Social Security Disability Glossary of Terms

Alleged Onset Date (AOD)
The date a claimant states their medical condition first prevented them from working. This is a critical date in Social Security cases, because it can impact the first month of eligibility for a retroactive payment.

Back Pay
A lump-sum payment for monthly disability benefits owed. Back pay can start up to one year prior to the month of filing. For more details, consult our article: https://www.laportelawfirm.com/blog/ssdi-back-pay-processing-center-social-security-is-at-payment-center/

Date Last Insured (DLI)
The last date a worker meets “insured status” for SSDI payments. In order to be insured for SSDI, a worker must have recently worked and paid FICA taxes. You must establish disability prior to your DLI.

Definition of Disability
The SSA standard for disability requires a severe medical condition that prevents substantial work for at least 12 months or results in death.

For more details, consult our article:
https://www.laportelawfirm.com/blog/what-conditions-automatically-qualify-you-for-disability/

Disability Benefits
Monthly payments provided through SSDI or SSI to eligible disabled individuals.

Established Onset Date (EOD)
The official disability start date is determined by the SSA based on the medical and vocational record.

For more details, consult our article:
https://www.laportelawfirm.com/blog/social-security-disability-back-pay-maximum/

Insured Status
Eligibility for SSDI based on having sufficient and recent work credits.

Retroactive Benefits
SSDI benefits paid for eligible months prior to the application date.

Social Security Administration (SSA)
The federal agency that administers SSDI and SSI programs.

Social Security Disability Insurance (SSDI)
A federal insurance program providing benefits to disabled workers with sufficient work history.

For more details, consult our article:
https://www.laportelawfirm.com/blog/how-to-apply-disability-benefits-ssdi-california/

Supplemental Security Income (SSI)
A needs-based program providing benefits to disabled individuals with limited income and resources.

Waiting Period

A mandatory five-month delay before SSDI benefits can begin. The waiting period begins from the month of your established onset date, not from the date of the approval.

For more details, consult our article:
https://www.laportelawfirm.com/blog/do-you-get-paid-for-the-5-month-waiting-period-for-ssdi/

Work Credits
Units earned through employment that determine SSDI eligibility. For example, in 2026 income in the amount of $1890 qualifies as 1 work credit out of a total of up to 4 in a calender year.

Asset Limit
The maximum value of assets allowed to qualify for SSI. In general, the total asset limit for an individual is $2,000, for a couple it is $3,000. The asset limit only applies to SSI cases, not SSDI.

For more details, consult our article:
https://www.laportelawfirm.com/blog/how-much-money-can-you-have-in-the-bank-social-security-disability-assets-limits/

Cost-of-Living Adjustment (COLA)
An annual increase in benefits to account for inflation. Check out our blog on the topic of the COLA.

Earned Income
Wages or self-employment income that may affect benefits. Earned income is the money you receive for performing work services, either through self employment or through an employer.

For more details, consult our article:
https://www.laportelawfirm.com/blog/how-much-can-i-earn-in-2026-and-continue-to-receive-social-security-disability/

Overpayment
Benefits paid in excess of what the recipient was entitled to receive. Incorrect overpayments can be appealed, or a request for a waiver may be filed if the amount is correct.

For more details, consult our article:
https://www.laportelawfirm.com/blog/ssa-notification-of-overpayment-what-to-do/

Resource Limit
The SSI cap on countable assets and savings.

For more details, consult our article:
https://www.laportelawfirm.com/blog/how-much-money-can-you-have-in-the-bank-social-security-disability-assets-limits/

Substantial Gainful Activity (SGA)
A level of work and earnings used to determine disability eligibility.

SGA Limit
The monthly income threshold that defines substantial gainful activity. SSA has a table of annual SGA amounts.

Trial Work Period (TWP)
A program allowing SSDI recipients to test working without immediate loss of benefits. Social Security will pay benefits for up to 9 months in a rolling 60 month period while a beneficiary works and earns income. For more information about the trial work period, consult our blog post here.

Unearned Income
Income not earned from work that may affect SSI benefits. Examples include 401k withdrawals or other types of investment income.

For more details, consult our article:
https://www.laportelawfirm.com/blog/what-types-of-income-do-you-have-to-report-to-social-security-disability/

Workers’ Compensation Offset
A reduction in SSDI benefits due to other public disability payments.

Activities of Daily Living (ADLs)
Basic personal tasks used to assess functional ability, such as cooking, cleaning, laundry, grocery shopping, caring for family members.

Combined Impairments
Multiple medical conditions evaluated together for disability. Social Security considers whether the combination of all your impairments will last or can be expected to last 12 months, and whether this would prevent you from performing full-time substantial gainful activity.

Consultative Examination (CE)
A medical exam ordered by the SSA when records are insufficient to make a disability attorney.

Functional Limitations
Restrictions caused by a medical condition that affect work ability. An example of a functional limitation is a maximum lifting and carrying capacity of 20 pounds, or standing and walking two hours in an eight hour workday.

Medical Evidence
Medical records and reports used to support a disability claim. Treatment records are the most important form of “evidence” in claims for disability.

Medical Improvement
A measurable decrease in the severity of a medical condition. This standard is applied in continuing disability review claims. Check out our blog post about the medical improvement legal standard.

Medical Source Statement
A doctor’s written opinion describing functional limitations about your ability to work.

Mental Residual Functional Capacity (Mental RFC)
An assessment of mental work abilities such as focus, attention, concentration, persistence, or pace.

