Social Security Disability approvals are based in part on one big factor – whether you can adjust to a different kind of work from your previous job.
If you’re under 50, the Social Security Administration (SSA) is more likely to conclude you can switch to different jobs.
If you work a physically demanding construction job as a younger person, for example, even if your medical conditions prevent you from continuing in that, the SSA might conclude you can perform a more sedentary clerical job in an office.
When you’re over 50, the SSA considers it harder for you to perform physical jobs and move to other jobs, making it easier for you to qualify for benefits.
THE SSA LISTS THREE AGE CATEGORIES:
- YOUNGER PERSON: Someone under 50 who must prove they cannot perform ANY job their education and background qualifies them for, not just their most recent job.
- CLOSELY APPROACHING ADVANCED AGE: Someone from 50-54 whose age, the SSA says, “significantly affects a person’s ability to adjust to other work.”
- PERSON OF ADVANCED AGE: Someone 55 or older who could benefit from SSA rules that become even more lenient with time.