MAGIC AT AGE 50

If you are disabled and are at least age 50, it's almost magic. If you can show that you are limited to sedentary unskilled work, Social Security will assume that you cannot transition to other work. This is because of the Medical-Vocational Guidelines which use your age, education, functional capacity and previous work experience to direct a finding of disability. A person age 48 could loose a claim while a person age 50 could win with the very same impairment.

At age 55, it gets even more magical. If you can show that you are limited to performing unskilled light work, you will be found disabled, as long as you are not able to perform your past relevant work.

Now, let's define a few terms that I've used in this post, just so no one is confused.

Sedentary work is work that can be done mostly from a seated position. It requires the ability to sit for about 6 hours per day and stand/walk no more than about 2 hours per day. It requires the ability to lift and carry up to 10 pounds occasionally.

Light work requires the ability to stand/walk at least 6 hours per day, to lift and carry 10 pounds frequently and up to 20 pounds occasionally.

Past Relevant Work is work you have performed within the 15 year period immediately before applying for disability benefits. To be considered Past Relevant Work, you must have....

a) performed the job at the level considered to be 'substantial gainful activity,' and

b) performed the job long enough to learn how to do it well.