How can I know if my father's SSI and SSDI benefits have converted to Social Security Retirements benefits? He is turning 67 this August. He understood from a letter he received that if he applied for retirement he would only received what he is entitle do to his benefits (which is only $300) but he would loose is SSDI income.
Thank you.

Hi,

Your father could check with Social Security, or you could do so with his authorization. Another way to know would be from your father's claim number, which should appear on any notices he's received from Social Security. His claim number should now be his Social Security number (SSN) followed by the letter A, as opposed to his disability claim number which would have had the letters HA after his SSN. There's really no need for concern, though. All Social Security disability benefits (SSDI) automatically convert to regular retirement benefits when the beneficiary reaches full retirement age (FRA), which was age 66 in your father's case. In virtually all cases, the conversion results in no change in the person's benefit rate.

Supplemental Security Income (SSI) is a needs based benefit for disabled, blind or aged (i.e. 65 or older) people who have little or no income or other means of support (https://www.ssa.gov/ssi/). Most likely, your father's SSI payment rate would not have changed when his SSDI converted to retirement benefits, unless there was some change in his income or resources.

Best, Jerry