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Qualifying for Benefits
When You’re Over 50

If you’re at the age of 50 or over, your age is now an important factor in your Social Security Disability determination. The disability standard shifts and things become a little easier at age 50.

If you’re under 50, Social Security considers you a “younger individual.” You must prove your inability to perform ALL competitive jobs to get benefits.

At Baynetta M. Jordan, P.C., Attorney at Law, we often find people misunderstand how this works.

Elderly West Texas Couple Needs Social Security Disability Benefits

How Does My Age Affect
My Chances of Winning Benefits?

For example, if you’re in your forties and suffer a knee injury that leaves you unable to perform the physically demanding factory work that you’ve done for years, this won’t be enough to prove disability.

It doesn’t matter if you’ve spent your life doing the same kind of work. Social Security will ask you if there are any other jobs you can hypothetically do.

This includes less physically demanding “sit-down” work like a ticket taker or maybe watching a security screen. Social Security will not take into account that it may be difficult to find such a job — or that this hypothetical job will not provide you with same level of financial support of your prior job.

If you could hypothetically perform another kind of job, Social Security will decide you don’t have a disability that keeps you from working.

However, if you’re between the ages of 50 and 54, you are labeled as “closely approaching advanced age” (Social Security’s label — not ours!).

At this age, if you’re unable to perform a physically demanding factory job and could only perform a “sit-down” job, Social Security is more likely to decide you have a disability.

It will also look at your past work and education to decide what you potentially could or could not do. But Social Security recognizes it can be more difficult for a more senior person to switch to a new job.

Texas Couple Eligible for Social Security Disability Rules for People over 50

Social Security’s Rules Change
Again When You Turn 55

Social Security assumes it keeps getting more difficult for you to switch to other jobs as you continue to age.

At ages 55 — 59 you are considered to be of “advanced age.” (Again, their term, not ours!)

And the rules shift again and become even easier to prove your disability. As you can see, one advantage to growing older is that it makes it easier to prove disability under Social Security’s rules.

No matter your age, if you need help with Social Security Disability benefits, call us. Whether you need to apply or appeal, let Baynetta M. Jordan, P.C., Attorney at Law, help with your disability claim.

Baynetta Jordan knows the local medical providers, Social Security offices and judges of West Texas.

She stands up for people just like you in Lubbock, Plainview, Levelland or anywhere in West Texas, when you need help.