Can I collect Social Security retirement and California SDI benefits simultaneously without exceeding earnings limit?

Good news - CASDI (California State Disability Insurance) is NOT counted as earned income for Social Security purposes! Only actual wages from work count toward your earnings limit. Disability payments, whether private or state, don't count against your SS earnings limit. And yes, you can collect both CASDI and your Social Security retirement benefits simultaneously. They're completely separate programs. Just be aware that once you're back to work in January, then you'll need to keep track of your earnings if you're below your full retirement age.

my sister had the same thing happen with nj disability and social security last year and she got to keep both no problem

NOT TRUE!!!! You need to be very careful here because California has special rules! My cousin lost nearly $4000 in benefits because of this exact situation. The SSA counts ANY income including disability as earned income especially if it's paid through your employer!!!! Don't listen to these people saying it's fine without checking first!!!!!

Hi there! Former SSA employee here. To clarify what others have said: CASDI benefits are NOT counted as earned income for the Social Security earnings test. The earnings test only counts actual wages or self-employment income. You can absolutely receive both CASDI and Social Security retirement benefits simultaneously without one affecting the other. However, since you're turning 66 in February 2025, here's something important to consider: February 2025 is the month you reach your full retirement age (FRA) if you were born in 1959. The earnings limit actually disappears completely in the month you reach FRA. So even if you do work in January 2025, you only need to worry about the earnings limit for that one month. Also, since you mentioned trouble reaching SSA by phone - have you tried creating a my Social Security account online? You can start your retirement application there without the phone hassle.

I've been through this exact situation in 2023 with CA disability and starting my Social Security. If you're having trouble getting through to Social Security on the phone, I used a service called Claimyr that got me connected to an agent in under 20 minutes. It was worth it to finally get answers directly from SSA instead of stressing for weeks. They have a video showing how it works at https://youtu.be/Z-BRbJw3puU Regarding your question - I was able to collect both without issues. The SSA agent confirmed CASDI isn't counted as earned income for the earnings test.

im confused...isnt CASDI the same as SSDI?? why would you get both state and federal disability? or are you trying to double dip??

My situation was almost identical to yours last year. On CA disability then started SS retirement when I turned 66. My experience: CASDI doesn't count as earned income for Social Security purposes. I collected both with no problems. Just make sure when you file your taxes next year you understand how both are reported. CASDI is handled differently than regular income.

wait so ur turning 66 but not at FRA yet? i thought 66 was the full age for ss?

Thank you all for your responses! I've learned so much from this thread. Based on what everyone's shared, it seems like I can collect both CASDI and Social Security retirement without the disability payments counting against my earnings limit. I'm going to try calling SSA again tomorrow morning to confirm, and I might try that phone service if I can't get through again. This has been hugely helpful!

Just wanted to add one more point that might be helpful - since you mentioned having trouble with the online verification process due to not having credit cards or loans, you can also try visiting your local Social Security office in person to apply. I know it's not as convenient, especially with your back injury, but sometimes it's easier than dealing with the phone system. You can make an appointment online at ssa.gov to avoid waiting in line. They can help you with both the retirement application and answer any questions about how your CASDI affects things. Bring your medical records and disability paperwork just in case they need to see them.

I'm in a very similar situation - turning 66 next month and currently on CASDI after a workplace injury. From what I've researched and confirmed with my local SSA office, CASDI absolutely does NOT count toward your Social Security earnings limit. The key distinction is that CASDI is considered unearned income (like insurance payments), not wages from work. One thing I'd add that others haven't mentioned - make sure to keep good records of your CASDI payments and any correspondence about your expected return-to-work date. When I applied for my SS retirement benefits, they asked about my disability status just to make sure there wouldn't be any issues when I eventually return to work. Also, since you're having phone troubles, try calling the SSA at exactly 8:00 AM when they open - that's when I finally got through after weeks of trying. The wait was only about 15 minutes at that time. Good luck with everything!

One additional consideration I haven't seen mentioned yet - when you do start receiving both CASDI and Social Security retirement benefits, be aware that your total income might affect the taxation of your Social Security benefits. While CASDI doesn't count toward the earnings test, both types of income are considered when determining if your SS benefits will be taxable. Generally, if your combined income (including half of your SS benefits plus other income like CASDI) exceeds $25,000 for single filers, up to 50% of your SS benefits could be taxable. Just something to keep in mind for tax planning purposes. You might want to consult with a tax professional to understand how this will affect your specific situation, especially since you'll be transitioning back to work income in January.

I've been working as a benefits counselor for over 15 years and can confirm what several others have said - CASDI is definitely NOT considered earned income for Social Security earnings test purposes. You're absolutely safe to collect both simultaneously. One thing I'd suggest is documenting everything once you start receiving both benefits. Keep copies of your award letters from both programs, as sometimes there can be confusion down the line (especially if you switch to SSDI later or have other changes). Also, since you mentioned your doctor expects you back to work in January 2025, remember that California requires you to report any return to work to the CASDI program - they have specific procedures for this. The good news is that by January when you return to work, you'll be very close to your full retirement age (66 and 10 months for your birth year), so the Social Security earnings limits will be much less of a concern anyway. Best of luck with your recovery and your retirement planning!

