EDPNA ACTUAL 2026 STUDY GUIDE QUESTIONS AND
ANSWERS RATED A+
✔✔education levels - ✔✔illiterate- cannot read or write in any language, little or no
formal schooling
marginal education- 6th grade or less, can do simple, unskilled jobs
limited education- 7th- 11th grade, can do semi skilled or skilled work
high school education and above- can do semi-skilled and skilled work
✔✔exertional level - ✔✔sedentary, light, medium, heavy and very heavy
✔✔heavy work - ✔✔lifting no more than 100 lbs. with frequent lifting or carrying of
objects weighing up to 50 lbs.
✔✔very heavy work - ✔✔lifting objects weighing more than 100 lbs. with frequent lifting
or carrying objects weighing 50 lbs. or more
✔✔transferability of skills- SSR 82-41 and The Revised Handbook for Analyzing Jobs -
✔✔Skills the claimant has from PRW that he or she can no longer perform but can use
in other skilled or semi skilled work within their RFC, RFC and advancing age are
important factors
✔✔steps in CDR Eval process (no step 1 in Title 16 claims) - ✔✔1. SGA?
2. Does impairment meet or equal a listing?
3. Has medical improvement occurred- decrease in medical severity of impairment
through symptoms, signs, and lab findings?
4. Medical improvement related to the ability to work? Increase in the claimant's ability
to perform basic work activities?
5. Does the exception to med improvement apply- see CFR's
6. Are the impairments severe in combination?
7. Assess RFC and determine if claimant can do PRW
8. Can the claimant do other work based on education, experience, and age?
✔✔Acceptable Medical Source - ✔✔licensed provider- physician, psychologist, etc.
Audiologists, Licensed Advanced Practice Nurse, Licensed PA are considered
acceptable medical sources only for claims filed on or after 03/27/17
✔✔Objective medical evidence - ✔✔Signs (abnormalities that can be observed other
that patient's statements), lab findings or both
✔✔marked vs. extreme limitations - ✔✔marked- the impairment(s) interfere seriously
with one's ability to independently initiate, sustain or complete activities , scores at least
2, but less than 3 SD below the mean
extreme- the impairment(s) interferes very seriously very seriously with one's ability to
initiate, sustain, or complete activities, testing scores are at least 3 SD below the mean
, ✔✔Who is entitled to child insurance benefits? Auxiliary - ✔✔1. Children under age 18
2. 18 or 19 and a full-time student (no higher than 12th grade)
3. DAC- disabled before age 22 and have a disability
4. Child must not be married
✔✔Eligibility for Disabled Widows Benefits= 404.335 - ✔✔1. Widow must have attained
age 50, but not 60
2. Age 50 is the earliest date payable
3. Disability must be established before the end of the prescribed period (between the
month of spouse's death and 7 years after or it may be based off when an individual
turns 50)
4. Controlling date is the last date that disability must be established
6. 5 month waiting period and 24 month Medicare waiting pd. applies
✔✔Source of unearned income - ✔✔income that is not earned such as SS disability
payments, state disability payments, unemployment benefits, interest income, dividends
or cash from friends or relatives
✔✔Earned income - ✔✔wages from employment, certain royalties, honoraria, and
sheltered workshop payments
✔✔in-kind income - ✔✔food, shelter, or both that you get for free or less than it's fair
market value
✔✔deemed income - ✔✔part of the income of your spouse with whom you live, your
parents with whom you live, or your sponsor (if alien), which the SSA uses to compute
SSI benefit amounts
✔✔Federal benefit rate for 2023 - ✔✔$914 for an individual, $1,371 for a couple
To calculate an SSI payment, the SSA subtracts the income that they do not count from
the total income. This is the countable income. Then the countable income is subtracted
from the Fed Benefit rate.
✔✔IRWE- 20 CFR 404.1576 - ✔✔When the SSA decided if the claimant is performing
SGA, they will substract the following costs if they are needed for the individual to be
able to work. Has to be paid for only by the claimant.
