You cannot collect both Social Security retirement and SSDI simultaneously on your own record

When you reach full retirement age, the Social Security Administration converts your SSDI benefit to a retirement benefit of the same amount. You do not receive both payments — you receive one payment under a different program name. The amount stays the same; only the category changes in their system.

This conversion happens automatically. You do not need to do anything, and you do not get to choose which program to stay on. If you have been receiving SSDI and you reach full retirement age, your case straightforward switches over.

However, there is one significant exception: if you are may be able to access for retirement benefits on someone else's record — a spouse, ex-spouse, or parent — you may be able to receive both that auxiliary benefit and your own SSDI, depending on your age and the rules that explore to your situation.

Key Takeaways

  • SSDI converts to a retirement benefit automatically when you reach full retirement age, so you receive one payment, not two.
  • If you are may be able to access for a spouse's or ex-spouse's retirement benefit, you may receive that alongside your own SSDI under certain circumstances.
  • The amount you receive as SSDI and the amount you would receive as retirement on your own record are calculated the same way, so the conversion does not change your payment.
  • Family members who receive benefits on your SSDI record will continue to receive their payments after your case converts to retirement.

How the conversion from SSDI to retirement works

Social Security calculates your benefit amount based on your earnings record, not on which program you are receiving from. When you turn full retirement age — which ranges from 66 to 67 depending on your birth year — the system recategorizes your case. You stop being a "disabled worker" and become a "retired worker," but the monthly payment amount does not change.

This is why many people do not notice the conversion has happened. Your bank deposit looks the same. The only change is in the official category Social Security uses to describe your case, and you may see this reflected in your online account or in correspondence from Social Security.

If you have been receiving SSDI since before full retirement age, you have already been deemed to have a severe impairment. Social Security does not re-evaluate your medical condition at the conversion point. You do not have to prove you are still disabled, and your case does not go through a continuing disability review at that moment.

When you might receive both SSDI and an auxiliary benefit

You can receive SSDI on your own record and also receive a benefit based on someone else's Social Security record, but only under specific conditions. This is most common when you are receiving SSDI and your spouse or ex-spouse reaches retirement age and claims benefits.

If your spouse claims retirement benefits, you may be may have access to to a spouse's benefit on their record. However, if you are under full retirement age, Social Security will reduce your spouse's benefit to account for your SSDI payment. The total of both payments cannot exceed what is called your "family maximum" — a limit set by Social Security based on the primary earner's record.

If you are divorced and your ex-spouse has claimed retirement benefits, you may receive a benefit on their record if you were married for at least 10 years, you are at least 62 years old, and you are not currently married. Again, the family maximum applies, and your SSDI payment will be factored into the calculation.

What happens to family members receiving benefits on your SSDI record

If your spouse, ex-spouse, or children receive benefits based on your SSDI record, those payments continue after your case converts to retirement. The conversion does not affect their benefits or their may be able to access.

Your children can continue to receive child's benefits on your retirement record until they reach age 19 (or 19 if still in high school, or age 16 if they became disabled before age 22). Your spouse can continue to receive a spouse's benefit if they are caring for a child under 16 or if they have reached full retirement age themselves.

The difference between SSDI and retirement benefits after conversion

Once your SSDI converts to retirement, the rules that govern your case change slightly. You are no longer subject to the Trial Work Period or the Extended Period of may be able to access, two programs that allow SSDI recipients to work and test their ability to earn without losing benefits when ready.

However, you are still subject to the Earnings Test if you have not yet reached full retirement age at the time of conversion — which is rare, since conversion happens at full retirement age. If you continue working and earn above the annual limit, your retirement benefit will be reduced by $1 for every $2 you earn above the threshold.

After you reach full retirement age, there is no earnings limit. You can earn as much as you want without any reduction to your benefit.

If you want to delay claiming and receive a higher amount

You cannot delay your SSDI benefit to receive a higher amount later. When you reach full retirement age, your benefit converts automatically, and the amount is locked in based on your earnings record and your age at conversion.

This is different from retirement benefits, where you can choose to delay claiming past full retirement age to receive an 8 percent increase per year until age 70. Once you are on SSDI, you do not have that option. Your benefit converts at full retirement age, and that is your benefit amount going forward.

Frequently Asked Questions

Do I have to notify Social Security when I turn full retirement age?

No. Social Security tracks your age and converts your case automatically. You do not need to contact them or submit any paperwork. You will receive a notice in the mail explaining the conversion, but your payment will continue without interruption.

Will my SSDI payment go down when it converts to retirement?

No. The amount you receive stays the same. Social Security calculates your benefit based on your earnings history, and that calculation does not change when you move from SSDI to retirement. The program name changes, but your monthly payment does not.

Can I receive SSDI and Social Security retirement on two different records?

No. You can only receive one benefit on your own earnings record. However, you may receive SSDI on your record and a spouse's or ex-spouse's benefit on theirs, subject to the family maximum. Contact Social Security to learn whether you are may have access to to a benefit on another person's record.

What if I disagree with my conversion or think there was an error?

Contact Social Security directly at 1-800-772-1213 or visit your local Social Security office. Bring documentation of your earnings history and any medical records if you believe your case was converted in error. Social Security can review your account and explain how your benefit was calculated.

Does my spouse's SSDI convert to retirement too?

Yes. If your spouse is receiving SSDI, their case will convert to retirement at their full retirement age, just as yours does. The conversion is automatic and does not require any action on their part.