Social Security Disability When You’re Over 50 in Wisconsin

The Most Important Requirements for Social Security Disability Benefits

Look at the qualifications for anyone applying for Social Security Disability benefits, and you can see how being older than 50 can increase your chances of winning:

• You must have severe health problems.
• Your health problems must leave you unable to work.
• You must be unable to work in past jobs or any other job.
• You’ve stopped working a substantial amount already.
• Your condition has lasted, or will last, at least one year.
• For Social Security Disability Insurance (SSDI) benefits, you’ve paid enough into the system.
• For Supplemental Security Income (SSI) benefits, your income and assets fall under certain limits.

For a person younger than 50, Social Security might say that if their health problems prevent them from continuing in their current job, they may be able to learn and adjust to a less physically strenuous job.

And being able to work in some capacity disqualifies them from receiving benefits.

Social Security can also consider the job market—and determine that someone over 50 is less able to get the type of job that would allow them to keep working with their health limitations.

To find out if you have a strong case for benefits, start out by getting a FREE EVALUATION from Geary Disability Law.

How Your Social Security Disability Eligibility Increases as You Age

As you move beyond age 50, your chances of winning Social Security Disability benefits improve even more.

Remember, disability benefits are for people who are not yet retirement age but cannot work due to health problems. When you reach retirement age, you’ll switch to retirement benefits.
Social Security puts disability applicants into three general groups:

• Age 18–49 (“Younger Person”): At this age, your health problems must stop you from doing your most recent job, or any job at all.
• Age 50–54 (“Closely Approaching Advanced Age”): Now you only have to prove that you can’t do your most recent job. You don’t have the same burden to demonstrate you couldn’t do any other job, either.
• Age 55 and Up (“Person of Advanced Age”): At this age, it gets even easier for you to convince Social Security that your medical problems mean you can’t work in any job.

An easier path to Social Security Disability benefits—and financial relief—is getting a disability lawyer to guide you in applying for benefits or appealing a denial, which involves filling out forms, presenting medical evidence, and building your argument for approval.

You worked hard to support yourself and your family for a long time. When you face trouble from bad health, you deserve a financial break so you can move forward with your life.