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  • Physical Disabilities and Impairments, Psychiatric and Mental Disorders, Bipolar, PTSD, Deafness, Blindness, HIV/Aids, Cancer, Epilepsy, Schizophrenia, Depression, Mental Retardation, Cerebral palsy, Multiple Sclerosis, Diabetes, Carpal Tunnel Syndrome, Herniated Disk, Fibromyalgia, Lupus, Arthritis, Stroke, Seizures, Hepatitis, Heart and Lung disease, Meniere's Disease, Crohn's Disease, Colitis, L.B.S., Myasthenia Gravis, Severe Headaches and Sleep Disorders, Amputation, Vocational Disabilities, MRSA who have wrongfully been denied their benefits.
Home :: FAQ :: Basic Questions Social Security Disability

What do Disability and Retirement have to do with each other?

If you were born before 1938, your full retirement age is 65.  Because of the 1983 change in law, the full retirement age will increase gradually to 67 for people born in 1960 or later.   Some people retire before their full retirement age.  You can retire as early as early as 62 and take benefits at a reduced rate.  If you work after your retirement age, you can receive higher benefits because of additional earnings and credit for delayed retirement.  If you are disabled prior to your full retirement age your retirement will not be reduced.

Disability- for example, if you become disabled before full retirement age, you can receive disability benefits after six months if you have:

** enough credits from earnings (depending on your age, you must have earned six to 20 of your credits in the three to 10 years before you became disabled); and

** a physical or mental impairment that’s expected to prevent you from doing "substantial" work for a year or more or result in death.

If you are filing for disability benefits, please let the Social Security Administration know if you are on active military duty or are a recently discharged veteran, So that the Social Security Administration can handle your claim more quickly.  There is an offset for Non-Service Connected VA disability benefits against your SSDI but not for VA service connected Disability Benefits thus allowing entitled Veterans to collect both Social Security Disability and Service Connected VA Disability Benefits.
Family- If you are eligible for disability or retirement benefits, your current or divorces spouse, minor children, or adult children disabled before age 22 also may receive benefits.  Each may qualify for up to 50 percent of you benefit amount.

Survivors- When you die, certain members of your family may be eligible for benefits:

** your spouse age 60 or older (50 or older if disabled, or any age if caring for your children younger than age 16); and

**Your children if unmarried and younger than age 18, still in school and younger     than19 years old, or adult children disabled before age 22.  If you are divorced, your ex-spouse could be eligible for a widow’s or widow’s or    widower’s benefit on you record when you die.

Extra Help with Medicare- If you know someone who is on Medicare and has limited income and resources, extra help is available for prescription drug costs.  The extra help can help pay the monthly premiums, annual deductibles and prescription co-payments.  To learn more or to apply, visit www.socialsecurity.gov or call 1-800-772-1213 (TTY 1-800-325-0778).