Overview

• People familiar with the plans say the rule would eliminate age as a factor or raise the threshold to about 60 in disability determinations.
• Officials also plan to modernize occupational and labor‑market data, replacing an obsolete jobs list used to judge whether applicants can work.
• The Social Security Administration says it is preparing a proposal and will release it for public comment through the standard rulemaking process.
• An Urban Institute analysis estimates that a 10% tightening could result in roughly 750,000 fewer people receiving disability benefits over the next decade.
• Critics, including Sen. Ron Wyden and Sen. Elizabeth Warren, warn the changes would push more older workers into early retirement with about 30% lower monthly benefits.