I just finished std and now filling out the forms for lad, I applied for Ssdi in July and was awarded it to start in January 2017 . The insurance is requiring me to apply for Ssdi and I haven't yet told them I did already and was approved. I need advice, am I going to lose my Ssdi money? My ltd money? Right now my Ssdi is going to be 2415 and my std was 4000 per month which I am assuming is going to be my ltd how am I going to be penalized? And a second question please, my wife is on Ssdi for 793 per month, she is 69 can she collect off of my Ssdi and if so what are the ramifications to me? Thanks, Peter

Hi Peter,

Many if not most disability insurance plans have clauses requiring recipients to apply for Social Security disability (SSDI) benefits, and if they qualify, their disability insurance payments may be reduced. You'll need to check with the company that administers your long term disability (LTD) insurance to find out what effect your SSDI benefits will have on those payments.

I can tell you that your LTD payments will have no effect on your SSDI payments. However, I suspect that the SSDI will cause your LTD payments to be reduced, or else they wouldn't be requiring you to apply for SSDI. That just an assumption on my part, though.

You say that your wife is age 69 and receiving SSDI, but that's not possible. SSDI benefits convert to regular retirement benefits at full retirement age, which is age 66 for people born from 1943-1954. So, I assume that your wife is now receiving Social Security retirement benefits. And, if your SSDI rate is more than twice as much as her full retirement age rate, she should be able to get an excess spousal benefit on your record. If she hasn't already done so, she should probably contact Social Security to see about filing a claim for spousal benefits on your record.

Best, Jerry