America’s Social Security system is nearly synonymous with retirement, but this government program isn’t just for retirees.
This social safety net also stretches to support another group of people: those struggling with mental or physical disabilities. And while the bar for receiving benefits from the Social Security Disability Insurance (SSDI) program is relatively high, the Trump administration is considering raising that bar even higher.
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If passed, these tighter rules could terminate the eligibility of more than 1.5 million people over the next decade, according to an estimate from ProPublica (1). Here’s why these changes are worth your attention, even if you or your loved ones do not currently suffer from a disability.
Raising the bar
The SSDI program was designed to deliver monthly benefits to individuals who have a disability that limits their ability to work. However, the review process to determine eligibility for this program is relatively strict.
Adjudicators consider multiple factors — including age, education and residual functional capacity — to determine whether an applicant qualifies for these benefits (2). On average, 65% of the program’s initial applications are rejected, according to ProPublica.
Simply put, it’s not always easy to get support from the government if you have a disability, and the Trump administration’s plan could make it even more difficult in the near future. According to the Washington Post, Trump and his team are reportedly looking to raise or even eliminate age as a factor in the process of reviewing applications (3).
Under the current system, older applicants — specifically those over 50 — have a better chance of qualifying for SSDI benefits since age is considered a limitation of one’s ability to work. And while an older applicant isn’t necessarily guaranteed to qualify, their age does help their chances.
With the Trump administration’s plan, this age-related threshold could either be raised to 60 or eliminated entirely, according to the Washington Post. These potential changes could reduce eligibility for new applicants by 20% overall and up to 30% for older applicants, according to an estimate by the Urban Institute (4).
“This would result in approximately $82 billion in benefits being denied over 10 years,” the Urban Institute reports.
If implemented, these changes could impact many families across the country, and even if you or your loved ones don’t currently suffer from a disability, the proposed changes could impact you in the future.
According to the Social Security Administration’s estimates, a 20-year-old American worker has roughly a one-in-four chance of developing a disability before reaching retirement age (5). With this in mind, it makes sense to prepare a backup plan in case the social safety net fails to protect you in the future.
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How to prepare for the worst-case scenario
While there’s not much you can do to control Social Security policies or your risk of developing a disability, there are alternative solutions you could consider that can protect yourself and your family from Trump’s potential SSDI changes.
For instance, check with your current employer to see if it offers short term or long-term disability coverage at a reasonable premium. As of 2024, nearly 38% of workers had access to a long-term policy through their employer, according to the Bureau of Labor Statistics’s National Compensation Survey (6).
If you’re self-employed or your employer doesn’t offer disability coverage, you could speak to an insurance broker to find an affordable policy.
Another way to protect yourself is by diversifying your skills. If your work involves manual labor and therefore a greater chance of injury, consider some vocational courses that could train you for a safer occupation, such as a desk job.
Finally, if the social safety net frays, your personal safety net becomes more important. Limiting high-interest debt, building up a robust emergency fund and investing excess savings for a retirement nest egg can help you weather a potential lack of SSDI benefits in the future.
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Article sources
We rely only on vetted sources and credible third-party reporting. For details, see our editorial ethics and guidelines.
ProPublica (1); Nolo (2); The Washington Post (3); Urban Institute (4); Social Security Administration (5) EBRI (6)
This article provides information only and should not be construed as advice. It is provided without warranty of any kind.