If you have become disabled, you may be concerned about how receiving Social Security Disability benefits will affect you in the future. Will this have an influence on my Social Security retirement benefits eligibility? Is accepting SSD benefits now affecting the amount of money I get in retirement? Contact a nationwide long term disability claims lawyer for full information.
If you’re thinking about applying for Social Security Disability benefits, you should know how they can influence your retirement benefits.
How Do Disability and Retirement Benefits Differ?
Despite the fact that both Social Security Disability Insurance (SSDI) and retirement benefits are paid from the Social Security Fund, the two payments are given to people for different reasons.
SSDI benefits are granted to a person who has accumulated enough work credits and becomes disabled to the point where they are unable to work, and the disability has lasted or is projected to last at least one year or will result in death. When people become disabled, they can apply for SSDI at any age with enough work credits.
When workers reach the age of 62, they are eligible for retirement benefits. Workers can, however, boost their benefits to a 100 percent benefit by postponing retirement benefits until they reach full retirement age, or they can optimize their payments by deferring retirement benefits until they reach age 70. At 70, all eligible Social Security beneficiaries must begin collecting retirement payments.
Is it possible for me to receive disability and retirement benefits from Social Security?
Benefits from SSDI and retirement are not paid at the same time. Instead, most SSDI applicants will receive payments equal to what they would receive at full retirement age, and this benefit is based on your total lifetime earnings.
If you’ve already taken retirement benefits, you won’t be able to get disability benefits because you’ve left your job. Suppose you accepted early retirement and can prove that it was due to a qualifying disability. You may be entitled to the difference between your full retirement benefit and the early retirement payment you got as a disability benefit.
Conclusion:
So when you reach retirement age, what happens to your disability benefits? Do not worry because if you have been given SSDI payments, your disability benefits will immediately transition to a retirement benefit when you reach full retirement age. Your full retirement age is determined by your birth year, and people who were born later have a greater full retirement age.