The Social Security Disability Grids are an important tool used by the Social Security Administration (SSA) to determine disability benefits eligibility. These grids consider a claimant's residual functional capacity (RFC), age, education, and work experience to determine if they qualify for benefits under the Social Security Disability Insurance (SSDI) or Supplemental Security Income (SSI) programs. In this article, we will focus on how age, education, and transferable skills are used in the Grids and how they can affect your disability claim.

What are the Grids?

The Grids are a set of rules developed by the SSA to streamline the disability determination process for certain claimants. The Grids take into account four factors that can impact a claimant's ability to work: physical and mental abilities, age, education, and work experience. The Grids consist of a table that combines these factors to determine whether a claimant is disabled and qualifies for benefits.

How Age and Education Impact the Grids

The Grids divide age into three categories: younger individuals (under 50), individuals aged 50 to 54, and individuals aged 55 and older. Education is divided into four categories: illiterate, unable to communicate in English, limited education (less than a high school education), and high school education and above. The Grids then use these factors to determine the extent to which a claimant's education and age affect their ability to adapt to new work.

For those who are under 50, the Grids work differently. The focus is on whether the person can do any kind of work, rather than whether their past work experience is transferable. If the individual can adjust to other types of work, then they will not be considered disabled. Age and education are still taken into account, but in a different way than in the older age categories. If an individual has a high school education or less and is under the age of 50, they are generally considered less able to adjust to other types of work. However, if they have some college education or more, they may be considered capable of transferring their skills to other work, and therefore not disabled under the Grids. 

For individuals aged 50 to 54, the Grids acknowledge that the claimant's age may have a greater impact on their ability to adjust to new work. Therefore, a claimant in this age range with limited education and transferable skills may still be found disabled, even if their RFC is high.

For individuals aged 55 and older, the Grids assume that age significantly affects their ability to adapt to new work. The Grids are more favorable for this age group and may be more likely to find a claimant disabled even if they have transferable skills and a high RFC.

How Transferable Skills Impact the Grids

Transferable skills are skills that a claimant has developed in their past work that can be used in other occupations. The SSA considers transferable skills when assessing a claimant's ability to perform other work that they have not done before. If a claimant has transferable skills that are compatible with other jobs in the national economy, it may be more difficult for them to be found disabled. However, if a claimant's transferable skills are not compatible with other jobs in the national economy, they may still be found disabled. Additionally, if a claimant has a very limited education or limited work experience, they may be found to have no transferable skills, making it more likely that they will be found disabled.

How Di Lorenzo and Wilcox Can Help

The Social Security Disability Grids can be complicated, and it can be difficult to know how to best present your case to the SSA. At Di Lorenzo and Wilcox, we have the experience and knowledge needed to help you navigate the Grids and the entire disability determination process. We can help you gather the necessary medical evidence and present it in a way that is most likely to result in a favorable decision. If your initial claim is denied, we can also help you through the appeals process