This year marks the 80th birthday of the Social Security Administration, but we thought it would be interesting to see what was going on in Social Security Disability law fifty years ago, in 1965.
Lyndon B. Johnson signs legislation amending the Social Security Act.
The Social Security Amendments of 1965 had the following effects:
- Changed the duration requirement from “indefinite” to lasting or expected to last 12 months.
- Limited attorney’s fees to a max of 25%
- Allowed children of retired, deceased or disabled workers to receive benefits from age 18-22, if they were enrolled as a full time student. In November 1965, almost two-thirds of all awards to child beneficiaries were made to these students.
In 1965, the median annual income was $4658. The average monthly disability benefit paid to men: $98. The average disability benefit paid to women: $80.
Sources: https://www.ssa.gov/history/pdf/dibreport.pdf, https://www.ssa.gov/policy/docs/ssb/v29n3/v29n3p15.pdf, http://www.infoplease.com/ipa/A0780010.html