By: Sam Wladich, esq. 

When applying for Social Security Disability Benefits age is an important factor the Social Security Administration (SSA) uses in making their decisions. Generally, the older you are the better chance you have of getting a finding of “disabled.” This is due medical and vocational guidelines developed by the SSA that take into account your past work history, education, level of work, and age, in making their determination.1 The older a claimant is SSA will look at this as harder to adjust to new work as well as more physical and mental limitations due to age.

Within the medical and vocational guidelines SSA will assess whether or not one is capable to preforming work at different exertion levels: sedentary, light, medium, and heavy.2 Next the age categories within the medical and vocational guidelines are as follows: If you are 18-49 years old you are considered to be a younger individual; if you are 50-54 years old you are considered closely approaching advanced age; and if you are 55 or older you are considered by Social Security to be in advanced age. However, the SSA will look at ages 45-49 years old different than ages 18-44 years old due to age and ability to transfer job skills. For example if an applicant has performed heavy work his whole life, is found to be capable of sedentary work but is 55 years old, has performed heavy work his whole life with nontransferable job skills, even with a high school education or more, it is possible that the applicant may be found disabled.

Although being older increases your chances of being found disabled this is not guaranteed. An applicant can be within the advanced age category and still be considered “not disabled” according to the medical and vocational guidelines. Having a skilled and knowledgeable representative can still assist you in getting a favorable decision. Your representative can help build a successful claim by getting records, communicating with the SSA, and advocate for you at your hearing by applying these rules. Please contact Karl Kazmierczak, LLC for help for your social security disability claim.