The first step in learning how to qualify for Social Security disability after age 50 involves answering two questions: Are you still insured under Social Security Disability Insurance (SSDI), and does your condition meet Social Security’s medical standards?
SSDI benefits are for workers who paid into the Social Security system through covered employment. If the Social Security Administration denied your claim, our SSD attorneys at Schaffer & Associates can review the decision and help you prepare the evidence you need for an appeal.
Before any medical standards test, you must have disability insured status and enough work credits. Under 20 Code of Federal Regulations § 404.130, many workers age 31 or older meet the recent-work requirement by having at least 20 quarters of coverage during the 40 quarters ending when disability began. This generally means covered work within the last five years.
Your SSDI coverage can expire if you stop working for a long enough period. 20 C.F.R. § 404.131 addresses when you must have disability-insured status. Reviewing your earnings record and date last insured is an important first step in determining if you are eligible for an SSDI claim after age 50.
If you meet the insured-status rules, the Social Security Administration applies the five-step process outlined in 20 C.F.R. § 404.1520. The agency considers whether:
If Social Security does not approve the claim at step three, it assesses your RFC before steps four and five. Your RFC describes the most you can do on a sustained basis despite your limitations.
To obtain disability insurance after age 50, your records should show the Social Security Administration how your symptoms affect your work-related abilities, such as limiting your ability to stand or concentrate.
Medical evidence should link your condition to your functional limitations. Documentation is especially important when the claim depends on your RFC, as treatment records and test results can help establish the severity of your condition.
Age is more relevant at the final stage. If you can no longer perform past work, Social Security considers age a vocational factor under 20 C.F.R. § 404.1563. It also considers your education and work experience. For some disabled individuals aged 50 or older, the medical-vocational rules can make qualifying for SSDI easier when serious limitations prevent past work and skills do not transfer to other work. However, age alone does not establish disability.
For disability benefits after age 50, Schaffer & Associates focuses on denied claims and appeals. We can review the denial, gather updated evidence, and prepare you for reconsideration or an informal hearing before an administrative law judge.
If you are trying to understand how to qualify for Social Security disability after age 50 following a denial, your appeal should address both your insured status and evidence showing what you can still do at work.
Schaffer & Associates serves clients throughout northwest Ohio. As a small, local firm, we provide steady guidance. You will speak directly with one of our attorneys who will remain involved with your case. Contact us today to discuss your denied SSDI claim and the next stage of your appeal.