Does my age affect whether I qualify for Washington state disability benefits?

My Washington State disability clients, especially my younger clients, often ask me if their age matters in determining whether or not they will qualify for Washington State disability benefits. I tell them that it is easier to be found disabled by the Social Security Administration as you get older. Social Security law makes it easier to qualify for Social Security benefits for a few people at age 45, for more people at age 50, for most people at age 55, and even more people at age 60.

When and how does my age come into play in the Washington State Social Security disability evaluation process?

The Social Security Administration in Washington State and nationwide follows a five-step sequential evaluation process to determine whether you are disabled for purposes of its two disability programs — Social Security disability or Supplemental Security Income, which is referred to as SSI. If it finds that you are disabled or not disabled at a step then the determination is over and it does not go on to the next step.

Those five steps are:

  • Step 1. You are not engaging in “substantial gainful activity” (work that pays you $1,000 per month or more and involves more than minimum duties); and
  • Step 2. You have a “severe” medically determinable impairment (an impairment or combination of impairments is generally considered severe by the Social Security Administration in Washington State and nationally if it significantly limits your physical or mental ability to do basic work activities); and
  • Step 4. Considering your “residual functional capacity,” you are unable to do your “past relevant work” (any substantial gainful activity you did during the past 15 years for a long enough time to learn the job); and
  • Step 5. You cannot make an adjustment to other work that exists in significant numbers, considering your residual functional capacity, age, education, and work experience.

Note that the words in quotes have precise meanings in Social Security law. For more information about the sequential evaluation process, see The Sequential Evaluation Process.

In addition, to be found disabled you must meet the “duration requirement.” That is, your disability must last for 12 full months.

In summary, there are two main routes to a finding of disability on an SSI or Social Security disability application:

  • Your impairment must meet or equal an impairment described in the Listing of Impairments — the sequential evaluation process culminates at Step 3; or
  • You must meet all the other requirements of the sequential evaluation process culminating at step 5.

Therefore, your age comes into play if the second route is taken. This route is taken when your impairment does not must meet or equal an impairment described in the Listing of Impairments.

Age as a factor in step 5 of the Social Security disability evaluation process

Washington State disability claimants who do not meet the step 3 requirements of a severe mental or physical impairment must meet the requirements of steps 4 and 5. At step 5, as discussed above, the Social Security Administration in Washington State and nationally will determine whether you can make an adjustment to other work that exists in significant numbers in the national economy. This step considers your age in addition to your remaining work capacity, education and work experience. This is the most complicated step in the sequential evaluation process.

The Social Security Administration has provided an important tool for determining whether or not you are disabled because of medical impairments and vocational factors: the Medical-Vocational Guidelines. The Medical-Vocational Guidelines, popularly known as the “grids” or “grid system,” provide that the older you are, the easier it is to be found disabled.

Age and the Social Security Administration’s grid system

The Social Security Administration’s grid system can be complicated, but generally it results in making it makes it easier for people over age 50 and especially those over age 55 to meet the definition of disability. This is because if you are older than age 50 (or age 45 in some cases) and no longer do the sort of work you have done in the past, the Social Security Administration must take your age into account when considering whether or not you can do other work.

  • Under age 50 – If you are under age 50, the Social Security Administration generally does not consider that your age will seriously affect your ability to adjust to other work. However, in some circumstances (particularly, if you are illiterate and/or cannot communicate in English) the Social Security Administration considers that persons aged 45-49 are more limited in their ability to adjust to other work than persons who are under age 45.
  • Age 50-54 – If you are closely approaching age 50-54, the Social Security Administration will consider that your age, along with a severe impairment and limited work experience, may seriously affect your ability to adjust to other work.
  • Age 55 or older – If you are age 55 or older, the Social Security Administration believes that your age significantly affects your ability to adjust to other work. It has special rules for persons in this category who are closely approaching retirement age (age 60 and above).

If there are two Washington State disability claimants with nearly identical disabilities and backgrounds and only one of them is older than 50, the older claimant is more likely to receive disability benefits than the younger disability claimant.

I can help claimants with these Washington state Social Security disability claims

Because age is always considered a factor if you are over age 50, the older you are, the better chance you have of being awarded disability benefits. You should definitely apply for Washington State Social Security disability benefits if: (i) you are over age 50 and have a severe impairment that keeps you from doing all but the easiest jobs or (ii) you are over age 55 and you cannot do any job you have done in the past 15 years.

Social Security disability cases for literate claimants under 50 are tough, but not impossible to win. Skilled assistance from a Washington State disability lawyer can be essential.

If you are filing your initial application or appeal and are not already represented by a Washington State disability lawyer and want my evaluation, give me a brief description of your claim using the form to the right. Or you may contact me at:

Truitt & Lyons, Attorneys at Law
Christopher Lyons, Esq.
Washington State disability lawyer
E-mail me

640 E. Whidbey Avenue
Oak Harbor, Washington 98277
Toll-free: 1-888-615-2050
Local: 360-675-9310

Representing Washington State Social Security disability claimants and veterans with disability benefits claims throughout Western Washington.