What Are the Social Security Disability Rules After Age 50?

The Social Security Disability Insurance (SSDI) rules after age 50 are considered the rules for “closely approaching advanced age.” Under these rules, you may more easily qualify for disability benefits.

A Social Security Disability lawyer can provide you with more information about the changes to these rules as you age. An attorney can also help with the application process or with an appeal if the Social Security Administration (SSA) denies your initial claim.

What Are the SSDI Rules After Age 50?

When you turn 50, your age becomes an important factor in your SSDI claim. The disability rules shift and become somewhat easier at age 50, because the SSA no longer considers you a “younger individual.”

If you’re between the ages of 50 and 54, you qualify as “closely approaching advanced age” (SSA’s label – not ours!). Once you reach this stage, the agency eases the eligibility requirements for the ability to perform competitive employment for disability benefits.

We can compare the pre-age-50 requirements and the post-age-50 competitive employment requirements to better explain:

Requirements for Competitive Employment: Before Age 50

The SSA will consider all hypothetical work you can perform after a disabling injury if you’re under 50. For example, let’s say you used to work in construction but sustained an injury that left you unable to return to work.

The Social Security Administration will ask you if there is other work you can hypothetically perform, including less physically demanding “sit-down” work, like answering phones or a typical desk job.

If the SSA determines that you could hypothetically perform a sit-down job, then you won’t qualify for disability. Social Security won’t care that it may be challenging to find such a job or that this hypothetical job will not provide you with the same level of financial support as your prior job.

Requirements for Competitive Employment: After Age 50

Let’s consider the same situation, but let’s assume that you were 50 when your accident happened. In this situation, if you have not been performing seated work and have no skills that transfer into this work, you are considered disabled under the agency’s Medical Vocational Guidelines.

Therefore, it can become easier to get the benefits you need as you age. An attorney can provide more information about these regulations, including what the SSDI rules are after age 50.

Do “GRID Rules” Change After Age 50?

Your classification through SSA’s “GRID rules“ changes once you reach age 50, resulting in the changes we have been discussing thus far. Basically, the SSA will assume it’s more difficult for you to transition between jobs and adjust to different working environments as you get older.

Basically, once you reach the age of 50, the SSA can still approve your application for benefits, even if you can technically get a job that involves sedentary work, if you previously worked in a different field.

However, the SSA will not consider you disabled at 50 if you can still perform sedentary work and you have previous experience working in this kind of job. A Social Security Disability application lawyer can tell you more about your potential eligibility for benefits.

Do SSA Rules Continue to Change as You Age?

The SSA’s rules on determining eligibility for disability benefits will continue to change as you grow older. For example, at ages 55 – 59, you are considered to be of “advanced age,” and the rules shift again and become even easier to prove your disability.

Regardless of your age, the SSA will need considerable information about your condition before approving your request for disability benefits. For example, during the application process, you may need to include:

• Results from MRIs, CT scans, or other medical diagnostic tests
• Reports from your doctor
• Information about your job experience

A disability attorney can help you gather all the information you need when making a disability claim.

What Happens if the SSA Denies Your Claim at Age 50?

If the SSA denies your request for benefits, you can get help going through the appeals process with a Social Security Disability appeals lawyer. An attorney can review your situation, assess the reasons for the denial, and walk you through the process of contesting the SSA’s initial decision.

Talk to Us About Disability Rules as You Age

So, what are the Social Security Disability rules after age 50? While most of the rules for applying for SSDI benefits stay the same as you age, it does become easier to qualify for disability after the age of 50.

No matter how old (or young) you are, if you need help with Social Security Disability benefits, call us for assistance. We can help you apply or appeal a denial. Our team at Pilzer Klein has over 50 years of combined experience that we can use to assist with your situation.

Contact us now to learn more.