SSA Scraps Four Ancient Disability Benefit Rulings Forever
Published Date: 1/21/2026
Notice
Summary
Starting January 21, 2026, the Social Security Administration is officially canceling four old rules about disability benefits, work trials, and rehab services. This change affects people applying for or receiving Social Security disability and Supplemental Security Income benefits. The update clears out outdated policies, making way for clearer, modern rules—no immediate money changes, just smoother processing!
Analyzed Economic Effects
3 provisions identified: 3 benefits, 0 costs, 0 mixed.
Vocational Rehab Rulings Rescinded
On January 21, 2026 the SSA rescinded SSR 64-13 and SSR 78-24, which related to vocational rehabilitation (VR) services and deductions for refusing VR. This change affects people applying for or receiving Social Security disability and Supplemental Security Income (SSI) benefits and removes those old policy statements so processing should be clearer; the notice says there are no immediate money changes.
Insured-Status Policy Rescinded
On January 21, 2026 the SSA rescinded SSR 74-8c, which addressed insured status and onset of disability issues. The agency says that the policy from SSR 74-8c was incorporated into the regulations at 20 CFR 404.131(a), and the rescission affects people applying for or receiving Social Security disability and SSI benefits with the goal of clearing out obsolete guidance.
Trial Work Period Ruling Rescinded
On January 21, 2026 the SSA rescinded SSR 79-38, which addressed increases in the amount of earnings used to determine excluded work for Trial Work Period (TWP) purposes. The SSA says the SSR is obsolete because its policy was incorporated into 20 CFR 404.1592 for Title II cases and because the TWP no longer applies in SSI disability cases; this affects people applying for or receiving Social Security disability and SSI benefits.
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Key Dates
Department and Agencies
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