What Happens to Your SSDI When You Become Eligible for Social Security?

If you’re getting SSDI for a disability, what happens to your benefits once you become eligible for regular Social Security? Can you get SSDI and Social Security at the same time? Here’s what you need to know from our Memphis SSDI lawyers.

Social Security’s Impact on SSDI Benefits

When you become eligible for regular Social Security, your SSDI benefits go away.

You can’t receive the two benefits at the same time by definition. SSDI is meant to supplement your income while you’re still of working age, and Social Security supplements your income once you’re at the age to retire.

So in a very natural and usually immediate process, you stop receiving one and start receiving the other.

Will I Lose Money When I Age Out of SSDI?

A lot of people worry their SSDI benefits will be a lot higher than their Social Security checks. As a result, they assume they’ll lose a lot of their income when they become eligible for retirement benefits, even if they aren’t doing anything differently.

Social Security Disability LawyerFortunately, for most people, that’s just not the case. As a Social Security Disability attorney, I’ve talked with a number of people who’ve been through this transition. They haven’t seen a major change, for a couple of reasons:

For one, SSDI is tied to past income just like Social Security. You pay into one as an insurance program in case you become disabled, and you pay into the other to collect when you retire. It’s your money, and you’ve paid for both your entire working life through your taxes. As a result, both pay out very similarly, too. 

In addition, regular Social Security doesn’t have the same income limitations as SSDI. If you’re able to work part-time and would like to do so, you can, and you don’t need to report it to the SSA. This allows many retirees to supplement their incomes in ways they couldn’t when receiving disability benefits.

Just be careful to pay attention to your tax bracket. If you earn too much, you may have tax penalties.

darrell-castleNo Time to Waste with Your Social Security Disability Appeal

If you’re near the age of retirement and need SSDI to help cover you for a disability, you will want to get approved as quickly as possible. You don’t want to be thrown around in the system applying over and over until you’re too old to get the benefits anyway. SSDI should help you now, when you need it most.

Unfortunately, the vast majority of SSDI applications get denied. In that situation, you have 60 days to appeal. There’s no time to waste, and we can help.

Our attorneys help strengthen your initial application and fight for you to get the benefits you deserve in a timely manner. We don’t want you waiting around, since it can make a huge difference in your income and ability to focus on your health.

What’s more, we don’t get paid a penny until you do, so we’re incentivized to move quickly on your behalf. As our hundreds of happy SSDI clients can attest, you’re in good hands.

Don’t wait to get started with your appeal. Contact us today at 901-327-2100 or fill out the form below.

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