You cannot collect both Social Security retirement and Social Security Disability Insurance (SSDI) at the same time, but the rules change when you reach full retirement age
If you are receiving SSDI and turn full retirement age, the Social Security Administration converts your disability benefit to a retirement benefit of the same amount. You do not file separately or choose between them — the switch happens automatically. The payment stays the same, but the program name changes in your account.
If you are already collecting Social Security retirement and then become disabled before full retirement age, you cannot also collect SSDI. You continue receiving your retirement benefit. If your disability would have paid more than your retirement benefit, you cannot retroactively switch programs.
The one exception involves family members: if you are collecting retirement benefits, your disabled adult child (disabled before age 22) may be able to collect a benefit on your record at the same time you collect yours. This is a separate payment to them, not a choice between two benefits for you.
Key Takeaways
- SSDI and Social Security retirement are two separate programs, and you receive a benefit from only one at a time.
- When you reach full retirement age while on SSDI, your disability benefit automatically converts to a retirement benefit for the same amount.
- A disabled adult child can collect on your Social Security record while you collect your own retirement benefit.
- If you become disabled after you start collecting retirement, you remain on the retirement program and cannot switch to SSDI.
- Full retirement age depends on your birth year and ranges from 66 to 67.
How the conversion from SSDI to retirement works
You do not need to do anything when you reach full retirement age on SSDI. The Social Security Administration tracks your age and makes the change in their system. You will receive a notice in the mail explaining that your benefit has been converted, but your monthly payment continues without interruption.
The amount you receive does not change during this conversion. The Social Security Administration calculates both your SSDI benefit and your retirement benefit based on your earnings record, and whichever is higher becomes your payment. When you convert, you receive that same amount under the retirement program instead.
This matters because it affects what happens if you work or if you have dependents. Once you are on retirement benefits, you can earn as much as you want without losing any payment. While you are on SSDI before full retirement age, there is an earnings limit (the amount changes yearly, but in 2024 it was $23,409 per year). If you earn more than that, your benefit is reduced.
What happens if you are on retirement and then become disabled
If you are already collecting Social Security retirement and you become severely disabled before reaching full retirement age, you cannot switch to SSDI. You stay on your retirement benefit. The Social Security Administration does not move people backward from retirement to disability, even if disability would pay more.
This is one reason some people delay claiming retirement benefits — if you become disabled before you claim, you can file for SSDI instead, which may have a higher payment. Once you claim retirement, that option closes.
If you are unsure whether you should claim retirement now or wait, you can contact the Social Security Administration to discuss your situation. They can explain what your retirement benefit would be at different ages and what SSDI would pay if you became disabled.
Disabled adult children on your Social Security record
A disabled adult child can collect a benefit based on your Social Security record while you are collecting your own retirement benefit. This is called a disabled adult child (DAC) benefit, and it is a separate payment — it does not reduce your benefit.
To receive this benefit, your child must have become disabled before turning 22, and they must remain disabled. The benefit amount is typically 50 percent of your full retirement benefit amount. If you are already collecting a reduced retirement benefit (because you claimed before full retirement age), their benefit is calculated on what your full retirement benefit would have been, not on the reduced amount you receive.
Your child does not have to be living with you or dependent on you financially. They can be living independently, working part-time, or married. The main requirements are the disability onset before age 22 and the ongoing disability.
Full retirement age and when conversions happen
Full retirement age is not 65 — it depends on your birth year. If you were born in 1943 or later, your full retirement age is between 66 and 67. The Social Security Administration publishes a table showing the exact age for each birth year.
Your full retirement age is the age at which you can collect your full retirement benefit without any reduction. It is also the age at which SSDI converts to retirement, and the age at which the earnings limit on SSDI no longer applies.
If you are not sure what your full retirement age is, you can check your Social Security account online at ssa.gov, call the Social Security Administration at 1-800-772-1213, or visit a local Social Security office.
Earnings limits while on SSDI before full retirement age
While you are on SSDI and have not yet reached full retirement age, there is a limit on how much you can earn from work. In 2024, that limit was $23,409 per year. If you earn more, your benefit is reduced by $1 for every $2 you earn above the limit.
This earnings limit does not explore to unearned income like interest, dividends, or rental income — only to wages from work or net income from self-employment. It also does not explore once you reach full retirement age, even if you are still on SSDI (though by then your benefit will have converted to retirement).
The earnings limit changes each year. You can find the current limit on the Social Security Administration website or by calling them.
How to report a change in your situation
If you are on SSDI and you start working, you should report your earnings to the Social Security Administration. You can do this online through your Social Security account, by phone at 1-800-772-1213, or in person at a local office. Reporting your earnings helps the Social Security Administration calculate whether your benefit should be reduced.
If you are on SSDI and your disability improves or you recover, you should also report this. The Social Security Administration will review your case, and if you no longer meet the definition of disabled, your benefit will end. There is a trial work period that allows you to test your ability to work without when ready losing your benefit, but you need to report your work activity.
If your situation changes — you get married, have a child, or a family member on your record becomes disabled — contact the Social Security Administration to see whether it affects your benefit or opens new benefits for your family.
Frequently Asked Questions
Can I collect SSDI and retirement at the same time?
No. You receive a benefit from one program at a time. If you are on SSDI when you reach full retirement age, your benefit automatically converts to retirement for the same amount. You do not choose between them.
What is the difference between SSDI and Social Security retirement?
SSDI is based on your disability and your work history. Retirement is based on your age and work history. SSDI has an earnings limit before full retirement age; retirement does not. Both are calculated from the same earnings record, but the rules for who can receive them are different.
If I am on SSDI, will my payment go down when I convert to retirement?
No. Your payment stays the same when you convert. The Social Security Administration calculates what you would receive under each program and gives you the higher amount. When you convert to retirement at full retirement age, you keep receiving that same amount.
Can my disabled child collect benefits on my record while I collect retirement?
Yes. A disabled adult child (disabled before age 22) can collect a separate benefit based on your Social Security record. This does not reduce your retirement benefit. Their payment is typically 50 percent of your full retirement benefit amount.
What happens if I become disabled after I start collecting retirement?
You stay on your retirement benefit. You cannot switch to SSDI after you have already claimed retirement. This is one reason some people delay claiming retirement — if you become disabled before claiming, you can file for SSDI instead, which might pay more.