You’ve probably heard that it can be difficult to get Social Security disability benefits (SSD). Most SSD applications are denied in the first round, and it can take two years or more to get through the appeals process and secure benefits. What many people don’t know is that the chances of approval increase as you age. That’s especially true once you turn 60.
There are two ways to qualify for Social Security disability benefits. The first is to demonstrate that you meet or equal one of the medical conditions listed in the Social Security Blue Book. Simply having a listed condition isn’t sufficient to qualify for SSD. You must meet specific criteria the Social Security Administration (SSA) sets forth to ensure that your condition is truly disabling. The specific criteria are different depending on the condition.
If you don’t meet or equal a listed condition, you may still qualify for Social Security disability benefits if the SSA determines that you are unable to engage in substantial gainful activity. That begins with a look at your past relevant work. If the SSA determines that you can still do work you have done in the past, you will not be considered disabled. If you can’t do the work you did before, the next step is for the SSA to consider whether you can do other work. This is where being aged 60 or older helps.
At this point, the determination hinges on “grid rules.” The grid looks at a combination of the applicant’s age, educational level, and past work experience to determine disability. Those aged 60 and older are classified as “advanced age” and are considered disabled in some circumstances where a younger worker would not be. For example, an applicant in their 60s with a high school education and skilled or semi-skilled work history that is not directly transferable to a new job would be considered disabled. But, an applicant under the age of 50 with the same combination of education and experience would not.
Is It Worth Applying for Social Security Disability in Your 60s?
If you are 60 or older, you may question whether it is worthwhile to apply for SSD when you are so close to being able to take early retirement benefits. The answer is yes. When you take early retirement benefits, the amount of your monthly benefit is reduced forever. However, if you qualify for SSD, you will receive your full retirement benefit amount. When you reach full retirement age, your benefits will switch to retirement benefits, but you will still receive the full monthly benefit.
Talk to a Disability Benefits Advocate Today
While the SSA makes it a little easier for older workers to qualify for SSD, success still depends on the quality of your application. Give yourself the best chance at approval by working with an experienced SSD benefits advocate from the start.
To learn more about how we can help, call (800) 800-2009 right now or contact us here now.
When most people think of qualifying for Social Security Disability (SSD), they think about proving that their medical condition is severe enough that they are unable to earn a living. That is a necessary part of the process. But, there are technical criteria that must be met before the Social Security Administration (SSA) even looks at your medical condition.
To qualify for SSD, a disabled worker must have sufficient work credits. For disability benefits, these credits are measured in two ways. The applicant must have a certain number of total work credits and a certain number of recent work credits. The number of each type of credit required varies depending on the applicant’s age.
What are Work Credits?
When you work and pay into Social Security, you collect work credits. The maximum number of credits you can earn in a year is four, regardless of how much money you make during that year. The amount of earnings it takes to constitute a credit changes over time. In 2023, you must earn $1,640 to earn one credit.
Earning credits for the year tops out at $6,560/year, so most people who work full-time–or even steady part-time jobs–will accrue four credits in a year. If you earn less, you’ll get fewer credits.
How Many Work Credits Are Required for SSD?
For most disabled workers, the minimum number of total work credits accrued to qualify for SSD benefits is 40. That’s the equivalent of 10 years of work. It’s also the same number of work credits required for Social Security retirement benefits. However, disability qualification has another element. Unless you are legally blind, you must also have a certain number of recent work credits. For most applicants, that number is 20 (the equivalent of five years of work) within the 10 years prior to applying.
Credit Requirements are Lower for Younger Workers
A worker who becomes disabled Earlier in adulthood hasn’t had as much time to receive work credits. So the number of work credits required is adjusted based on the applicant’s age. For instance, if the disabled worker is under the age of 24, they need just six work credits (1.5 years) of work in the prior three years.
If your social security record indicates that you do not have enough work credits, review the record carefully. If there are jobs missing from your record or incorrect time periods, you can correct your record.
Talk to an Experienced SSD Benefits Advocate
The rather complicated formula for work credits above is just one element of qualifying for Social Security disability benefits. Proving that your condition meets or equals a condition listed in the Blue Book, or that you are unable to work, can be much more complicated. Most Social Security disability initial applications are denied. To give yourselves the best chance of approval, work with a qualified disability benefits advocate who knows what the SSA is looking for.