1. attendant care
2. medical devices
3. prosthetic devices
4. equipment
5. transportation costs
✔✔SSI unearned income limit for individuals - ✔✔must have less than $934 of
unearned income to receive SSI
ANSWERS RATED A+
✔✔education levels - ✔✔illiterate- cannot read or write in any language, little or no
formal schooling
marginal education- 6th grade or less, can do simple, unskilled jobs
limited education- 7th- 11th grade, can do semi skilled or skilled work
high school education and above- can do semi-skilled and skilled work
✔✔exertional level - ✔✔sedentary, light, medium, heavy and very heavy
✔✔heavy work - ✔✔lifting no more than 100 lbs. with frequent lifting or carrying of
objects weighing up to 50 lbs.
✔✔very heavy work - ✔✔lifting objects weighing more than 100 lbs. with frequent lifting
or carrying objects weighing 50 lbs. or more
✔✔transferability of skills- SSR 82-41 and The Revised Handbook for Analyzing Jobs -
✔✔Skills the claimant has from PRW that he or she can no longer perform but can use
in other skilled or semi skilled work within their RFC, RFC and advancing age are
important factors
✔✔steps in CDR Eval process (no step 1 in Title 16 claims) - ✔✔1. SGA?
2. Does impairment meet or equal a listing?
3. Has medical improvement occurred- decrease in medical severity of impairment
through symptoms, signs, and lab findings?
4. Medical improvement related to the ability to work? Increase in the claimant's ability
to perform basic work activities?
5. Does the exception to med improvement apply- see CFR's
6. Are the impairments severe in combination?
7. Assess RFC and determine if claimant can do PRW
8. Can the claimant do other work based on education, experience, and age?
✔✔Acceptable Medical Source - ✔✔licensed provider- physician, psychologist, etc.
Audiologists, Licensed Advanced Practice Nurse, Licensed PA are considered
acceptable medical sources only for claims filed on or after 03/27/17
✔✔Objective medical evidence - ✔✔Signs (abnormalities that can be observed other
that patient's statements), lab findings or both
✔✔marked vs. extreme limitations - ✔✔marked- the impairment(s) interfere seriously
with one's ability to independently initiate, sustain or complete activities , scores at least
2, but less than 3 SD below the mean
extreme- the impairment(s) interferes very seriously very seriously with one's ability to
initiate, sustain, or complete activities, testing scores are at least 3 SD below the mean
, ✔✔Who is entitled to child insurance benefits? Auxiliary - ✔✔1. Children under age 18
2. 18 or 19 and a full-time student (no higher than 12th grade)
3. DAC- disabled before age 22 and have a disability
4. Child must not be married
✔✔Eligibility for Disabled Widows Benefits= 404.335 - ✔✔1. Widow must have attained
age 50, but not 60
2. Age 50 is the earliest date payable
3. Disability must be established before the end of the prescribed period (between the
month of spouse's death and 7 years after or it may be based off when an individual
turns 50)
4. Controlling date is the last date that disability must be established
6. 5 month waiting period and 24 month Medicare waiting pd. applies
✔✔Source of unearned income - ✔✔income that is not earned such as SS disability
payments, state disability payments, unemployment benefits, interest income, dividends
or cash from friends or relatives
✔✔Earned income - ✔✔wages from employment, certain royalties, honoraria, and
sheltered workshop payments
✔✔in-kind income - ✔✔food, shelter, or both that you get for free or less than it's fair
market value
✔✔deemed income - ✔✔part of the income of your spouse with whom you live, your
parents with whom you live, or your sponsor (if alien), which the SSA uses to compute
SSI benefit amounts
✔✔Federal benefit rate for 2023 - ✔✔$914 for an individual, $1,371 for a couple
To calculate an SSI payment, the SSA subtracts the income that they do not count from
the total income. This is the countable income. Then the countable income is subtracted
from the Fed Benefit rate.
✔✔IRWE- 20 CFR 404.1576 - ✔✔When the SSA decided if the claimant is performing
SGA, they will substract the following costs if they are needed for the individual to be
able to work. Has to be paid for only by the claimant.
1. attendant care
2. medical devices
3. prosthetic devices
4. equipment
5. transportation costs
✔✔SSI unearned income limit for individuals - ✔✔must have less than $934 of
unearned income to receive SSI
