There are times in life when one cannot depend on any other option but to seek support from disability benefits. Today, about 12.6% of people rely on disability assistance. However, your age will hold significant importance in determining your eligibility and qualification for disability benefits in the United States. This is in contrast to countries like Australia that have a National Disability Insurance Scheme (or the NDIS) that aims to provide federal support to the disabled at a national level through authorised local support providers like Selectability NDIS Cairns.
Your age will matter even more if you have been deprived of employment or are suffering from any degenerative condition. The Social Security Administration (SSA) will consider many different factors, with age as one of the aspects relating to whether one will have a successful disability claim.
If you are over age 50 and preparing for a disability claim, there are reputable Social Security Lawyers in San Antonio who have the necessary experience and insight to provide comprehensive assistance throughout the entire process. But before that, these are some of the important details that can help you better understand how to apply and get approved for Social Security disability benefits.
Regulations Relating to Social Security Disability After 50
There are special regulations for workers who are older than 50 and seeking disability benefits in specific scenarios. In these cases, the SSA considers the fact that it can be challenging for older employees in the workforce to adjust to a whole new work setting or type of work. However, under the requirements delineated by the SSA, applicants older than 50 are treated on different terms when determining whether they are able to work in any capacity, comparatively more favorably than younger applicants would be in the same situation. This is because the SSA is aware that individuals of this age are usually unable to perform these tasks or duties in the same way that a younger employee might be able to perform them.
However, other times, if you are an applicant of disability benefits and you are older than age 50, you likely will not need to cope with a new workplace and you can be considered eligible for Social Security disability benefits. For instance, if you are age 50 to 55, you might be eligible for your benefits even if you can perform sedentary jobs. If you are age 55 to 59, you could be eligible even if you can perform lightweight duties and work. Yet again, this is because the SSA performs its evaluation based on slightly easier and less stringent grounds when it comes to determining whether older applicants are eligible for benefits and whether they qualify for them.
How Does the SSA Grid Regulation Work?
The SSA grid regulations are adjusted according to your age, and the criteria for applicants who are age 50 or above are more lenient. This means that, even if a person is not sure based on their present condition whether they would qualify for Social Security disability benefits, it is worth applying at or above 50. Also, the SSA will consider whether you have a physically incapacitating condition and limited work history, which may not be the case when considering a younger individual’s application. Because age provides quite a significant advantage here, older individuals should not delay in filing their applications for disability benefits.
Research shows that many individuals prefer to wait to apply until at least the age of 50 to make the most of their disability benefits. However, it also assumes that these people are not undergoing any financial emergency at the moment and can otherwise provide support for themselves and their families.
What Does the Bluebook Say About Disability Over 50?
As long as you can match the SSA bluebook criteria for determining whether you are disabled, you are in a good position for being eligible for benefits. You will need to prove that you can no longer perform the types of work you used to do. Here are the categories set by the SSA that can determine the amount you will need to lift to perform a specific type of job:
- Sedentary: Unable to lift more than 10 pounds of weight.
- Light: Able to lift 10 pounds and not surpassing 20 pounds.
- Medium: Able to lift 20 pounds often and 50 pounds infrequently.
- Heavy: Able to lift a weight of more than 50 pounds often.
In the pursuit of disability benefits, disability applications are usually unlike any other application you have ever completed before. These applications require extensive amounts of intricate detail and supporting documentation that sufficiently proves the existence of your disability. If your application has even one small mistake, you may face delays in the process or instant denial.
This is why it is important to seek the counsel of a legal professional who regularly handles disability claims relating to over 50 benefits. Not only can an experienced lawyer provide you with valuable insights and manage the required paperwork, but they can also expedite the claims process in certain situations. In addition, an attorney can also help you present yourself well in hearings and provide further guidance that you might require during the claims process.