To learn more about how we can help, call (800) 800-2009 right now or contact us here.
– Matt Sauerwald, President, Disability Help Group
Matt Sauerwald is one of the nation’s top Disability Advocates. Matt has spent more than a decade helping people who are unable to work due to a disability, representing thousands of clients along the way. He knows people pursuing disability benefits hear a lot of misinformation and conflicting advice. So, he’s sharing what you need to know about pursuing Social Security disability benefits for anxiety.
Can You Get Social Security Disability Benefits for Anxiety?
The Social Security Blue Book includes a listing for anxiety and two related disorders: obsessive-compulsive disorder and panic disorder. It is possible to receive SSD benefits for these conditions if certain criteria are met.
For anxiety disorder, the SSD applicant must exhibit at least three of the following signs and symptoms of the disorder:
Restlessness
Being easily fatigued
Difficulty concentrating
Irritability
Muscle tension
Sleep disturbance
In addition, the applicant must meet one of the following two sets of criteria:
Extreme limitation of one or marked limitation of two of the following areas of mental functioning:
Ability to understand, remember, or apply information
Ability to interact with others
Ability to concentrate, persist, or maintain pace
Ability to adapt or manage oneself
OR
The condition is serious and persistent, meaning that the applicant is undergoing ongoing treatment that diminishes the signs and symptoms of the condition and has a limited capacity to adapt to changes in environment or demands not already part of their daily life.
Establishing these factors typically requires a combination of medical records and documentation and information from the applicant and family members about what they are and are not able to do in their daily lives. Matt and his team at Disability Help Group have extensive knowledge of what is required to successfully pursue Social Security disability benefits for anxiety. Whether you’re just applying for SSD for the first time or need to appeal a denial, you owe it to yourself to learn more about how our experienced disability advocates can help.
Matthew Sauerwald has been a dedicated voice for people seeking disability benefits since 2010. He has represented thousands of claimants fighting for Social Security disability or VA disability benefits and currently leads Disability Help Group, one of the most successful disability advocacy organizations in the United States.
How Long Does it Take to Receive Long-Term Disability?
Long-term disability (LTD) provides income if a disability prevents you from working if the injury was not work-related. Disability benefits for a long-term work-related injury are typically paid through workers’ compensation. A long-term disability policy may be offered through your employer. However, according to the Bureau of Labor Statistics, just 35% of employees in the U.S. have access to LTD coverage. A long-term disability policy can also be purchased directly.
Long-term disability isn’t full income replacement. What percentage of your income LTD will replace depends on the terms of your policy, with the average payout being about 60%. You also won’t start receiving disability benefits as soon as you become disabled.
Waiting Periods for Long-Term Disability
Virtually all long-term disability benefit plans have a waiting period between the time you become disabled and the time you are eligible to start receiving benefits. The waiting period is commonly between 90 and 180 days but may be as short as 30 days or as long as one year.
It’s important to note that this timeline only holds true if your LTD benefits are approved promptly. Unfortunately, most are not. When the claim is initially denied, the process of administrative appeals and perhaps even civil lawsuits can significantly extend the time it takes to begin receiving benefits. The upside is that when benefits are eventually approved, they will typically be backdated to the time when you should initially have been eligible. The downside is that when you are disabled and unable to work, you may not be able to wait out the long process of fighting for your benefits.
If you find yourself in this position, you may want to:
Check into whether you are also eligible for Social Security disability and apply
Check to see whether your state offers disability benefits–a handful do
Look into other sources of short-term assistance–one good resource in most states is to call 211, a central resource to connect people with various types of local assistance
You’ll also want to give yourself the benefit of an experienced disability benefits advocate who can help ensure that you know your rights and keep your claim moving forward efficiently. To learn more about how Disability Help Group can help you fight for your benefits, call 800-800-3332 or contact us here.
