If you become disabled under the statutory definition that the Social Security Administration must follow, the Administration helps you meet your basic needs and maintain a higher quality of life. The Social Security Administration administers disability benefits through two programs: the Social Security Disability Insurance (SSDI) program and the Supplemental Security Income (SSI) program. In both programs, the Administration follows a five-step process to determine if an adult has a qualifying disability.
In response to President Biden’s Executive Order on “Transforming Federal Customer Experience and Service Delivery to Rebuild Trust in Government,” the Administration is proud to announce changes that will reduce the administrative burden on claimants and help eligible individuals with disabilities access government benefits and services. On April 18, 2024, the Social Security Administration published a final rule, “Interim Improvements to the Disability Determination Process: Including How Past Work is Considered.”
The final rule announces updates that will improve the disability benefits application process and reduce the time applicants wait for a decision. The new rule streamlines step 4 of the process, which evaluates whether someone applying for disability benefits can perform any of their “past relevant work.”
“This new rule will reduce the burden and time applicants face when completing information about their employment history, making it easier for applicants to focus on the most current and relevant details about their past employment history,” Social Security Commissioner Martin O’Malley said. “It will also improve the quality of information frontline workers receive to make decisions, improving customer service and reducing case processing times and overall wait times.”
Under the final rule, starting June 22, 2024, the agency will only look at five years of past work when determining past relevant work. Previous policy required individuals to provide detailed information about their work history over a 15-year period, which was difficult for individuals to remember and often led to incomplete or inaccurate reporting. The agency will also no longer consider past work that began and ended within 30 calendar days. The new rule will make it easier for people applying for benefits by providing enough information to continue to make accurate determinations while focusing on the most recent relevant work activity.
This final rule is one of several regulatory updates the Social Security Administration is issuing to improve disability programs. The Administration recently announced that it will reduce barriers to accessing the SSI program by updating the definition of a publicly-assisted household (see Social Security Administration Updates Definition of Publicly-Assisted Household to Expand Access to SSI Program). The Administration also announced that it will remove food costs from the calculation of SSI benefits (see Social Security Administration Eliminates Barriers to Access to SSI Benefits). Additionally, the Administration announced that it will expand as a national policy the exception for rent assistance that currently applies only to SSI applicants and recipients who reside in seven states.
Fact Sheet
social security
By 2024, an average of about 68 million Americans will receive Social Security benefits each month, with total benefits paid out annually totaling about $1.5 trillion.
One-Month Snapshot: Beneficiary Data for December 2023
ο Retired workers 50.1 million $95.5 billion $1,905 Average monthly benefit Dependents 2.6 million $2.3 billion
ο Disabled Workers 7.4 million $11.3 billion $1,537 Average monthly benefit Dependents 1.1 million $600 million
ο Survivors 5.8 million people $8.8 billion Average monthly benefit of $1,501 Social Security is the primary source of income for most people age 65 and older.
ο As of December 31, 2023, nearly 9 in 10 people age 65 or older were receiving Social Security benefits.
ο Social Security benefits account for about 30% of income for people over age 65.*
Among Social Security recipients age 65 and older, 37% of men and 42% of women get more than 50% of their income from Social Security.*
Among Social Security recipients age 65 and older, 12% of men and 15% of women depend on Social Security for more than 90% of their income.*
*This information is from a survey published in 2021 using data from 2015.
Social Security provides more than retirement benefits.
ο Retired workers and their dependents accounted for 77.8% of the total benefits payable in 2023.
ο Workers with disabilities and their dependents accounted for 11.0% of total benefits paid in 2023.
– Approximately 90% of insured employed workers ages 21-64 in 2023 and their families will be protected in the event of a severe, long-term disability.
– About 1 in 4 20-year-olds today will become disabled and qualify for Social Security disability benefits before they reach age 67.
– 65% of private sector workers have no long-term disability insurance.
ο Survivors of deceased workers accounted for 11.2% of total benefits paid in 2023.
– More than 1 in 8 20-year-olds today will die before reaching age 67.
– Approximately 96% of people ages 20-49 who were in insured employment in 2023 have survivor benefit protection for their children under 18 (and spouses who are supporting children under 16).
In 2024, an estimated 182 million workers will be in employment covered by OASDI.
ο 31% of private sector workers have no access to private pensions.
Nearly two-thirds (63%) of workers report currently saving for retirement.
The availability of an employer-sponsored retirement savings plan is a key factor in whether Americans save for retirement: Only 16% of people without access to an employer-sponsored plan say they have retirement savings.
– In 1940, the average life expectancy of a 65-year-old person was almost 14 years; today it is over 20 years.
– The number of Americans age 65 and older will increase from about 58 million in 2022 to about 75 million by 2035.1
– In 2023, the number of insured workers per Social Security beneficiary is estimated to be 2.7. By 2035, the Board projects that there will be 2.3 insured workers per beneficiary.