If you are over age 50, then you should know that getting disability benefits after this age may be easier than it is for younger applicants. Getting Social Security disability benefits becomes quicker and more straightforward over the age of 50 compared to the same process for younger applicants because older adults are assumed to have worked longer and may have greater difficulty adjusting to alternative types of employment.
After applying for disability benefits, some people get rejected and they do not understand why. One of the most common reasons for disability benefits being denied is not having sufficient work credits. Yes, there are a minimum number of work credits required to be eligible for Social Security Disability Insurance (SSDI) benefits.
To understand SSDI better, these are the benefits that a person may be eligible to get if they have worked full time for the requisite number of years and now have a qualifying disabling condition.
To be qualified for Social Security benefits, a person must have earned the requisite amount of credits for their age. Social Security work credits are based on the sum total of yearly wages or self-employment income. People can earn up to four credits each year. The amount needed for a work credit changes from year to year. In 2021, for example, you earn one credit for each $1,470 in wages or self-employment income.
Important information about disability benefits
Let us take an example into consideration. Suppose you are now age 54, and at this point you are experiencing some serious illness or impairment that is disabling. To be qualified for Social Security benefits, you must have earned at least 32 Social Security work credits. For that, you would have worked full time for at least eight years before applying for disability benefits.
What happens after age 50? If you are at the age of 50 and in need of disability benefits, then you should think about how long you have worked and whether you have paid Social Security through qualifying payroll taxes. If you have worked enough years and earned sufficient Social Security credits, you may not need to worry about disability benefits over 50.
It is easier to get disability benefits after the age of 50, but benefits approval always depends on the ailment or disability you have. For example, conditions that can be shown through MRIs or X-rays may be easier to prove.
Common disabilities like a herniated disc or degenerative disc diseases are common ailments found in older adults and they can be established relatively easily. These issues are musculoskeletal. As such, proof of their diagnosis and severity may be relatively straightforward compared to issues like mental health conditions.
If you are over the age of 50 and suffering from mental health conditions, it may be harder to obtain disability benefits. Mental health conditions are difficult to prove because it can be challenging to produce objective medical evidence for them.
The Social Security Medical-Vocational Allowance
If you are looking to apply for disability benefits, you should look into two forms of qualification options. One way is to have a condition listed in the SSA’s Blue Book that meets the listing criteria. The other is an approval that is based on a medical-vocational allowance.
- The Blue Book can be understood as a medical resource for outlining the criteria and symptoms necessary to qualify for disability benefits
- A Medical-Vocational Allowance looks at how much work you can still perform despite your illness or impairments. This is determined through an evaluation of your residual functional capacity, or RFC. The RFC looks at factors like your age, work history, education, and physical abilities.
Once a person is over the age of 50, it is essential to understand the grid rules. After the age of 50, the Medical-Vocational Allowance process relies on grid rules. The grid rules are nothing more than a set of questions that finally determine whether a person is in need of disability benefits or not. Social Security generally uses the grid rules only after it has determined that you can no longer perform the work you have done in the past.
Social Security disability over the age of 50
When someone applies for disability benefits, in some cases they may use a set of special rules if they have reached age 50.
This set of special rules are consulted when a person aged 50 or older applies for disability benefits:
- The SSA understands that the person is older which may contribute to difficulties adjusting to a new type of work
- Compared to younger workers, workers over the age of 50 are treated more favorably
- The SSA assumes that the person cannot perform all job duties he did before he or she used to
- In some cases, SSA does not expect the person to become adjusted to a new job or type of work, entitling the individual to Social security disability benefits
- Even if the person is doing sedentary work, he or she may be eligible for disability benefits between ages 50 to 54
- If the person is between 55 to 59 years of age, they may be eligible for disability benefits even if they can perform light work.
So, in most cases, SSA is more favorable to people above the age of 50 than younger applicants. The main reason behind this is that older workers find it hard to adjust to new types of work than younger workers.
Work qualification after the age of 50
What happens when you are disabled and have a limited work history? Even in this situation, you may be qualified for benefits if you are aged 50 or above. It is easier to obtain benefits after reaching the age of 50, but you should understand that medical criteria and grid rules may affect your entitlement for disability benefits. Everything depends on your diagnosis. It is relatively easier to prove health conditions like breast cancer, atrial fibrillation, COPD, emphysema, degenerative disc diseases, etc.
Overall, when a person applies for disability benefits, it becomes easier for him when he is over the age of 50. The SSA is more favorable to older applicants in comparison to younger ones. If you are in a dilemma, you should contact an Illinois Social Security Disability Lawyer before applying for disability benefits.
