Will SSDI automatically convert to retirement at FRA? Confused about work restrictions before November
My wife turns full retirement age (FRA) this November and has been receiving SSDI benefits for about 6 years now. I'm trying to understand if there's anything we need to do before this automatic conversion from disability to retirement benefits happens? The SSA website mentions it's automatic, but is there paperwork we should expect or complete beforehand? Also, her health has improved significantly over the past year, and she wants to try some part-time work. We're confused about when she can start working without worrying about the earnings limit. Can she start now while still on SSDI, or should she wait until November when she hits FRA? I've heard different things about work rules before and after FRA. I don't want her to accidentally mess up her benefits by working at the wrong time. Any advice from those who've been through this transition would be greatly appreciated!
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Omar Fawzi
The switchover IS automatic, my husband went through this last year. You don't need to do ANYTHING! But keep an eye on your bank account that first month after FRA because sometimes there's a day or two delay compared to the usual SSDI payment date. We panicked until it showed up. As far as working, the rules are different for SSDI vs regular retirement. Under SSDI she still has the $1,550/month substantial gainful activity limit (I think that's the 2025 amount). Once she converts to retirement in November, she'll be at FRA so no earnings limit at all!!
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Freya Johansen
•Thank you! That's a relief about the automatic switch. Do you know if the benefit amount changes at all? And just to be clear - she should wait until November to start working if she might earn more than that SGA limit?
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Chloe Wilson
You're getting some partially incorrect information here. Let me clarify a few important points: 1. Yes, the conversion from SSDI to retirement is automatic at FRA. Your wife won't need to complete any paperwork. The benefit amount will remain exactly the same. 2. Regarding work: The rules are more nuanced. While on SSDI, your wife is subject to the Trial Work Period (TWP) provisions. She can test her ability to work for 9 months (not necessarily consecutive) while still receiving full SSDI benefits regardless of earnings. Only after completing the 9-month TWP would the Substantial Gainful Activity (SGA) limit apply. 3. After FRA in November, the earnings test completely disappears. She can earn any amount without affecting benefits. I'd recommend your wife contact SSA to confirm if she's used any TWP months already. Working now might be possible within those TWP provisions without affecting benefits.
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Diego Mendoza
•yes this is right!! i went through this 2 years ago and the TWP is sooo important to understand. i didnt know about it and messed up my benefits for a bit. definitely call and check
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Anastasia Romanov
Hey, I had almost the exact same situation with my disability benefits last year! The switch to retirement was totally automatic, but there was one thing that caught me off guard - the payment date shifted. SSDI pays on a different schedule than retirement benefits. I spent THREE HOURS trying to get through to SSA to ask about the work rules before giving up. Then I found this service called Claimyr (claimyr.com) that got me connected to an agent in like 20 minutes instead of waiting on hold forever. They have a video showing how it works at https://youtu.be/Z-BRbJw3puU The agent explained everything about the Trial Work Period the previous commenter mentioned. Turns out I had already used 4 of my TWP months years ago and didn't even realize it! Definitely worth checking where your wife stands with that.
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Freya Johansen
•Thanks for mentioning that service. I'll check it out because I've been trying to get through for days with no luck. And I had no idea about the payment date shift - that's really good to know!
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StellarSurfer
i think everyones making this way more complicated than it needs to be lol. my mom just went through this and nothing changed except they stopped calling it disability and started calling it retirement. same money, same everything. she didnt have to do ANYTHING
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Sean Kelly
•Did your mom work though? That's the complicated part. The benefit conversion is simple but the work rules are TOTALLY different before and after FRA. That's where people get tripped up. Many lose benefits because they don't understand how the TWP and SGA limits work.
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Zara Malik
There's a crucial detail nobody's mentioned yet. When someone transitions from SSDI to retirement benefits at FRA, their MEDICARE CONTINUES AUTOMATICALLY too. No changes there. Regarding work: While the Trial Work Period is important to understand, equally important is that any work activity your wife does NOW might trigger a continuing disability review (CDR). Since she's close to FRA, this probably won't happen, but it's something to be aware of. My recommendation: If she can wait until November to start working, that's the simplest approach. Once she reaches FRA, the earnings test disappears completely, and there's no risk of triggering reviews or exceeding SGA limits. If she wants to start sooner, she should definitely contact SSA to understand her specific TWP status and get detailed guidance on reporting requirements.
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Freya Johansen
•This is really helpful, thank you. I didn't even think about the possibility of triggering a review. Since it's only a few months away, waiting until November probably makes the most sense to avoid any complications.
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StellarSurfer
THE SSA IS THE WORST!!! my sister was on SSDI and decided to try working part time. She reported EVERYTHING exactly like they told her to and they STILL claimed she owed them $12,000 in overpayments!!!! took her almost 2 years to get it sorted out. if your wife is close to retirement age i would DEFINITELY wait till november!!!!!
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Chloe Wilson
•While this does happen sometimes, it's often due to misunderstandings about the reporting requirements or missed deadlines. The system is complex, which is why getting accurate information about one's specific situation directly from SSA is so important. But waiting until FRA when the earnings test disappears is certainly the safest approach to avoid potential issues.
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Diego Mendoza
Has anyone here gone back to work after being on disability for a long time? I'm worried about my skills being outdated. My doc says I can try part time work but I'm scared...
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Sean Kelly
•This is off-topic from the original question, but Ticket to Work program might help you. They have resources for retraining and gradual return to work while protecting your benefits during the transition. Check ssa.gov/work for more info.
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Zara Malik
To summarize for the original poster: 1. The conversion from SSDI to retirement benefits will happen automatically in November - no action needed 2. The benefit amount will remain the same 3. Medicare coverage continues unchanged 4. Payment dates might shift slightly (retirement benefits have a different schedule than SSDI) 5. Working now (before FRA) involves navigating Trial Work Period rules and SGA limits 6. Working after reaching FRA in November has no earnings restrictions whatsoever Given these facts, and considering it's only a few months away, waiting until November to begin working is likely the simplest approach. This avoids any potential complications with TWP months, SGA limits, or triggering reviews.
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Freya Johansen
•Thank you for this clear summary. We've decided to wait until November to avoid any potential issues. I'll also prepare her for the possibility of payment date changes so we don't panic if that happens. I appreciate everyone's help!
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