It depends on how disabled you are when you apply for social security disability. For example hydrocephalus is 100%, but other disorders may be 80% or 60%. They took all the years that I worked and then took the high three years. My income was based on that. Then I was told I could work and make up to 80% of what the hight three years averaged out to. Example, if I made $40,000, I could make up to $32,000 now.