By Per Social Security Administration (SSA) statistics, approximately one-fourth of today’s 20-year-olds will face a disabling condition by the time he or she reaches age 67. SSA laws say that the qualifying disabled worker who paid into the Social Security system may qualify for Social Security Disability Insurance (SSDI). If you’re a disabled American worker, you may qualify for one or both of Social Security’s Disability programs. This article addresses how Social Disability laws affect you.
SSA reports that the average disabled beneficiary is about 54 years old. Almost 86 percent of those receiving Social Security Supplemental Security Income (SSI) were disabled or blind. If you’re a worker of any age, you may apply for disability benefits from Social Security. Some Americans receive both SSDI and SSI. The laws concerning Social Security Disability are complex. If you need an attorney to help you file a Social Security Disability application for benefits, contact Summit Disability Law Group.
While any worker can apply for Social Security Disability benefits at any age if he or she has sufficiently paid into the system, the law provides special rules for older persons to obtain disability benefits.
Social Security Disability by the Numbers
Social Security knows that older Americans might not properly adjust to a new type of work even if he or she is physically able to perform these tasks. That’s why SSA considers your ability to perform the kind of work you did before becoming disabled. If you can’t perform this work because of a physical or mental disability, SSA recognizes the fact that older people may find it more difficult to adjust to new work tasks.
For that reason, an older worker is treated more favorably when SSA reviews the application for disability benefits. SSA uses four categories of functional capacity after determining that you can’t perform work you performed before becoming disabled. These categories primary define the amount of weight you’re required to lift in the performance of a job:
1. Sedentary work: The job doesn’t require the work to lift more than 10 pounds
2. Light work: The job sometimes involves lifting more than 10 pounds or, on occasion, up to 20 pounds
3. Medium work: The job requires the worker to lift 25 pounds or occasionally up to 50 pounds
4. Heavy work: The job requires lifting of greater than 50 pounds
Social Security Disability and Age
Although SSA law includes caveats, an older worker may find it a little easier to get SSDI if he or she paid into the system as per requirements or SSI benefits even if he or she did not. For instance, SSA data shows:
• A worker between the ages of 50-54 may collect disability benefits even if he or she is able to perform sedentary work.
• The worker aged 55-59 may collect disability benefits even if he or she can perform light work.
• In some conditions, the worker aged 60-64 may collect disability even if he or she is able to perform medium work.
Recognize that many legal rules apply to SSA’s disability grid, including the applicant’s work experience, education level, and other factors.
How Social Security Disability Laws Affect You
Social Security Disability laws are complex. Many beneficiaries report that SSA disability applications take a lot of time to complete. If you don’t have all of the information on hand when you or a loved one attempts to fill out the application on your own, SSA will ask for additional information and the processing of your claim will be delayed.
If you’re an older disabled American worker, you may have a slightly better shot at getting disability benefits from SSA. However, rules that govern disability claims of applicants over the age of 50 are complicated. Legal assistance can help you receive full benefits in a timely manner. Contact an experienced Social Security Disability law firm to get the help you need to collect the benefits you’ve earned as a U.S. worker.
A Social Security Disability law firm is paid only when you receive benefits. SSA allows disabled workers to retain the services of an experienced Social Security Disability lawyer.
