You can receive both, but the rules depend on your age and how much you earned

Yes, you can collect both Social Security retirement benefits and Social Security Disability Insurance (SSDI) at the same time. The Social Security Administration allows this in specific situations, but the amount you receive from each program may be reduced depending on your age when you start collecting and your lifetime earnings record.

The most common scenario is when you reach your full retirement age while already receiving SSDI. At that point, your SSDI payments convert to retirement benefits, but the total amount you receive stays the same. Another path is if you have enough work credits to may have access to for both programs independently — though this is less common.

Understanding how these two programs interact is important because receiving one affects how much you can get from the other. The Social Security Administration uses a formula called the "family maximum" that can limit your total household benefits, and there are rules about how much you can earn from work without losing benefits.

Key Takeaways

  • When you reach full retirement age, your SSDI automatically converts to retirement benefits at the same payment amount.
  • If you may have access to for both programs separately, you receive whichever amount is higher, not both amounts added together.
  • The family maximum rule means your household's total Social Security benefits (yours plus any family members receiving on your record) may be capped at 150 to 180 percent of your primary benefit amount.
  • If you work and earn above the annual limit, you may lose some or all of your benefits until you reach full retirement age.
  • You should contact the Social Security Administration directly to understand how your specific situation affects your payments.

How SSDI converts when you reach full retirement age

When you turn your full retirement age — which ranges from 66 to 67 depending on your birth year — your SSDI payments automatically switch to retirement benefits. You do not need to do anything; the Social Security Administration handles the conversion on your record.

The key point is that your monthly payment amount does not change during this conversion. If you were receiving $1,400 per month on SSDI, you will continue to receive $1,400 per month as a retirement benefit. The program changes, but your check stays the same.

This conversion matters because it affects how much you can earn from work. Once you are receiving retirement benefits (rather than SSDI), the earnings limit is higher, and it only applies until you reach full retirement age. After that, you can earn any amount without losing benefits.

When you might may have access to for both programs separately

In rare cases, someone might have enough work credits to may have access to for both SSDI and retirement benefits as two separate claims. This could happen if you worked for many years, became disabled, and then later reached retirement age while still disabled.

If you do may have access to for both programs separately, the Social Security Administration pays you the higher of the two amounts, not both amounts combined. For example, if your SSDI calculation comes to $1,200 per month and your retirement benefit calculation comes to $1,500 per month, you receive $1,500. The lower amount is not added on top.

This situation is uncommon because the work credits and earnings history required for SSDI are similar to those required for retirement benefits. Most people who may have access to for SSDI will have their benefits convert to retirement at full retirement age rather than receiving two separate payments.

The family maximum and how it affects your household

Social Security has a rule called the family maximum that limits the total amount your household can receive based on your earnings record. This maximum is typically 150 to 180 percent of your primary benefit amount — the amount you personally receive.

The family maximum applies when other people are also collecting benefits on your record, such as a spouse, ex-spouse, or children. If you are receiving SSDI and your spouse is receiving a spousal benefit, or if your children are receiving benefits, the family maximum may reduce what each person gets.

For example, if your primary benefit is $1,500 per month and the family maximum is 175 percent of that, the household cap is $2,625 per month. If you, your spouse, and two children are all collecting on your record, the Social Security Administration divides that $2,625 among all four of you, rather than paying each person their full calculated amount.

Work earnings limits while receiving SSDI or retirement benefits

If you are receiving SSDI and you work, there is an annual earnings limit. For 2024, you can earn up to $1,550 per month (or about $18,600 per year) without losing any benefits. If you earn more than that, the Social Security Administration deducts $1 from your benefits for every $2 you earn above the limit.

This limit applies only while you are receiving SSDI. Once your benefits convert to retirement benefits at your full retirement age, the earnings limit changes. In the year you reach full retirement age, you can earn up to a higher amount (about $4,920 per month in 2024) before benefits are reduced. After the month you reach full retirement age, there is no earnings limit at all.

If you are already receiving retirement benefits and you have not yet reached full retirement age, the same earnings limit applies. The Social Security Administration counts only wages from work and net income from self-employment; it does not count investment income, pensions, or other sources.

How your lifetime earnings record affects both programs

Both SSDI and retirement benefits are calculated based on your Primary Insurance Amount (PIA), which comes from your lifetime earnings record. The Social Security Administration looks at your 35 highest-earning years and calculates an average. Your PIA is then adjusted based on your age when you start collecting.

If you became disabled before reaching full retirement age, your SSDI amount is based on your PIA at the time you became disabled. If you later reach full retirement age and your benefits convert to retirement, the amount stays the same — it does not recalculate based on additional years of work.

However, if you continue to work while receiving SSDI, and those new earnings are higher than some of your earlier years, the Social Security Administration may recalculate your PIA upward. This is called a "recomputation," and it can increase your monthly benefit amount. You should contact the Social Security Administration if you think your record has changed due to continued work.

Coordinating with other benefits and pensions

If you receive a pension from work that was not covered by Social Security — such as a government job pension — there are rules that may reduce your Social Security benefits. The Government Pension Offset (GPO) and Windfall Elimination Provision (WEP) are two rules that can lower what you receive.

The GPO applies if you are receiving a government pension and also collecting spousal or survivor benefits on someone else's Social Security record. The WEP applies if you are receiving a government pension and also collecting your own Social Security retirement or disability benefits. These rules do not prevent you from receiving both SSDI and retirement benefits, but they may reduce the amount.

If you have a pension from a job not covered by Social Security, contact the Social Security Administration before you start collecting benefits. They can tell you whether these rules explore to your situation and what your actual payment will be.

Frequently Asked Questions

What happens to my SSDI when I turn full retirement age?

Your SSDI automatically converts to retirement benefits on your full retirement age. Your monthly payment amount stays the same, but the program name changes on your record. You do not need to take any action — the Social Security Administration handles it automatically.

Can I receive SSDI and retirement benefits at the same time as two separate payments?

No. If you may have access to for both programs, you receive whichever amount is higher, not both added together. In most cases, people receiving SSDI will have those benefits convert to retirement at full retirement age rather than receiving two separate payments.

Will my spouse's benefits be affected if I receive both SSDI and retirement?

Your spouse's benefits may be affected by the family maximum rule. If your spouse is also collecting on your record, the total household benefits are capped at 150 to 180 percent of your primary benefit amount. Contact the Social Security Administration to find out how this applies to your household.

Can I work while receiving both SSDI and retirement benefits?

The earnings limit depends on which program you are receiving. While on SSDI, you can earn up to $1,550 per month without losing benefits. Once you reach full retirement age and your benefits convert to retirement, there is no earnings limit. Between full retirement age and the year you reach it, a higher earnings limit applies.

How do I know if I may have access to for both programs?

Contact the Social Security Administration at 1-800-772-1213 or visit your local Social Security office. They can review your work history and tell you whether you may have access to for both SSDI and retirement benefits, and what your payment would be under each program.