More than a billion people have some sort of disability worldwide. And for those who are unable to work, it may leave them wondering if you can collect social security and disability at the same time.

If you’ve been wondering this, then you’ve come to the right place. In this article, we’re going to answer the questions that you’ve been contemplating for a long time.

Continue reading this article for all of the details that you need to know.

What is Disability?

Being on on disability means that you’re not able to work the way that you used to, and now you need financial services to help you continue to provide for yourself and your family.

According to the ADA, a disability is a mental or physical impairment that can cause the life of the person affected to change for the rest of their life.

If you’re not sure if you qualify for disability, it helps to understand a few of the disabilities that do qualify. Including:

  • Asthma or other respiratory illnesses
  • Musculoskeletal issues
  • Hearing loss
  • Vision impairment
  • Severe digestive tract issues
  • Parkinson’s and other neurological diseases
  • Mental health problems

If you’re having issues with any of these, you may have the right to receive disability payments. If you find that you’re affected by any of the above, then you need to begin the process necessary to collect disability.

What is Social Security?

Social security is money that people begin to receive after they’ve stopped working. 

The way that it works is during your career, a percentage of your earnings will go to your retirement plan during every pay period. When you’ve reached the designated retirement year and meet all of the requirements, you can begin to receive retirement payments every month.

Now that you know what each is, it’s time to answer whether you can receive both payments simultaneously.

Can You Collect Social Security and Disability?

The simple answer to this question is “yes”. You can collect both social security and disability at the same time. However, it should be noted that this can only occur under exceptional circumstances and is known as concurrent benefits.

Before you can receive both simultaneously, you will need to be approved for SSDI first. SSDI is Social Security Disability Insurance, and if qualified, will provide you access to both at the same time.

When you’re attempting to enter the program, several factors will be taken into consideration included the income that you have and have not earned.

Once these things are considered, a decision will be made about your monthly payments.

Getting Social Security and Disability At the Same Time

When it comes to answering the question of, “Can you collect social security and disability at the same time?”, the information above will answer most of the questions that you have. The best thing that you can do before applying for your benefits is to educate yourself.

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