SSDI converts to Social Security retirement benefits automatically at your full retirement age
When you reach full retirement age (also called normal retirement age), your Social Security Disability Insurance (SSDI) payments do not stop. Instead, the Social Security Administration converts your case from a disability case to a retirement case. The payment amount stays the same, and you keep receiving the same monthly check. The only thing that changes is the label on your account and the rules that explore going forward.
Your full retirement age depends on the year you were born. If you were born between 1943 and 1954, your full retirement age is 66. If you were born between 1955 and 1959, it falls between 66 and 67. If you were born in 1960 or later, your full retirement age is 67. You do not have to do anything to make the conversion happen—Social Security handles it automatically.
Key Takeaways
- Your full retirement age is determined by your birth year and ranges from 66 to 67 for most current beneficiaries.
- SSDI converts to retirement benefits automatically at full retirement age; you receive the same monthly payment under a different program name.
- After conversion, the work incentives that explore to SSDI (like the trial work period) no longer explore, but Medicare coverage continues.
- You can continue working after conversion, but your earnings may reduce your benefit if you have not yet reached full retirement age in the calendar year you work.
- Family members receiving benefits on your SSDI record will also convert to retirement benefits on the same date.
How to find your full retirement age
The Social Security Administration publishes a table showing full retirement age by birth year. You can find it on the Social Security website, or you can call Social Security at 1-800-772-1213 to ask an agent directly. Your Social Security statement (which you can view online at ssa.gov if you create an account) also lists your full retirement age.
The conversion happens on the first day of the month in which you turn your full retirement age. For example, if your full retirement age is 66 and you turn 66 on March 15, your conversion occurs on March 1. You will see the change reflected in your account if you log into your Social Security online account, though the payment itself does not change.
What changes after conversion and what stays the same
Your monthly payment amount does not change when you convert. Social Security calculates your benefit based on your earnings record, and that calculation is the same whether you are receiving SSDI or retirement benefits. You will continue to receive the same check every month.
Medicare coverage continues without interruption. If you have been receiving Medicare because of your SSDI status, you keep that coverage after conversion. You remain enrolled in Medicare Part A (hospital insurance) and Part B (medical insurance) at no change to your premiums or coverage.
However, some rules do change. The trial work period and other SSDI work incentives no longer explore after conversion. During your trial work period on SSDI, you could work and earn any amount without losing benefits. After conversion to retirement, those protections end. If you work and earn above a certain threshold in the calendar year you convert, your benefits may be reduced. The earnings limit for 2024 is $23,400 per year, but this amount changes annually. Once you reach full retirement age in the calendar year you work, the earnings limit no longer applies.
How work earnings affect your benefits after conversion
If you continue working after your conversion to retirement benefits, your earnings may reduce your monthly payment—but only if you have not yet reached your full retirement age in the calendar year you work. This rule is called the earnings test.
For every $2 you earn above the annual limit, Social Security deducts $1 from your benefits. If you earn $25,400 in a year when the limit is $23,400, you are $2,000 over the limit. Social Security would deduct $1,000 from your annual benefits (which works out to roughly $83 per month). Once you reach full retirement age in that calendar year, the earnings test stops explore, and you can earn any amount without a reduction.
Self-employment income counts toward the earnings limit, as does wages from a job. Unearned income—such as investment returns, rental income, or pensions—does not count.
What happens to family members on your record
If you have a spouse, ex-spouse, or children receiving benefits based on your SSDI record, they also convert to retirement benefits on your full retirement age. Their payments do not change, and they follow the same earnings rules you do. A spouse or ex-spouse who has reached their own full retirement age can work without any earnings limit. A child under 19 (or up to 22 if a full-time student) who works will have benefits reduced if earnings exceed the annual limit.
If a family member is receiving benefits as a caregiver (such as a parent caring for a child under 16), that benefit ends when the youngest child turns 16, regardless of whether the conversion has occurred. This rule applies to both SSDI and retirement benefits.
Medicare and Medicaid after conversion
Your Medicare coverage does not change when you convert from SSDI to retirement. You remain enrolled in the same parts of Medicare you had before. If you were receiving Medicaid because of your SSDI status, your Medicaid coverage may change depending on your state's rules. Some states continue Medicaid for people receiving retirement benefits; others end it. Contact your state Medicaid office or your local Social Security office to understand how conversion affects your Medicaid in your state.
If you lose Medicaid at conversion, you may be able to purchase coverage through the Health Insurance Marketplace or through your employer if you are still working. Some states offer programs for people with disabilities who lose Medicaid; ask your state Medicaid office about options.
What you do not have to do
You do not need to contact Social Security to request the conversion. It happens automatically. You do not need to reapply or submit new medical evidence. You do not need to notify anyone unless your circumstances change—for example, if you start working or if your address changes.
If you want to verify that your conversion has occurred, you can log into your Social Security account online or call 1-800-772-1213. An agent can confirm your current benefit type and answer questions about how the conversion affects your specific situation.
Frequently Asked Questions
Can I delay my conversion to retirement benefits?
No. The conversion happens automatically at your full retirement age. You cannot choose to stay on SSDI past that age. However, you can choose to suspend your benefits after you reach full retirement age if you want to delay receiving payments, though this is rare and has tax implications you should discuss with a tax professional.
Will my benefits increase after I convert?
No. Your monthly payment stays the same. The benefit amount is calculated the same way for SSDI and retirement benefits, so conversion does not trigger a recalculation or increase. However, your benefit does increase each January if you have been receiving benefits for a full year, due to the cost-of-living adjustment (COLA), but this happens whether you are on SSDI or retirement.
What if I am still working when I convert?
If you are working and earning above the annual limit when you convert, your benefits will be reduced under the earnings test. The limit for 2024 is $23,400 per year. Once you reach full retirement age in the calendar year you work, the earnings test no longer applies and you can earn any amount without a reduction.
Do I lose my Medicare if I convert?
No. Your Medicare coverage continues without any change. You remain enrolled in the same parts of Medicare you had while on SSDI. Your premiums and coverage stay the same.
What happens to my family members' benefits when I convert?
Family members on your record also convert to retirement benefits on your full retirement age. Their payment amounts do not change. They follow the same earnings rules you do based on their own age and full retirement age.