I am currently 61, am retired from the US Army and have a VA Disability of 80%. Would it be advisable to file for SS Disability or just wait until 66 and take the regular Social Security?

Hi,

It certainly wouldn't hurt to file for disability benefits. If your claim isn't approved you're not out anything, and if it is approved you'll start getting your full retirement age benefit paid early.

The VA disability rating doesn't really mean anything to Social Security. They make their own decision on a person's eligibility for disability benefits based on the Social Security regulations. The basic requirement for Social Security disability eligibility is that the person must be unable to do all types of substantial gainful work as a result of their impairment(s).

Best, Jerry