Hi, I've been on social security disability
( SSDI ) for over 20 years. I'm 61 yes. Old and will be 62 on march 4th 2022. I'm taking home $1330.00 each month. If I put in for retirement at 62 will I keep receiving the same amount ? I'm permanently disabled. Thanks Al

Hi Al. No. You can't collect both Social Security disability (SSDI) benefits and Social Security retirement benefits at the same time. SSDI benefits are calculated at 100% of your primary insurance amount (PIA), and your PIA is what you'd be paid if you start drawing your Social Security retirement benefits at full retirement age (FRA). So, assuming that your SSDI benefits aren't being offset because you receive worker's compensation or a public disability benefit, If you decide to switch from collecting SSDI benefits to drawing Social Security retirement benefits at age 62 your benefit rate will simply be cut from 100% of your PIA to roughly 70% of your PIA.

The only people who receive SSDI who may want to consider voluntarily switching to Social Security retirement benefits prior to FRA are people whose SSDI rate is being offset due to receipt of worker's compensation or public disability benefits, or people whose eligible family members could receive higher auxiliary benefits if the worker was receiving retirement benefits instead of disability benefits. Otherwise, their best strategy is virtually always to simply wait until FRA at which time their SSDI benefits automatically convert to Social Security retirement benefits at the same benefit rate.

Best, Jerry