Greetings, My hubby was injured in 12/2010 in a bombing incident in Afghanistan while he was a cultural advisor helping our troops. We applied for social security disability at age 62. He was making over $ 200K at the time and 3 years prior to that, and a decent amount in the previous 25 years or so. I specifically asked if applying for disability now will effect his retirement benefit when he turns 65. I was told by a few Reps NO. Although according to the calculator based on his income he was to receive $ 2800.00 Instead he received $ 1500.00 Then when he reached retirement age, the transferred that to his retirement, stating since he took early retirement. WHICH he did not, he was severely injured and bed ridden for years. I feel it is injustice and would like your help with fighting for him. Appreciate your time and your response so very much.

Hi,

I'm sorry to hear about your husband's injuries.

I really don't have enough facts about your husband's case to be able to offer you much advice. I don't know why his benefit rate was so much lower than the estimate he received, unless he also received some type of other benefits that would have caused a partial offset to his Social Security disability (SSDI) benefits (e.g. worker's compensation, public disability benefits). You husband may want to consider one of our software options to check his benefit computation and to determine what possible alternatives may be available to him.

Sometimes when a person suffers a disabling impairment between ages 62 and full retirement age (FRA) they will file for reduced retirement benefits at the same time they file for SSDI. Retirement benefits can often start immediately whereas SSDI has a 5 full month waiting period from the time a person becomes disabled and stops working. When that happens, the person starts out receiving their normal reduced retirement rate and then if they are approved for SSDI the rate reduction is removed for any months that the person also qualifies for SSDI. Then, when the person reaches FRA their SSDI converts to regular retirement benefits at the same adjusted rate (i.e. reduced only for the months they received reduced retirement benefits prior to their SSDI entitlement date). I have no idea whether or not this may have occurred in your husband's case, though.

It sounds like your husband may want to consider pursuing the Social Security appeals process if he hasn't already done so (https://www.ssa.gov/pubs/EN-05-10041.pdf). But again, I don't have enough information to know if he's within the time period allowed for filing an appeal or whether or not his benefits have been correctly calculated.

Best, Jerry