For an applicant to be eligible for disability benefits, he or she must meet two earnings tests. The first test is a recent work test, based on the age of the applicant at the time that the disability occurs; and the second test is based on the duration of work to determine whether the applicant worked a sufficient length of time to meet Social Security’s requirements.
The Social Security Administration (SSA) administers these tests based on the following table which determines the calendar quarter in which the applicant turned or will turn a certain age. The calendar quarters are:
First Quarter: January 1 through March 31
Second Quarter: April 1 through June 30
Third Quarter: July 1 through September 30
Fourth Quarter: October 1 through December 31
If an applicant becomes disabled in or before the quarter they turn age 24, 1.5 years of work is necessary during the three-year period ending with the quarter that the disability began. This is often a complicated assessment and may require the assistance of an experienced disability attorney.
For individuals who become disabled in the quarter after turning age 24 but before the quarter they turn age 31, then they must have worked during half of the time for the period beginning with the quarter after turning 21 and ending with the quarter that the disability commences.
Our attorneys, past and present, have represented disability claimants since 1956. Our decades of experience make us the clear and obvious choice for representation in Social Security disability matters in Scranton/Wilkes-Barre and surrounding areas. Contact Powell Law at (570) 961-0777. The consultation is FREE and you don’t pay anything unless we win your case. Call today.
