Navigating a Social Security Disability Review After Age 50

Christian Worstell
In this article...
  • Learn how to navigate a Social Security disability review after age 50, including qualification, preparation and your appeal rights for continued benefits.
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As individuals approach the age of 50, it is essential to understand the intricacies of a social security disability review after age 50. Making sense of the review process can be tricky, yet with proper understanding and readiness, you can guarantee that your advantages are ensured.

In this guide, we will explore various aspects related to social security disability reviews for those over the age of 50. We'll discuss qualifying for Social Security Disability Benefits after turning 50 and how to prepare for a continuing disability review report at this stage in life.

Table of Contents:

 

Understanding Social Security Disability Reviews After Age 50

Continuing Disability Reviews (CDRs) are an important part of the Social Security Administration's process for determining eligibility for disability benefits.

For those over age 50, a CDR is required to ensure that they continue to meet the criteria for receiving benefits. Comprehending the expectations during a SSDR and how it could alter one's eligibility is critical.

Eligibility requirements for SSDI include being disabled as defined by Social Security regulations, having worked long enough in jobs covered by Social Security, and meeting certain medical conditions.

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To qualify for SSDI after age 50, you must have earned a minimum of 20 credits in the decade before becoming disabled or acquire 40 credits if your disability occurs prior to reaching full retirement age. You must also prove that your disabling condition has lasted or is expected to last at least 12 months or result in death.

If the SSA concludes that you are no longer disabled based on their findings from the review, they can cut off your SSDI benefits until further notice unless an appeal is lodged within sixty days of receiving notification of termination. To make sure you keep up with your rights, stay ahead of the game and ensure that all bases are covered.

Qualifying for Social Security Disability Benefits After Age 50

Qualifying for Social Security disability benefits after age 50 can be a complicated process. 

  • Applicants must possess a physical or mental impairment that has persisted for at least 12 months, is anticipated to last another 12 months, or will likely cause death. This impairment must prevent the applicant from engaging in any substantial gainful activity (SGA).

  • An SGA is defined as earning $1,470 per month in 2023 for non-blind people ($2,460 in 2023 if you're blind) or more through employment or self-employment.

  • The medical evidence supporting your claim should include information about how long the impairment has been present and what it prevents you from doing — for example, not being able to stand for eight hours without interruption.

Financial Need

To qualify for Social Security disability benefits after age 50, applicants must also demonstrate financial need by showing that their income does not exceed certain limits set by the government. Marital status, as well as other criteria like obtaining SSI, can decide the financial requirement for Social Security disability benefits after 50.

In addition to income limitations, there may be asset limitations depending on your situation. Assets like stocks and bonds count toward this limit while personal items do not.

Qualifying for Social Security Disability Benefits at 50+ can be tricky, but with proper knowledge and prep it's possible to get them.

Preparing for a Social Security Disability Review After Age 50

Preparing for a Social Security Disability Review After Age 50 can be an intimidating process. Once you've reached 50, it's essential to comprehend the evaluation process and what evidence is needed in order to get the advantages that you are qualified for. The purpose of this check-in is to determine if your medical condition has improved or worsened since your last review.

At full retirement age or later, your SSDI benefits could be extended indefinitely with no further reviews necessary until reaching Full Retirement Age plus five years old.

Unless there are any suspicions of fraudulence or other reasons requiring earlier reviews due to changes in condition(s), this period would remain untouched.

If you're found medically impaired but don't meet disability benefits criteria, you may appeal the benefits denial decision within a specified timeframe, typically within 60 days of receiving your notification letter.

The best advice is always to consult legal counsel when considering filing appeals; just make sure to get professional opinion first before taking action accordingly. 

What to Expect During a Social Security Disability Review After Age 50

At age 50+, those receiving SSD may be subject to a Continuing Disability Evaluation (CDR). This is an analysis conducted by the SSA to decide if one's impairment still qualifies for advantages.

The SSA will perform a thorough assessment to decide if you still deserve SSD benefits when you are over 50 and have been receiving them for some time. During this review, SSA will assess whether or not you meet their criteria for continuing eligibility.

SSA will initiate the review process by dispatching a Continuing Disability Review Report (CDRR) that specifies what data they need from you to proceed.

SSA will request certain data from you to assess your situation, such as medical documents, job background, educational details and other pertinent materials. Once all of these documents are received by SSA, they will begin assessing your case.

SSA will evaluate multiple components when assessing your situation, such as:

  • Whether or not the disabling impairments have remained static
  • If any fresh treatments have been attempted
  • If there has been an enhancement in your abilities
  • Whether there is a change in your ability to execute fundamental activities (e.g., walking or lifting objects) since being identified as disabled last time
  • Additionally, they may question you about how long it takes for certain tasks compared to before disability was established, along with enquiring about lifestyle changes like part-time/full-time job outside of SSD benefits

Upon review of all evidence presented during a CDR, if it is determined that an individual qualifies for continued SSD benefits, the case can be closed without further action being necessary from either party.

On the other hand, should SSA deem that an individual's condition has improved to such a degree as to no longer meet their definition of disabled according to standards, SSDI benefits may then be terminated even before full retirement age is reached. 

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Disability Benefits Review FAQs

Is it easier to get Social Security Disability if you're over 50?

Age is not a factor in being approved for Social Security Disability. What matters are if an individual's medical condition meets the criteria set forth by the SSA.

The SSA has established specific criteria that must be met for an individual to be approved for Social Security Disability, based on their medical condition. An applicant must provide sufficient evidence to prove their disability is severe enough to prevent them from working and earning a substantial income. 

At what age does Social Security stop doing disability reviews?

Social Security disability reviews stop when you reach full retirement age, which is currently 66 years old.

At full retirement age, the SSA will assess your eligibility for continued disability benefits and review any changes to your medical condition or income. If the SSA finds that you can work again, then your disability payments will end at full retirement age.

Conclusion

As you approach 50, it is beneficial to familiarize yourself with the Social Security Disability review process and how best to prepare for it in order to maximize your potential benefits.

Realizing your entitlements and being aware of the procedure can help make sure that you are able to get all of the rewards accessible from Social Security Disability Insurance when you come to this age in life.

If any issues arise during your social security disability review after age 50, be sure to take advantage of appeal rights so that you may continue receiving these vital benefits.

Christian Worstell
About the Author

Christian Worstell is a senior Medicare and health insurance writer with HelpAdivsor.com. He is also a licensed health insurance agent. Christian is well-known in the insurance industry for the thousands of educational articles he’s written, helping Americans better understand their health insurance and Medicare coverage.

Christian’s work as a Medicare expert has appeared in several top-tier and trade news outlets including Forbes, MarketWatch, WebMD and Yahoo! Finance.

While at HelpAdvisor, Christian has written hundreds of articles that teach Medicare beneficiaries the best practices for navigating Medicare. His articles are read by thousands of older Americans each month. By better understanding their health care coverage, readers may hopefully learn how to limit their out-of-pocket Medicare spending and access quality medical care.

Christian’s passion for his role stems from his desire to make a difference in the senior community. He strongly believes that the more beneficiaries know about their Medicare coverage, the better their overall health and wellness is as a result.

A current resident of Raleigh, Christian is a graduate of Shippensburg University with a bachelor’s degree in journalism. You can find Christian’s most recent articles in our blog.

If you’re a member of the media looking to connect with Christian, please don’t hesitate to email our public relations team at Mike@MyHelpAdvisor.com.

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