qualify medically because you can still work a desk job? Get a free consultation from a local disability attorney to learn your chances to qualify for Social Security benefits now, or if you should wait.

Applying for disability can be a long and difficult process. Working with an attorney can make it go much faster, easier, and boost your approval odds on your first try.

Not sure where to find a disability lawyer who can give you a free consultation? We can connect you with one today if you answer just a few brief questions to help us find one that’s available in your area.

It all starts with one free phone call and you don’t have to do anything else. Don’t want to file, or work with the attorney you speak with? No problem. Deciding how and when to move forward is entirely up to you. If an attorney cannot help you get disability payments, then you pay $0 for claim assistance. But if you do win, then you only owe one small fee afterwards.

Ready to get started? Click the button below now:

Get Your Free Benefits Evaluation