Can I still qualify for SSDI benefits if I become disabled after age 62? Or just regular Social Security?
I'm 63 and still working full-time (planning to wait until 67 for my full retirement age). A coworker and I were discussing what happens if we get seriously ill or disabled before actually retiring. She insisted that once you hit 62, you can't qualify for disability (SSDI) anymore - just early retirement with the reduction. That doesn't sound right to me, but I honestly don't know. If something happened and I couldn't work anymore, would I still be eligible for disability benefits? Or since I'm over 62, would I only be able to get regular retirement benefits with that permanent reduction? I'm especially concerned because my retirement benefit at 63 would be significantly less than what I'd get at my FRA. Does anyone know how this actually works?
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Nina Chan
Your coworker is wrong. You absolutely CAN apply for SSDI even after age 62. The SSA will actually compare which benefit would be higher - your reduced retirement or your disability benefit - and give you the higher amount. Since SSDI benefits are calculated at your full retirement age amount (without reduction), it's often better to apply for disability if you truly meet the medical criteria rather than taking early retirement.
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Douglas Foster
•Thank you for clearing that up! That makes a lot more sense. I was worried I'd be permanently stuck with a reduced benefit if something happened.
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Ruby Knight
omg i had this EXACT same question last month when i hurt my back! my neighbor kept saying "just file for early SS" but i was like nooo that's a big cut. turns out you can get SSDI til your full retirement age, then it converts to regular retirement automatically.
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Douglas Foster
•Good to know it converts automatically! Did you end up filing for disability for your back injury?
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Ruby Knight
•nah, thank goodness my back healed enough to go back to work. wouldn't wish the disability process on anyone unless you really need it!!
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Diego Castillo
You can definitely still apply for SSDI after 62. The key things to understand: 1. You must still meet the medical criteria (unable to perform substantial gainful activity) 2. You must have enough recent work credits (generally 20 credits in last 10 years) 3. The disability benefit would equal your full retirement amount (not reduced) 4. When you reach FRA, it automatically converts to retirement Many people mistakenly think disability isn't available after 62, but that's incorrect. The confusion happens because both programs are available in that age range. The SSA will actually process concurrent applications for both if you're over 62.
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Logan Stewart
•Is this also true if ur already collecting early SS retirement?? I took mine at 62 (now 64) but was just diagnosed w/ something serious and can't work anymore. Am i stuck with my reduced benefit forever?? 😬
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Diego Castillo
•If you're already receiving early retirement benefits and then become disabled, you can still apply for SSDI. If approved, SSA will adjust your benefit amount to remove the early retirement reduction. You'd need to prove your disability began within 5 months after you started receiving early retirement benefits. The process gets more complicated in this scenario, but it's definitely possible to switch.
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Mikayla Brown
My sister went thru this exact thing! She was 63 and got MS diagnosis. She applied for disability and got approved in about 4 months (surprisingly fast). They paid her the full retirement amount, not the reduced 63-year-old amount. So yes you definitely can still get SSDI after 62.
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Sean Matthews
•That's really fast for an approval! Most people wait forever. I'm curious - did your sister work with an attorney or was it just a really clear-cut case?
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Mikayla Brown
•No attorney - but she had VERY clear documentation from her neurologist. I think certain conditions like MS get processed faster maybe? Or she just got lucky with a good examiner.
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Ali Anderson
I had this EXACT issue last year! I was 64, planning to work to 67 (my FRA), but had a stroke. The SSA field office initially tried to process my application as early retirement. I had to specifically insist on applying for SSDI instead. The difference was significant - about $430/month more by receiving disability instead of early retirement. Make sure they process the right application type if this happens to you!
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Douglas Foster
•That's a huge difference in benefit amount! Did you have trouble getting the SSDI application processed correctly? I'm concerned about dealing with SSA if something happens.
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Ali Anderson
•It was frustrating because I couldn't get through on the phone to straighten it out - constant busy signals or disconnects. I finally used a service called Claimyr (claimyr.com) that got me connected to an actual SSA agent within 20 minutes. They have a video showing how it works: https://youtu.be/Z-BRbJw3puU. Once I got through, I explained I needed to file for disability not early retirement, and they fixed it. Without getting that cleared up quickly, I might have missed deadlines and been stuck with the lower amount.
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Logan Stewart
UGGHH WHY is their system so complicated?!?! I've been trying to figure this out too! My husband (64) just got diagnosed with parkinsons and we're so confused about whether to apply for SSDI or early retirement. The SSA website is like reading hieroglyphics!!!
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Nina Chan
•For Parkinson's, I would definitely recommend applying for SSDI rather than early retirement. It's a recognized neurological condition that often meets their medical criteria. The initial application might take 3-5 months to process, but he'll get his full FRA benefit amount rather than a reduced retirement benefit.
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Logan Stewart
•Thank you! That makes sense. We have an appointment next week and I'll make sure to specify SSDI not early retirement.
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Sean Matthews
My husband actually just went through this last month! He's 63, got very sick, and we were confused about disability vs. retirement. What helped us was contacting our local SHIP (State Health Insurance Assistance Program) counselor who explained everything for free. She was way more helpful than calling Social Security directly.
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Douglas Foster
•I've never heard of SHIP before - that sounds like a great resource. I'll look up our local office. Thanks for the tip!
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Diego Castillo
One important thing to mention about applying for SSDI after age 62: if you've already filed for early retirement, there's a rule called "retroactive suspension" that might apply. If you applied for early retirement and then became disabled within 12 months of filing, you can withdraw your retirement application and apply for disability instead. If it's been more than 12 months, you can still apply for SSDI, but the process gets more complicated. Also remember that SSDI has a 5-month waiting period before benefits start. Planning around these timeframes is crucial when you're in that 62-FRA age range.
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Ruby Knight
•wait so if ur already on early retirement and then get sick like 2 years later, ur just out of luck?? that seems so unfair!
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Diego Castillo
•Not entirely out of luck, but the process gets more complicated. If you become disabled while receiving early retirement benefits, you can still apply for SSDI. If approved, SSA may adjust your payment to remove some or all of the early retirement reduction, depending on when the disability began. But you'll need very clear medical evidence establishing exactly when the disability started. It's definitely more challenging than applying before starting retirement benefits.
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