I started babysitting fulltime the summer I was 11 watching 3 kids, and always had a "job" after, but unless you're paying into SS, those jobs don't really "count". So, my first "real job" started when I was 17.

If you stopped working at 50, that would make you 13 when you first started working, which is an unlikely age to have a regular job. If you go into your hearing and say you worked for 37 years, an ALJ might do the math very quickly and wonder if you're trying to manipulate her by being dishonest.

And Ray, when you consider you haven't worked a regular fulltime job in something like 17 years, that is not the same scenario as working the same job or two fulltime, with no breaks, for 35 years before experiencing an injury or illness and having to essentially retire a few years ahead of schedule. It doesn't mean you don't have a legitimate claim! But, it is a different scenario.

So, apparently your attorney talked to you yesterday?

Your symptoms/timeline simply don't make sense as related online. As I've said, that could be because you're leaving out information--which is fine. But, an ALJ will in all likelihood ask the same questions if there is not a diagnosis that explains the iq drop. And I have to assume there isn't otherwise the ME would have "validated" your iq score. You need to be prepared for these issues to come up at the hearing.

Your doctors simply fill out the forms and reports and probably don't understand SS rules and regs, let alone important facts in your case, like your Alleged Onset Date. You can give SS a truckload of documentation, but if it doesn't help document why you weren't able to work at the time of your Alleged Onset Date, it might not help.

There is something you could do--you could undergo a Neuropsych eval to get an accurate iq score and/or determine the reason for any cognitive issues.