How does the Social Security Administration (SSA) determine disability?

The Social Security Administration (SSA) is responsible for determining if an individual is disabled according to the Social Security Disability Insurance (SSDI) and Supplemental Security Income (SSI) programs. To make this determination, the SSA uses a five-step process. The first step is to determine if the individual is still working and whether their earnings exceed the level set by the SSA. If the earnings exceed the amount set by the SSA, the individual will not be eligible for disability. The second step is to determine if the individual’s medical condition is severe enough to limit their ability to work. If their condition does not meet the criteria of a listed impairment, the step is skipped. The third step is to assess if the individual can still do the work they did before. If the person is able to do the same work, they will not be considered disabled. The fourth step is to determine if the individual can adjust to other work given their age, education, past work experience, and current medical condition. If the person is unable to adjust to other work, they will be considered disabled. The final step is to assess the individual’s residual functional capacity (RFC) which is a measure of their capability to work given their current medical condition. If the individual’s RFC determines they are unable to do any type of work, they will be considered disabled. The SSA takes all of these factors into consideration when determining the eligibility for disability, and a person must meet all five steps in order to qualify for benefits.

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How does the Social Security Administration (SSA) determine disability?

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