Residual Functional Capacity and Social Security Disability Benefits

When a person applies for social security disability insurance benefits (SSDI), the Social Security Administration (SSA) claims examiner will look at many different aspects of the claim to determine if the applicant (or you!) is (are) disabled according to their standards.

One of those aspects is called Residual Functional Capacity, or RFC. The purpose of the RFC assessment is to rate the ‘leftover capacity to work’ that you have after considering your mental and/or physical disability.

RFC is like looking at a person’s work life over the past 15 years and laying the pieces of it out on a table. The claims examiner will then start picking the pieces out from that history and compare them with the illnesses and disabilities identified from the application, medical records and other documentation.

From the pieces left on the table…work experience, age, education and the categories that fit the social security model of determining if a person is able to work, the examiner will make a match to decide if you are capable at working.

It does not really matter WHAT you did in the past, just if you are able to do what fits into the social security definitions of light, moderate or heavy work.

Depending on your disability and other information, you may still be considered able to work – having a residual capacity to function in some other way in some other line of work for which you could be paid. It is important to your case to be very thorough when completing your forms, as you will be looked at based on all limitations. This includes external, (ability to lift, push, pull, carry, etc.); postural (stand, stoop, crawl, etc.); manipulative (use of hands); environmental (cold, heat, noise, light, etc.); and many others. 

Thank you!

Brian