Does receiving disability benefits in your mid 50s affect how long you can receive Social Security benefits? I understand the amount will remain the same but it seems to not be fair for someone to receive benefits for an extra 10 years over someone that has paid in more and worked longer. I personally know several people that are receiving disability and are perfectly capable of working, they're simply retiring early and getting disability so I'm wondering is there any limit to how much you can milk the system for?

Hi,

No, it doesn't. Social Security is not an individual retirement account. It is, instead, social insurance against the loss of income resulting from death, disability or old age. Like any insurance program, some people receive nothing in return for their contributions, while others receive much more than they ever paid in.

I'm sure that there are some undeserving people who receive disability benefits, but it isn't easy to qualify for benefits (https://www.ssa.gov/disabilityssi/).

Best, Jerry