Can You Receive Social Security and Disability at the Same Time?

Many ask this question. Can you receive Social Security and Disability at the same?

Before we answer this question, let’s explain both benefit programs. Are they separate and can be received at the same time or are they one and the same?

Can You Receive Social Security and Disability

Once an American grows old and retires, questions like ‘how do I pay the bills’ or ‘where do I get my daily living expenses,’ from come into play.

Social Security addresses these concerns. The system aims to help retired, poor, disabled and elderly Americans.

The system offers many types of benefits. This article aims to shed light on two benefit programs – one is the retirement program and the other, disability.

Employed Americans become members of the system through payroll taxes. A certain percentage of your salary, for example, goes to the Social Security system and you get it back with interest on top, once you retire.

SSA Benefit Programs

The system is not solely created for paying retirees. Social Security is an  insurance for Americans with several benefits, such as:

• Retirement Insurance,

• Insurance for surviving spouse and children of a member who dies,

• Disability Insurance,

• Veterans’ Benefits,

• Unemployment Insurance,

• and more in the forms of welfare.

Retirement Insurance

Retired Americans comprise the largest segment of Social Security beneficiaries. Their retirement benefits are usually what they use as income after retiring.

Social Security Disability Insurance SSD or SSDI

The Social Security Administration designed a program to provide benefits for medical conditions that last for more than twelve months. The medical condition must be preventing them from performing their work for their primary full-time employment.

SSD is different from state disability benefits that are given to those with temporary or short-term medical conditions.

Compared to the other program, Supplemental Security Income (SSI), the disability benefit does not depend on the beneficiary’s income.

However, legal and medical documentation must prove that the claimant is legitimately disabled. The term ‘disability’ under the SSDI is evaluated under the Americans with Disabilities Act.

Can a Beneficiary Receive Retirement and Disability at the Same Time

So, can you receive social security and disability at the same time? The answer is no. Members or beneficiaries cannot receive Social Security retirement benefits and disability benefits at the same time.

Allow us to explain why

When you apply for disability benefits, you asking to get your retirement benefits in advance, because you cannot work (due to an injury or medical condition). Claimants, ideally, are those who are not old enough to receive their retirement benefits.

The program is for those who are forced to retire early. So if you do collect Social Security Disability Insurance or SSDI benefits, they will be converted to retirement benefits, that is when you reach full retirement age.

Here is an exception

The only exception is an individual who took an eary retirement through the system (possible at the age of 62) before being approved for disability benefits.

The condition is that the applicant drew less than a full monthly retirement benefit for a period of time and was approved for disability benefits.