Filing for Social Security Disability benefits comes with a lot of questions. You may know that your medical condition prevents you from working the way you once did, but the Social Security Administration looks at disability claims through a specific set of rules and requirements.
How does the SSA decide if you’re disabled? This is a 5-step test. Here is what you want to know about this process.
Step 1: Are You Currently Working?
The SSA needs to know whether you are working. And if you are employed, how much money are you earning? If you make too much, you may not qualify.
It uses the standard substantial gainful activity (SGA) to determine whether your work activity is significant enough to show that you may still be able to support yourself through employment.
If your earnings are above the SSA’s limit for SGA, your claim could be denied. Keep in mind that having some income or attempting to work does not automatically mean you cannot qualify for benefits. The SSA looks at your earnings and the nature of your work activity.
If you are not working or your earnings fall below the SGA limit, then your claim will move to the next step.
Step 2: Is Your Medical Condition Severe?
After that, the SSA wants to know about your medical condition. This must be something that significantly affects your ability to perform basic work-related activities.
The SSA wants to know how your condition affects your daily life and ability to work, not just the name of the condition.
With a severe impairment, it may affect your ability to:
- Stand, walk, lift, or perform physical tasks
- Concentrate or remember instructions
- Maintain a regular work schedule
- Communicate or interact with others
- Complete normal workplace responsibilities
To qualify, your condition must be expected to last at least 12 months or result in death to meet the SSA’s definition of disability.
Step 3: Does Your Condition Meet the SSA’s Disability Listings?
At this step, the SSA compares your condition to its official list of disabling impairments. This is called the Listing of Impairments or the “Blue Book.”
This includes the medical criteria for a wide range of physical and mental health conditions. If your condition meets the requirements, the SSA may determine that you are disabled without needing to move through the evaluation process.
But you do not have to match a listing exactly to qualify. The SSA may also consider whether your condition is medically equal in severity to a listed impairment.
Step 4: Can You Return to Your Previous Work?
If your condition does not meet or equal a listed impairment, the SSA will look at whether you can still perform the work you did before.
The SSA evaluates your residual functional capacity (RFC). This looks at what you are still able to do despite your medical limitations. In these cases, the SSA may consider:
- Your ability to sit, stand, walk, or lift
- Your ability to follow directions
- Your ability to focus and stay on task
- Your physical and mental limitations
- The requirements of your previous jobs
If your limitations prevent you from returning to your past work, the SSA moves on to the final step.
Step 5: Can You Perform Any Other Work?
Finally, you will be evaluated on whether you could realistically perform other jobs based on your abilities, limitations, age, education, and work history.
The SSA examines whether your skills and limitations would allow you to adjust to other types of employment. For someone with severe physical limitations, transitioning to a different career may be more challenging than for someone with fewer restrictions.
If the SSA decides that there are no other jobs you can reasonably perform, you may qualify for disability benefits.
Know More About the SSA’s Five-Step Process
The Social Security Administration’s disability evaluation process can feel confusing, especially when you are already dealing with a serious medical condition. Knowing how the SSA decides if you’re disabled in this five-step test can help you know what to expect when the agency reviews your claim. If you are applying for Social Security Disability benefits or appealing a denial, Easter & DeVore, Attorneys at Law, can make sure your claim reflects how your condition affects your ability to work. Reach out today to schedule a consultation.