As someone who's been through a similar transition from disability to retirement benefits, I want to echo what the benefits counselor and others have said - you're definitely on the right track! CASDI and Social Security retirement are completely separate programs, and the disability payments won't affect your earnings limit. One practical tip I'd add: when you do get through to SSA (and you will!), ask them to mail you a written confirmation of your retirement benefit amount and start date. Having that documentation in hand gave me such peace of mind during my transition. Also, don't forget to notify your employer's HR department about your upcoming return to work in January - they may need time to process your return and coordinate with workers' comp if that's involved in your case. The timing actually works out well for you since you'll be so close to full retirement age when you return to work. Hang in there - the hardest part is just getting through to speak with someone at SSA!

I'm new to this community but wanted to share my recent experience since it's so relevant to your situation! I just went through this exact process last month - I was on CASDI for a shoulder injury and started my Social Security retirement benefits when I turned 66. The great news is that everyone here is correct - CASDI absolutely does not count toward your Social Security earnings limit. I was initially worried about this too, but when I finally got through to an SSA representative (took me calling at exactly 8:00 AM like others suggested), they confirmed that state disability payments are not considered "earned income" for their purposes. One thing I learned that might help you: when I applied for my retirement benefits online, there was a section asking about current disability status. I was honest about being on CASDI, and it didn't create any issues at all. In fact, the SSA rep told me it actually helped them understand my situation better. Also, regarding the online account verification issues you mentioned - I had the same problem! What worked for me was going to my local SSA office with two forms of ID. They were able to help me set up the online account in person, which made the whole application process much easier. The appointment took about 45 minutes, but it was so worth it to avoid the phone wait times. Good luck with everything, and I hope your back heals well!

I'm also new to navigating these benefit systems, but I wanted to share something that might be helpful. My mom went through a similar situation with California disability and Social Security retirement about two years ago. She was really stressed about potential conflicts between the programs, but it turned out to be much smoother than expected. One thing that really helped her was creating a simple timeline of when each benefit would start and end. Since you mentioned returning to work in January and your birthday in February, you might want to map out: CASDI until January, Social Security retirement starting now, and then just Social Security after you return to work (since you'll be at full retirement age soon after). Also, I noticed several people mentioned calling SSA at 8 AM - my mom had success calling on Tuesdays or Wednesdays mid-morning around 10 AM. She said Mondays and Fridays seemed to be the busiest. Might be worth trying different days if the 8 AM approach doesn't work out. The consensus here seems really clear that you can collect both benefits without issues. Wishing you a smooth recovery and an easy transition to retirement benefits!

As a newcomer to this community, I want to thank everyone for sharing such detailed and helpful information on this topic! I'm not in the exact same situation, but I've been learning a lot about Social Security and disability benefits by reading through discussions like this one. What really stands out to me is how consistent the advice has been from multiple people with actual experience - that CASDI doesn't count toward Social Security earnings limits because it's not considered "earned income." It's also reassuring to see that several community members have successfully collected both types of benefits simultaneously without any issues. For anyone else who might be reading this thread with similar questions, the practical tips shared here are gold: calling SSA at 8 AM or mid-morning on weekdays, being upfront about disability status on applications, keeping detailed records, and considering in-person visits to local SSA offices for account setup. These real-world experiences are so much more valuable than trying to navigate the official websites alone. @Liam Murphy - I hope you're able to get through to SSA soon and get everything sorted out smoothly. Based on all the responses here, it sounds like you're in a really good position to collect both benefits without any conflicts!

As someone new to this community, I wanted to add my perspective after reading through this incredibly informative discussion. I'm currently helping my father navigate a similar situation with state disability and Social Security retirement benefits in another state, and this thread has been tremendously helpful. What I find most reassuring is the consistent message from multiple people with direct experience: state disability payments like CASDI are not considered earned income for Social Security purposes, so you can collect both benefits simultaneously without affecting your earnings limit. The distinction between "earned income" (wages from work) and disability payments (insurance benefits) seems to be the key point here. I also wanted to highlight some of the excellent practical advice that's been shared: calling SSA right at 8 AM for shorter wait times, being transparent about your disability status on applications, keeping detailed records of all payments and correspondence, and considering in-person visits to local SSA offices when online verification doesn't work. @Liam Murphy - your situation sounds very manageable based on all the expert input here. The timing actually works in your favor since you'll reach full retirement age just one month after returning to work, which eliminates most earnings limit concerns. Best wishes for your recovery and smooth transition to retirement benefits!

As a newcomer to this community, I've been following this discussion with great interest since I'm helping my elderly neighbor understand her Social Security options. The wealth of knowledge shared here has been incredibly valuable! What strikes me most is how consistently everyone with actual experience has confirmed that CASDI and Social Security retirement benefits can be collected simultaneously without issues. The key insight about CASDI being considered unearned income rather than earned income for Social Security purposes really clears up the confusion. I particularly appreciate all the practical tips shared - from the best times to call SSA (8 AM seems to be the consensus winner!) to the importance of keeping detailed records and being upfront about your situation when applying. The suggestion about visiting a local SSA office for account setup when online verification fails is brilliant. @Liam Murphy - based on everything shared here, it sounds like you're in an excellent position to move forward with confidence. Your timeline actually works out perfectly with reaching full retirement age so close to when you'll return to work. Wishing you the best with your recovery and retirement transition! This thread is a perfect example of why community knowledge-sharing is so valuable for navigating these complex benefit systems.