Social Security Disability Reviews after Age 50
You probably know that the process of applying for and securing Social Security disability (SSDI) benefits can be challenging, and that most SSDI applicants are denied the first time. You may even have heard that it can be easier to get and to keep Social Security disability after age 50.
This page explains how the Social Security Administration (SSA) treats older applicants differently, and how a Social Security disability reviews after age 50 differ from the review process for younger SSDI recipients.
Getting Social Security Disability after Age 50
The overall 5-step process the SSA uses to determine whether you are eligible for Social Security disability benefits is the same whether you are 20 years old or 45 or 60. But, the standards applied in the later stages are somewhat different for applicants older than 50.
The steps are:
- The SSA looks at your current work situation to see whether you are engaged in substantial gainful activity (SGA). In 2025, you are considered to be engaged in SGA if you are earning more than $1,620/month ($2,700/month if you are blind). If you are earning more than the SGA threshold, your application will be denied. If not, it moves onto the next step.
- The SSA determines whether your condition is “severe.” This is a high-level assessment of your medical condition that looks at whether it creates significant limitations on your ability to perform work-related tasks. If this requirement is met and your condition is expected to last at least 12 months, you’ll move on to the next step.
- The SSA looks to see whether your condition is listed in the listing of impairments. The Social Security Blue Book contains a list of medical conditions in several categories, along with criteria for qualifying for Social Security disability with each condition. If your condition meets a listing or is the equivalent of a listing, your application will be approved–assuming you meet all other requirements. If not, your application moves on to the next step.
- The SSA will consider whether you can do past work. The SSA will look at your past work experience to determine whether you are able to perform any of the relevant work you have done in the past in spite of your medical condition. If they determine that you are able to do past work, your application will be denied. If you are not, your application will move to the final step.
- The SSA determines whether there are other types of work you can do despite your medical condition. This is determined through grids that consider your residual functional capacity (the most work you can do despite your medical condition), your past work experience, your educational level and your age. This is the stage where being age 50 or older can really make a difference.
Grid Rules for Disability Applicants Age 50 and Older
The grid system attempts to determine whether there is other work you can adapt to, based on your limitations, experience, skills, education and age. The greatest advantage the grid system offers older workers is when the applicant is limited to light or sedentary work and has limited transferable skills.
For example, consider an applicant who is limited to sedentary work, has a high school education or more, and has skilled or semi-skilled work history that is not transferable.
If the applicant is approaching advanced age (ages 50-54) or of advanced age (ages 55 and up), they will be considered disabled due to the difficulty of adapting to new work based on the combination of medical limitations and age. However, an applicant who was 49 or younger with the same characteristics would not be considered disabled.
That advantage for older applicants falls away quickly as residual functional capacity increases. An applicant who is still capable of medium-level work and is closely approaching retirement age (age 60 or older) won’t be found disabled even if they have limited education and only unskilled work experience.
Continuing Social Security Disability Reviews after Age 50
Approval for Social Security disability benefits isn’t necessarily permanent. Some medical conditions are temporary, or may be alleviated by new treatments that become available after benefits are approved. Changes in the job market may mean there is work an SSDI recipient can perform that wasn’t available when they were initially approved. So, the SSA periodically reviews your continuing eligibility.
How often your eligibility is reviewed will depend in large part on the likelihood that your condition will improve. If it’s likely that you’ll improve, your case will typically be reviewed after 18 months, but perhaps as soon as after six months. If improvement is considered possible, the standard review period is three years. If it’s unlikely that your medical condition will improve, your eligibility will generally be reviewed after seven years. When you receive your benefits approval letter, that letter will also tell you when you should expect your eligibility to be reviewed.
In some circumstances, your eligibility may be reviewed off schedule. This is typically triggered by a new development, such as a change in your medical condition.
How Does the Review Process Work?
Social Security disability disability reviews are not unlike the original determination process. You’ll be asked to provide updated information about how your condition affects you, and the SSA will gather information from your medical providers. If the SSA determines that you are now able to work, your SSDI benefits will be terminated. The amount of time it takes to complete the review varies, but you can check your Social Security disability review status in your account at SSA.gov.
If your benefits are terminated, you will have an opportunity to appeal, just as you do after a negative additional determination.
How Does the Review Process Change after Age 50?
There is no formal change in the scheduling or process of the Social Security disability reviews after age 50, but the likelihood that you will be found able to return to work declines somewhat with age, particularly with medical conditions that worsen over time. Another way the SSA recognizes the challenges of returning to the workforce later in life is with less frequent reviews after age 55. At that point, the review timeline typically shifts to a five or seven-year window, regardless of the likelihood of improvement in your condition.
Help With Your Social Security Disability Reviews or Claims
Whether you’re applying for Social Security disability for the first time, facing a review, or appealing a denial or determination that you can return to work, an experienced disability benefits advocate can be your best resource. At Disability Help Group, we’re dedicated to helping disabled workers like you secure and keep the benefits they deserve. To learn more about how our experienced advocates can help, call us at 800-800-3332 or fill out our contact form here.