Will My Disability Benefits Change When I Turn 65?
Ashley Day Law
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Dec 08, 2024
Alabama - Gulf Coast
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Will My Disability Benefits Change When I Turn 65?
Turning 65 years old has traditionally been associated with retirement and
enrollment in federal benefit programs. However, people with disabilities may
already be receiving federal benefits through Social Security, Medicaid, and
Medicare before they turn 65.
Disabled individuals who qualify for Social Security
Disability Insurance (SSDI) and/or Supplemental Security Income (SSI) may
wonder what happens to their disability benefits when they reach retirement
age.
The short answer is that their benefits don’t end, and the
amount they received prior to turning 65 remains the same. But given the
complexity of the federal benefits system, there may be exceptions to these
general rules on a case-by-case basis that need to be discussed with a
disability attorney.
Age 65 and Full Retirement Age
For most of Social Security’s history, “full retirement
age,” or the age at which someone could receive the maximum amount of Social
Security retirement benefits based on their work history, was 65 years old.
Reforms to Social Security in the 1980s raised the
full-benefit retirement age to between 66 and 67 years old, depending on when
somebody was born. For anybody born in 1960 and later, full retirement age is
now 67.
When Does Social Security Disability Convert to Regular Social
Security?
The Social Security Administration (SSA) does not
permit a person to receive both disability and retirement benefits on one
earnings record at the same time.
For anyone receiving SSDI payments, their monthly
disability benefit automatically switches to Social Security retirement upon
reaching full retirement age. Again, this is age 66 or 67 for most people.
When this switch takes place, the monthly payment amount
stays the same.
How Long Do Social Security Disability Benefits Last?
SSDI lasts for as long as the recipient has a disabling
condition and is unable to work, or until they reach retirement age, at which
time the disability benefit converts to a retirement benefit.
Social Security performs a continuing disability review (CDR)
of SSDI recipients every three to seven years.
Turning 65 or reaching full retirement age does not trigger
this review. And once SSDI benefits change over to retirement benefits, there
is no need for a medical review, since a recipient doesn’t have to be disabled
to receive Social Security old age benefits.
SSI and Retirement Age
A person may qualify for SSI with a disability if they have
little or no income and resources and are age 64 and younger, or they have
little or no income or resources and are age 65 and older.
Qualifying for SSI does not require a work history the way
that SSDI does. So, someone can qualify for SSI without ever having worked. But
because the SSI benefit payment is not tied to a work history, SSI benefits do
not convert to retirement benefits upon reaching full retirement age.
If someone’s receiving SSI for a disability, their benefits
can continue after they reach retirement age as long as they still meet the
program’s financial requirements.
Disabled SSI recipients are subject to a CDR at
least once every three years, or every five to seven years. During the CDR, the
SSA also reviews a recipient’s income and resources to ensure they are still
eligible for and receiving the correct SSI benefit amount.
Disability, Medicare, and Turning 65
Medicare eligibility ordinarily begins at age 65. But
people under age 65 who’ve gotten SSDI benefits for at least 24 months can
start receiving Medicare.
SSDI recipients automatically get Medicaid Part A and
Part B, collectively known as “Original Medicare,” after receiving their 25th
month of benefits. They can choose at that time to decline or keep Part B,
which covers services from doctors and other health care providers. They must
typically keep Part A, the portion covering inpatient hospital care.
When individuals with qualifying disabilities turn 65 and
gain age-based Medicare eligibility, they don’t have to re-enroll or complete
additional paperwork to continue receiving health care benefits.
Turning 65, though, amounts to a secondary initial
enrollment period. This could be a good time to re-evaluate current Medicare
coverages and make changes.
For example, a disabled Medicare recipient may have
declined Part B coverage when they first enrolled but decide to keep this
coverage when they enroll again at age 65. They can also choose to enroll in
another Medicare program, such as Part C or D.
Disability, Medicaid, and Turning 65
Medicaid is government health care for people with limited
income, including those with disabilities.
In many states, SSI recipients automatically qualify for
Medicaid. Medicaid eligibility that’s based on receiving SSI should not be
impacted by turning 65, but there could be considerations related to special
needs trust funding at age 65.
Medicaid covers some costs that Medicare does not, such as
long-term care. Special needs trusts can help to preserve a beneficiary’s
access to benefits like SSI and Medicaid. But the window of time to fund a
first-party special needs trust closes at age 65.
Some people are also eligible for both Medicaid and
Medicare. They may be able to enroll in a Dual Eligible Special Needs
Plan, a type of managed care plan that helps to coordinate coverage for those
with complex medical needs.
Work With a Professional
SSDI, SSI, Medicare, and Medicaid all have complex rules
that may vary by state. Whether you’re turning 65 or reaching retirement
age, contact Ashley Day at 251-277-3377. She can provide answers and assist
with any necessary paperwork.
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