SOCIAL SECURITY TERMS & WHAT THEY MEAN:
- The Forsythe Firm
- Nov 28, 2022
- 4 min read
Updated: Jan 10, 2023
When you file or consider a Social Security disability application there are dozens of unfamiliar terms that you will encounter. Most of these terms have three-letter initials to shorten the term. For example: DLI for "Date Last Insured."
Here are some common Social Security terms and their meaning:
Administrative Law Judges: Judges who work for the federal government. In this context, these are judges who hear appeals of denied Social Security claims and issue new decisions, which are often more favorable.
8 out of 10 disability awards come from ALJs following a hearing. A hearing is not the exception, it's the rule. Most claimants must have a hearing before they get their claim paid.
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Substantial Gainful Activity (SGA): Work that pays over a certain dollar amount per month. If your earnings are at or above SGA, you cannot get SSDI benefits because you are gainfully employed. SGA for 2023 is $1,470 per month for non-blind claimants, and $2,460 for blind claimants.
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SSDI: Social Security Disability Insurance. This is simply what disability under Title 2 of the Social Security act is called. It is the common disability benefit based on an individual's work record and having paid into the Social Security Trust Fund.
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Past Relevant Work (PRW): Any work that the applicant has done within the past 15 years, was performed at SGA level, and lasted long enough for the claimant to learn how to perform the work.
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Alleged Onset Date (AOD): The date a claimant says their disability began. The onset date may have occurred before the application was filed. The AOD is important because it determines when benefits begin.
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Date Last Insured (DLI): The DLI is the last date a person is eligible to qualify for new Social Security disability benefits. The DLI depends on when a claimant last worked. SSDI is purchased by payroll tax deductions. When a person stops working, the countdown to his/her DLI begins. The DLI is usually not for a few years after stopping work. ____________________________________________________________________________________________
Residual Functional Capacity (RFC): The RFC describes the most a claimant can do in terms of work related activity. An RFC must explain the claimant's maximum capability in terms of physical (exertion) and mental capabilities. Social Security experts use the following physical exertion levels in describing the maximum an individual can do in terms of physical work:
Sedentary work involves lifting no more than 10 pounds at a time and occasional lifting or carrying objects such as files and small tools. Sedentary jobs involve sitting, but some walking and standing is typically necessary to carry out job duties.
Light work involves lifting no more than 20 pounds at a time with frequent lifting or carrying objects weighing up to 10 pounds. A job in this category requires walking or standing, or sitting most of the time with some pushing and pulling of arm or leg controls. If an individual can do light work, the SSA determines that they can also perform sedentary work.
Medium work involves lifting no more than 50 pounds at a time with frequent lifting or carrying objects weighing up to 25 pounds. If an individual can do medium work, the SSA determines that they can also perform sedentary and light work.
Heavy work involves lifting no more than 100 pounds at a time with frequent lifting or carrying objects weighing up to 50 pounds. If an individual can do heavy work, the SSA determines that he or she can also do medium, light, and sedentary work.
Very heavy work involves lifting objects weighing more than 100 pounds at a time with frequent lifting or carrying objects weighing 50 pounds or more. If an individual can do very heavy work, the SSA determines that they can also do heavy, medium, light and sedentary work.
Social Security will also use the following terms to describe how long or how often each activity can be sustained:
Occasional activity occurs very little up to 33% of the time and would generally total no more than about 2 hours of an 8-hour workday;
Frequent activity occurs 34-66% of the day; and
Constant activity occurs over 66% of the day.
For example: A claimant who is able to kneel, bend and crouch on an occassional basis may perform those activities from "very little" up to 33 percent of a workday.
Most Social Security cases will hinge on whether the claimant can perform either Sedentary or Light work for 8 hours per day, 5 days per week, or an equivalent schedule.
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