I have been on Social Security Disability for over 20 yrs. I became a widow 10 yrs ago. When my husband passed, I was given a choice to claim widow benefits or stay on Disability. Since I lost my healthcare coverage with my husband's employer and the amt. of $ was about the same, I stayed on Disability, mainly for health insurance - Medicare. The $ is nice but I really didn't have to collect it. I have worked off and on during my disability coverage but for less than 12 months totally as a full-timer.
I will be 65 this year, 2017. I have read answers but am still confused. Now I can have Medicare because of my age, but can I wait until I am 70 to collect retirement (since I really can live without the $) without having to payback my disability monies?
Is there any paper work that needs to be done to reclassify myself for Medicare or Social Security?
Is there any paperwork that needs to be done to reclassify myself for age instead of disability on my taxes?

Hi,

Nothing about your Medicare will change when you turn 65, and your disability benefits will convert to regular Social Security retirement benefits when you turn 66. No paperwork is needed for that, but I don't know much about taxes, so I can't advise you on that.

If your widow's benefit rate would be higher than your disability rate, you should contact Social Security to file for widow's benefits ASAP. You don't have to give up your disability benefits or Medicare to potentially receive additional widow's benefits. Even though the widow's rate would be somewhat reduced if you start drawing prior to age 66, the full rate would be payable when you turn 66 since you are also entitled to disability benefits on your own record. This provision is explained in section C.3 of the following reference from Social Security's operations manual: https://secure.ssa.gov/apps10/poms.nsf/lnx/0300615350.

Best, Jerry