Non-Severe Impairment
A condition causing minimal work-related limitations that cannot be expected to last a full 12 consecutive months.

Physical Residual Functional Capacity (Physical RFC)
An assessment of physical work abilities despite impairments. This is the maximum work you can do, given your residual limitations.

For more details, consult our article:
https://www.laportelawfirm.com/blog/residual-functional-capacity-form-social-security-disability/

Severe Impairment
A condition that significantly limits basic work activities. Severe impairments must last or be expected to last at least 12 months.

For more details, consult our article:
https://www.laportelawfirm.com/blog/easiest-condition-automatically-qualify-social-security-disability/

Treating Physician
A medical provider with an ongoing treatment relationship with the claimant.

Age Categories
Age groupings used by the SSA in disability evaluations. These include younger individuals (under age 50), individuals approaching advanced age (age 50-54), advanced age (age 55+).

Blue Book
The SSA has a “Listing” of impairments that may qualify for disability. These are typically those conditions that meet strict medical criteria.

For more details, consult our article:
https://www.laportelawfirm.com/blog/easiest-condition-automatically-qualify-social-security-disability/

Equaling a Listing
Meeting disability criteria by matching the severity of a listed impairment.

Grid Rules
Guidelines combining age, medical, and vocational factors and RFC to decide disability.

For more details, consult our article:
https://www.laportelawfirm.com/blog/social-security-ssa-grid-rules-update/

Past Relevant Work (PRW)
Jobs performed within the last 5 years that lasted long enough to learn.

Transferable Skills
Skills acquired from past work that apply to other jobs.

Administrative Law Judge (ALJ)
A judge who conducts disability hearings and issues decisions.

Appeals Council
A body that reviews ALJ decisions for legal or procedural errors.

Claim Denial
An SSA decision finding the claimant not disabled.

For more details, consult our article:
https://www.laportelawfirm.com/blog/i-was-denied-social-security-disability-2nd-time-what-to-do/

Continuing Disability Review (CDR)
A periodic review to confirm ongoing eligibility.

For more details, consult our article:
https://www.laportelawfirm.com/blog/how-to-pass-a-continuing-disability-review/

Disability Determination Services (DDS)
State agencies that make initial and reconsideration disability decisions.

Disability Hearing
A formal proceeding where evidence and testimony are reviewed by an ALJ. Vocational and/or medical experts are often called to testify.

Federal Court Appeal
A higher level appeal when the Appeals Council denies your claim.

Fully Favorable Decision
A decision granting all requested benefits based on the alleged onset date.

Initial Application
The first formal request for disability benefits, either SSI or SSDI, or both.

For more details, consult our article:
https://www.laportelawfirm.com/blog/how-to-apply-disability-benefits-ssdi-california/

Medical Expert (ME)
A medical professional who provides expert testimony at hearings. This person reviews the medical record but does not perform an in-person examination of the claimant.

Partially Favorable Decision
A decision granting benefits, on a different established onset date than the one originally alleged at the application stage.

Reconsideration
The first appeal after a disability claim denial. Requests for reconsideration must be filed within 60 days of the date of the initial denial.

Remand
An order sending a case back for further review. A remand order “vacates” the unfavorable ALJ Decision, which means it is no longer valid, and orders a new hearing to consider the issue of disability.

Request for Hearing
An appeal requesting review by an ALJ. A request for a hearing before an ALJ can only be filed after a reconsideration denial.

Unfavorable Decision
An ALJ decision denying disability benefits. These decisions may be appealed to the Appeals Council.

Vocational Expert (VE)
An expert who testifies about job availability and work limits at disability hearings.

Adult Disability Report (SSA-3368)
A form detailing medical conditions and work history.

Adult Function Report (SSA-3373)
A questionnaire describing daily activity limitations.

For more details, consult our article:
https://www.laportelawfirm.com/blog/ssa-disability-adult-function-report-how-to-fill-ssa-3373/

Appointment of Representative (SSA-1696)
A form authorizing representation in a disability claim.

Disability Report – Appeal (SSA-3441)
A form used to update information with an appeal.

Third-Party Function Report (SSA-3380)
A report completed by someone familiar with the claimant’s daily functioning, such as a friend or a family member.

For more details, consult our article:
https://www.laportelawfirm.com/blog/how-to-fill-out-the-third-party-adult-function-report-ssa-3380/

Work History Report (SSA-3369)
A form documenting past job duties and physical demands for any job performed within the past five years.

For more details, consult our article:
https://www.laportelawfirm.com/blog/how-to-fill-out-the-work-history-report/

Auxiliary Benefits
Benefits payable to eligible family members of an SSDI recipient. Social Security provides up to 50 percent of a worker’s SSDI payment.

Disabled Adult Child (DAC)
An adult disabled before age 22, who has a parent who is either disabled, retired for Social Security, or deceased.

For more details, consult our article:
https://www.laportelawfirm.com/blog/disabled-adult-child-benefits-eligibility-tips-consideration/

Family Maximum Benefit
The maximum total payable to all family members under a worker’s Social Security earnings record.

Expedited Reinstatement (EXR)
A fast process to restart benefits after work-related termination. This is for disability beneficiaries who used up their allotted nine trial work period months.

Medicare
Federal health insurance for SSDI recipients after a waiting period of 24 months after the month of entitlement.

For more details, consult our article:
https://www.laportelawfirm.com/blog/what-insurance-do-you-get-with-social-security-disability/

Medicare Waiting Period
The 24-month delay before Medicare eligibility begins.