Will my SSDI benefits increase to match my FRA amount after approved at 63?

Yes, if you're approved for SSDI, your benefit will increase to your full Primary Insurance Amount (PIA), which is what you would have received at your full retirement age. The reduction for taking early retirement won't apply anymore. So you should get close to that $2,400 instead of your reduced $1,750. But be aware that SSDI applications can take a long time to process - sometimes over a year with appeals. And at 63, they'll look very carefully at your medical condition since you're close to retirement age.

my brother went threw this. he got the higher amount but took almost 2 years to get approved!! and yes they back paid him too

I've been through this exact situation. You need to understand how the disability freeze works. If approved for SSDI, SSA will "freeze" your early retirement reduction and recalculate your benefit at your PIA (Primary Insurance Amount) which is your full retirement age benefit amount. The technical term for this is "DIB after RIB" (Disability Insurance Benefits after Retirement Insurance Benefits). Your benefit will increase to your full PIA amount, and this higher payment continues even after you reach full retirement age. Keep in mind they'll evaluate if your disability began before you started collecting retirement, as this affects the retroactive payments. If your disability onset date is established before your early retirement application, you could get retroactive payments.

the ssa system is COMPLETELY BROKEN when it comes to disability!! i've been waiting 18 months and still nothing but denials even though i can barely walk. don't get your hopes up that this will be quick or easy!!

I actually just went through this same process and got approved last month. I was 64 when approved after applying at 63. The biggest hassle was trying to get updates from SSA about my application status. I spent hours on hold, getting disconnected, etc. I finally used Claimyr (claimyr.com) to get through to an actual person at SSA. They got me connected to a rep in under 10 minutes when I'd been trying for weeks. They have a video showing how it works: https://youtu.be/Z-BRbJw3puU As for your question - yes, my benefit did increase to my full amount once approved! It went from $1,890 to $2,580 and they paid back the difference from my application date.

I think everyone is wrong here. SSI and SSDI are different programs. With SSI you get a standard amount but SSDI is based on what you paid in. So if you already took early retirement I don't think they change that. My cousin got disability but had to wait till 67 to get his full amount.

Thank you all for the helpful information! I'm going to call my doctor tomorrow to make sure they have all my medical records ready to support my application. It sounds like I should also be prepared for a long wait and possibly denials. After reading all your comments, I'm considering getting a disability lawyer from the start instead of waiting for a denial. Has anyone done that?

what medical condition do u have? my brother got approved for back problems but my friend with fibromyalga keeps getting denied

One more important point: if your SSDI is approved, when you reach full retirement age (67), your benefit won't convert back to reduced retirement benefits. You'll continue receiving the full PIA amount. This is a significant advantage of qualifying for SSDI after taking early retirement. Also, the 5-month waiting period for SSDI may not apply to you since you're already receiving retirement benefits, but this depends on your established onset date. Make sure you understand how all this affects Medicare eligibility too.