The Social Security Administration now has the Past Relevant Work (PRW) lookback period to be only 5 years rather than 15 years from the alleged onset date (AOD).  For Social Security Disability, work committed under substantial gainful activity (SGA) to not be used against you, though, all relevant work, within the last 5 years, has to be reported whether above or under substantial gainful activity (SGA) in the Work History Report (3368-BK).  

Now here is where the important caveat about Social Security Disability comes into play.  The 5-year lookback period can change because the rules of Social Security Disability dictate that the 5-year lookback period is also to be from the time of adjudication or of when the decision is made.  Essentially, when you start the application, the Social Security Administration will look back 5 years from the time you allege your onset date, when your disability began.  However, when as the Disability Determination Services investigate your medical and vocational profiles, your 5-year lookback period now moves up to the time of decision.  This fact is critically important when your claim for Social Security Disability heads to the hearing level or the Office of Hearings Operations (OHO) because your claim has to be denied twice to go to OHO. 

Therefore, understanding the caveats of the 5-year lookback period is important to know.  We at Marcy Disability are glad to help you with reporting your past work and how to have some of that past work not to be used against your claim.  Please click here to find more out about the 5 year lookback period.