Proposed Rule: Technical Amendments to "Closely Approaching Retirement Age" 73 Fed. Reg. 35100 (June 20, 2008)
Comments due: August 19, 2008

This proposed rule would revise the definition of persons "closely approaching retirement age" from "60 - 64" to "60 or older." Comments are due by August 19, 2008.

This proposed change would acknowledge that SSA makes disability determinations for individuals over age 64 since the current "full retirement age" (FRA) is 66. The current regulations were published when the FRA was 65 years old. Currently, it is 66 for those born between 1943 and 1954, and will increase to age 67. The proposed changes are in the regulations dealing with vocational factors and in the grid rules.

In an important note, SSA refers to the 2005 proposed rule that would have changed all vocational age categories, increasing them by two years. The proposed rule was soundly criticized, with more than 900 comments, almost unanimously opposed to that change. However, there has been no indication from the current Commissioner that he will move forward with the 2005 proposed rule and SSA states in this proposed rule: "[T]his NPRM does not incorporate the changes suggested in the 2005 NPRM nor modify our existing policy in any manner." 73 Fed. Reg. 35101.