If I am disabled at age 60 how does Social Security calculate my disability benefit? When I reach my maximum age 66 4 months how much less do I receive than if I worked until 66? Can I delay benefits until 70 to increase my benefit? I have a work history of 36 years.

Hi,

Social Security disability benefits are calculated essentially the same as retirement benefits (https://www.ssa.gov/pubs/EN-05-10070.pdf), except that fewer years may be used in the computation. If a person becomes disabled at age 62 or later, their disability benefit rate is based on an average of their highest 35 years of wage-adjusted earnings, just like retirement benefits. But, if a person becomes disabled prior to age 62, fewer years are used in the averaging. For example, if a person becomes disabled at age 52, their disability benefit rate would be based on an average of their highest 25 years of wage-adjusted earnings. And, as few as 2 years can be used in the computation for a person who becomes disabled at age 24 or earlier.

Your disability benefits will convert to regular retirement benefits at your full retirement age. There almost certainly won't be any change in your benefit rate when that occurs, but you can choose to voluntarily suspend your benefits at that time in order to accrue delayed retirement credits (https://www.ssa.gov/planners/retire/delayret.html).

Best, Jerry