Ask Larry

I've been on SSI because I have congestive heart failure since I've been about 56 57 years old I just turned 62 March 24th and they told me I have to come off of SSI and go on disability Social Security which I make $1,099 a month they told me that I have to renew my disability every 6 months that ridiculous to me why why put me through all of this my heart can't take this kind of stuff that the way they treat me down there I don't know if I should be on a different program or why not just give me disability when I hit 65 then transfer me over I don't understand it

Hi. Supplemental Security Income (SSI) is a needs based program, and one of the requirements for eligibility is that you must file for any other benefits for which you're eligible as soon as you qualify for the other benefit. So, if you become eligible for Social Security benefits after you start receiving SSI, you must file for the Social Security benefits or your SSI payments will stop being paid.

I have no way of knowing if you could have qualified for Social Security benefits sooner, but if you did then Social Security should have required you to claim those benefits as soon as you were eligible. Social Security benefits don't need to be 'renewed', though, so you may want to clarify what you were told by calling Social Security.

Best, Jerry