Best Tips When Appealing Your Denied Disability Claim
Social Security disability (SSDI) benefits serve as an important safety net for U.S. workers who become disabled before retirement age. Unfortunately, most claims for Social Security disability benefits are initially denied. In other words, when you file for SSDI benefits, you should be prepared to have to work your way through the process. That means:
If your claim is still denied after reconsideration, request a hearing before an administrative law judge (ALJ), which will offer you the opportunity to share additional information and present witnesses
If your claim is denied after the ALJ hearing, request a review of the hearing decision–however, the Appeals Council gets to decide whether or not to review your case
If your claim is denied by the Appeals Council or they opt not to consider your case, file a lawsuit in federal court
Of course, each stage means additional time. So, you’ll want to make sure that you set yourself up for the greatest chance of success at every stage. Ideally, that means working with an experienced disability benefits advocate to put together your original claim or to help with whatever stage of the appeals process you’re undertaking.
Increasing Your Chances of Winning in the Appeals Process After You’ve Been Denied
The very first step toward successfully appealing your SSDI denial is understanding the reason for your denial. Carefully review your denial letter, and consider contacting your local Social Security Administration (SSA) for more information or getting help from an experienced advocate.
It’s also very important that you meet the deadline for requesting reconsideration or appealing the decision. If you miss the deadline, you can reapply, but you will set your claim back by several months and may lose out on some benefits if you have to start over.
Regardless of whether you are submitting a request for reconsideration or appearing before an ALJ, you’ll want to supplement the record in any way you can. That may mean updated medical records, the results of testing you’ve undergone since you submitted your application, witnesses who observe your daily life, or other evidence that helps show you are disabled.
An Experienced Disability Benefits Advocate Can Help With Your Denied Claim
Perhaps the most important tip is to get the help you need. Part of increasing your chances of success in the SSDI appeals process is understanding what the SSA is looking for and how best to present that evidence. Our disability benefits advocates have extensive experience with Social Security disability claims and appeals and can help you put forth the strongest case possible.
To learn more about how we can help, call 800-800-3332 or contact us here for a FREE consultation.
Can I Receive Disability Benefits for Fibromyalgia?
Fibromyalgia is a chronic, potentially disabling condition that scientists don’t yet fully understand. While medical treatment can help manage symptoms, there is no cure for fibromyalgia. Some of the key symptoms include pain in multiple sites in the body, fatigue, and difficulty sleeping. There is no conclusive diagnostic test for fibromyalgia, and the diagnosis is usually based on a combination of symptoms and exclusion of other possible causes.
Fibromyalgia is not listed in the Social Security Blue Book, and for a long time, the complex nature of the condition and the unknowns surrounding it made it very difficult to pursue Social Security disability benefits (SSDI) for the condition. However, in 2012 the Social Security Administration (SSA) issued guidance specifically for claims based on fibromyalgia.
Guidelines for SSDI Claims Based on Fibromyalgia
The SSA now says that fibromyalgia may be recognized as a medically determinable impairment (MDI) if certain criteria are met. There are two sets of criteria that may be employed: the 1990 American College of Rheumatology (ACR) Criteria for the Classification of Fibromyalgia and the 2010 ACR Preliminary Diagnostic Criteria.
Two of the three criteria are the same under either set of standards:
A history of widespread pain (in both sides of the body, above and below the waist, and spinal) that has lasted for at least three months, and
Evidence that other possible explanations for the symptoms have been excluded through appropriate medical testing
In addition to these two requirements, the SSDI claimant must also show either:
Medical testing found at least 11 “tender points” among 18 listed locations on the body, or
Repeated manifestations of six or more fibromyalgia symptoms, such as fatigue, memory problems, cognitive issues, waking tired, anxiety, depression, or irritable bowel syndrome
Evidence of Disability
If you’re pursuing Social Security disability benefits for this condition, you’ll need objective medical evidence stating so. Diagnosis from your physician is not sufficient, and the SSA will want to review your medical history and the tests used to exclude other possible causes. In addition, you may submit additional information from non-medical sources, including those who have had the opportunity to observe your medical limitations over time.
Submit the Strongest Possible SSDI Claim
Most SSDI applications are denied at first. The more clear, complete, and on-point your application and supporting documentation are, the better your chances of approval. At Disability Help Group, we have extensive experience with disability benefits claims and appeals. We know what type of evidence is necessary to support your claim, and how to present it effectively.
To learn more about how we can help you pursue disability benefits for fibromyalgia, call (800) 800-3332 right now, or contact us here for a FREE case evaluation.
