Hi Larry, I've been receiving SSDI for a decade & was just converted to Reg. benefits at my FRA of 66 in 12/2019. I'm an RN who often worked limited hours while disabled - as per SSA guidelines. I'm considering suspending benefits until 70 only if there's any hope for improvement per the reasoning in my next paragraph....otherwise, it's not worth it for me. How much of a timeline do I have to suspend benefits and reimburse the SSA after turning 66 two mos ago? I've read conflicting reports of 6 mos, 12 mos, etc. ... but here's the bigger problem:

My monthly PIA is pitiful b/c I never knew my SSDI amt. was to be calculated on my work record for just the 10 years prior to my disability onset date. That might of been an impt. thing for my lawyer to mention, yes? She just told me the numbers The SSA sent out every year weren't accurate (they actually were.) In truth, I probably would have qualified for disability by age 48-50, but had self accommodated by working part time, slower paced night shifts & taking c. 4 years away from earnings to care for my aged, dying parents in their home @ $0 income. I don't regret that part at all. But, my top 35 earning years were > 17 yrs ago. I had significant earnings, including 20+ years as a Dir. of Nrsg Svcs. So, is the base PIA benefit amt. @ my FRA etched in stone tablets? Or, if I work p/t for up to 4 more years, will my benefit be recalculated based on my highest 35 years of earnings? And, am I required to work for a potential re-calculation? (if there's any such thing?) We're talking the difference between $1,200/mo vs. double plus. I've already run those calculations. They make me feel ill. Thank you so much, Patty

Hi Patty,

You could voluntarily suspend your benefits in order to earn delayed retirement credits (DRC), but you can't do so retroactively. The earliest that you could suspend your benefits is effective with the month after the month in which you request the suspension. If you do decide to suspend your benefits, your benefit rate would increase by 2/3rds of 1% for each month that you don't draw benefits prior to age 70. That increase would apply regardless of whether or not you work or how much you earn while your benefits are suspended.

However, if you do work and pay Social Security taxes on your earnings, you could additionally increase your benefit rate depending on how much you earn. Since you received Social Security disability (SSDI) benefits prior to receiving Social Security retirement benefits, your benefit rate may be based on fewer than the 35 years of earnings normally used to calculate retirement benefit rates. How many years of earnings are being used in the calculation of your benefit rate depends on at what age you became eligible for SSDI benefits. As a rule of thumb, you could subtract one calculation year for each year that you drew SSDI prior to age 62. So, for example, if you became entitled to SSDI at age 55 your current benefit rate would likely be based on your highest 28 years of wage-indexed earnings, give or take a year.

Bottom line, you could potentially increase your benefit rate 2 different ways. One way would be by voluntarily suspending your benefits and accruing DRCs, and the other way would be by working and earning more than you did in one of your previous highest earnings years that were used to calculate your benefit rate.

Best, Jerry