Understanding the SSA’s 5-Step Disability Evaluation Process for SSDI claims
The Path the SSA Follows to Decide if You’re “Disabled”
When the Social Security Administration (SSA) reviews a disability claim, it doesn’t rely on guesswork. Every application for Social Security Disability Insurance (SSDI) goes through a standard five-step evaluation process. Think of it as the SSA’s structured checklist — a series of questions that help determine if someone meets the federal definition of “disabled.”
Understanding how this process works can make the system feel a little less mysterious and help you prepare the right information from the start.
Step 1: Are You Working Above the Substantial Gainful Activity (SGA) Level?
The first question the SSA asks is simple: Are you currently working, and if so, how much are you earning?
If you are working and your monthly income is above a certain limit — called Substantial Gainful Activity (SGA) — the SSA generally finds that you are not disabled.
For 2025, the SGA level is $1,620 per month for most workers and $2,700 for individuals who are blind. If your earnings fall below this limit, your claim moves to Step 2.
Step 2: Do You Have a Severe Medically Determinable Impairment?
Next, the SSA checks whether your medical condition significantly limits your ability to perform basic work activities — such as lifting, standing, walking, or concentrating — for at least 12 continuous months or is expected to result in death.
This step requires medical evidence from acceptable sources (for example, licensed physicians, psychologists, or other qualified medical professionals). If your condition is considered “severe,” the evaluation continues to Step 3.
Step 3: Does Your Condition Meet or Equal a Listing?
The SSA maintains a detailed guide known as the Listing of Impairments, sometimes called the Blue Book. This list describes specific medical conditions that are considered severe enough to qualify as disabilities under SSA standards.
If your impairment meets the criteria of a listed condition — or is medically equivalent in severity — you may be found disabled at this step.
If not, the SSA moves on to Steps 4 and 5, which focus on your ability to work.
About Compassionate Allowances
Some conditions are so severe that the SSA fast-tracks them through a special program called Compassionate Allowances (CAL). These are specific medical diagnoses—such as certain cancers, ALS, and rare genetic disorders—that clearly meet SSA disability standards. Applicants don’t need a separate form; the SSA’s system automatically flags eligible conditions for expedited review.
Step 4: Can You Perform Your Past Relevant Work?
At this point, the SSA considers your Residual Functional Capacity (RFC) — what you can still do physically and mentally despite your impairment.
They then compare your RFC to the demands of your past relevant work (typically jobs you’ve done in the last 15 years).
If the SSA determines you can still perform your past work, your claim may be denied.
If you cannot perform that work, your claim proceeds to the final step.
Step 5: Can You Adjust to Any Other Work?
In the final step, the SSA asks whether you can adjust to other work that exists in significant numbers in the national economy.
This analysis considers factors such as your age, education, work experience, and functional capacity. If the SSA determines there are no other jobs you can reasonably perform, you may be found disabled under SSA rules.
Why This Process Matters
Each step builds upon the one before it, and a decision at any point can end the evaluation. For example:
A claim may be denied at Step 1 if you are earning above the SGA limit.
It may be approved at Step 3 if your condition meets a listed impairment.
Knowing the framework can help you organize medical evidence, understand how SSA reviewers think through a claim, and anticipate what information they need.
The five-step process SSA examiners take when evaluating SSDI claims. The steps are outlined in detail within the Code of Federal Regulations Section 404.1520.
The SSA’s 5-Step Framework at a Glance
Step 1: Are you working above SGA level? Focus: Income and work activity
Step 2: Is your condition severe? Focus: Medical documentation and limitations
Step 3: Does your condition meet or equal a listing? Focus: SSA’s Blue Book criteria
Step 4: Can you do your past work? Focus: Functional capacity (RFC) and job history
Step 5: Can you do any other work? Focus: Age, education, skills, and adaptability (RFC)
Understanding these five questions helps applicants see how the SSA makes decisions — and why documentation, clarity, and patience matter at every stage.
Frequently Asked Questions (FAQ)
1. How long does the SSA disability evaluation process take?
According to the Social Security Administration (SSA), most initial disability decisions now take about six to eight months, depending on the complexity of the claim and how quickly medical evidence is received. (Source: SSA FAQ – How long does it take to get a decision on my disability claim?; SSA Combined Disability Processing Time Data, retrieved October 2025.)
2. What happens if I’m denied before reaching Step 5?
If your claim is denied at any step, you can generally appeal the decision through several administrative review levels — reconsideration, hearing, Appeals Council, and federal court.
(Source: SSA Appeals Process)
3. Where can I find the official SSA regulation for the 5-step process?
You can read the full federal regulation outlining the sequential evaluation process at 20 CFR § 404.1520.
(Source: SSA Regulations)
References
Social Security Administration. (n.d.). 20 CFR § 404.1520 – Evaluation of disability in general. Retrieved from https://www.ssa.gov/OP_Home/cfr20/404/404-1520.htm
Social Security Administration. (n.d.). Disability Benefits: How You Qualify. Retrieved from https://www.ssa.gov/benefits/disability/qualify.html
Social Security Administration. (2025). Substantial Gainful Activity (SGA) Monthly Amounts. Retrieved from https://www.ssa.gov/oact/cola/sga.html
Disclaimer
This article is for informational purposes only and does not constitute medical or legal advice. Consult with a qualified healthcare provider for any medical concerns or questions. Consult with a licensed attorney for legal advice.
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