Caught between SS Disability denial and early retirement at 63 - with disabled husband and no income since October

I went through something similar with my SSDI case and early retirement. Here's what you need to know: Yes, you can apply for early retirement benefits at 63 while your SSDI case is pending. If you're later approved for SSDI, they'll adjust your payment to the higher disability amount retroactively. BUT, taking early retirement reduces your monthly benefit by about 0.5% for each month before your FRA. At 63, that's roughly a 20-25% permanent reduction. My advice: 1. Apply for early retirement immediately to get some income flowing 2. Continue pursuing your SSDI case 3. Definitely get an attorney for your SSDI hearing if you don't already have one - most work on contingency and only get paid if you win Also, check if you qualify for SSI in the meantime based on limited resources. And don't forget to look into whether your husband qualifies for any additional assistance with his cancer treatments.

u can definitely apply online for retirement!!! i did mine last yr during covid never stepped foot in an office. just go to ssa.gov and click the retirement button. takes like 30 min tops if u have all ur info ready. my sister was also waiting for disability and took early retirement at 62 - they eventually approved her disability and paid her the difference for all those months she was waiting

Your situation sounds incredibly stressful and I'm so sorry you're going through this. I was in a similar position 2 years ago. The LTD insurance companies are NOTORIOUS for cutting people off right around the 2-year mark because that's when many policies switch from "own occupation" to "any occupation" disability definitions. They don't care if you're actually able to work! One thing I wanted to mention - when you apply for early retirement, you'll be asked whether you're disabled. MAKE SURE to indicate YES and provide your pending SSDI information. This helps preserve your disability claim. Also, depending on your work history and earnings record, your SSDI amount might actually be HIGHER than your reduced retirement benefit, plus SSDI automatically converts to full retirement benefits at your FRA without the reduction. Have you appealed the LTD termination decision? Most policies have a 180-day appeal window.

The Social Security system is BROKEN!! My hearing was rescheduled THREE TIMES and took 2.5 years total to get approved. The whole time I had NO INCOME while fighting cancer. These insurance companies work hand in hand with SSA to deny claims and save money. They don't care if we lose our homes or can't afford medications. I ended up having to move in with my daughter and her family because I couldn't pay rent anywhere. The system is designed to make you give up!!!

Have you considered reaching out to Claimyr? When I was in a similar situation trying to reach someone at Social Security, I used their service and got through to an agent in less than 20 minutes after spending weeks trying on my own. They can help you get an earlier appointment than March. Check out their website at claimyr.com - they have a video demo at https://youtu.be/Z-BRbJw3puU showing how it works. It was honestly worth it when I was desperate to talk to someone at SSA about my pending SSDI claim while considering early retirement. Regarding your situation, one important point: if you're approved for SSDI, you'll be eligible for Medicare after 24 months of disability (counted from your established disability onset date), which could help with your husband's supplemental costs if you can add him to your policy. Don't give up on your disability claim even if you start taking early retirement benefits.

my mom took early retirement at 62 while waiting for disability approval. when ssdi was finally approved they calculated the difference between what she got in retirement and what she should have gotten in disability and paid her a lump sum for the difference. then her monthly check increased to the disability amount. when she reached full retirement age nothing changed because disability benefits are already calculated at your full benefit amount. you might want to ask about restricted application too since your husband is already collecting ss.

the worst part about all this is the waiting!!!! when i applied for disability they denied me 2 times then i got a lawyer for my hearing and STILL had to wait almost 9 months for the actual hearing date. then another 2 months for the decision. it's like they WANT us to die before they approve anything smh

Have you looked into your state's emergency assistance programs? Some states have emergency funds for people waiting on SSDI decisions. Also check with your county's Department of Social Services - they might have emergency housing assistance to help with your mortgage payment. Don't be too proud to apply for SNAP benefits (food stamps) too - that's what these programs are for!

One more important thing to consider: If you take early retirement at 63, your benefit is reduced by about 20-25% permanently. However, if your SSDI is approved later, you'll receive the full disability benefit (which equals your FRA benefit amount with no reduction). The difference between these amounts over years could be significant. For context: If your FRA benefit would be $2,000/month, early retirement at 63 might give you around $1,500/month permanently. But SSDI would give you the full $2,000/month, plus back pay for the waiting period. That's a $500/month difference for the rest of your life. Have you checked your estimated benefit amount on your my Social Security account at ssa.gov? That would give you a better idea of what you're looking at financially.