SS Disability or Company Retirement or SS Retirement

I agree with the recommendation to seek expert, and, hopefully, “Fee Only” Advice.

There are several factors to consider:

1. [I]”…[U]What You Need To Know When You Get Social Security Disability Benefits [/U]SSA Publication No. 05-10153, April 2011, ICN 480165

[B]When you reach full retirement age [/B]

If you are receiving Social Security disability benefits, your disability benefits automatically convert to retirement benefits, [COLOR=”Red”]but the amount remains the same…”
[/COLOR][/I] Note: I believe this is because you automatically receive the ‘normal’ retirement age pay as disability pay. Confirm this with the SSA.

Available on line at: [url]http://ssa.gov/pubs/10153.html#2[/url]

2. [I]”…[B]Receiving Medicare and disability benefits [/B]Updated 06/10/2011 03:31 PM | ID# 155

Do I automatically receive Medicare benefits if I’m eligible for disability benefits?

You will receive Medicare after you receive disability benefits for 24 months. When you become eligible for disability benefits, we will automatically enroll you in Medicare. We start counting the 24 months from the month you were entitled to receive disability, not the month when you received your first check. [/I]

3. Beware of this trap (my name for it)

“…If you are eligible for Medicare based on disability or permanent kidney failure, your initial enrollment period depends on the date your disability or treatment began… and now, the trap-

“…[U]When you first become eligible for hospital insurance (Part A), you have a seven-month period (your initial enrollment period) in which to sign up for medical insurance (Part B). [COLOR=”Red”]A delay on your part will cause a delay in coverage and result in higher premiums[/COLOR][/U]

From- [url]http://www.socialsecurity.gov/pubs/10043.html[/url] in the section entitled “Initial enrollment period for Part B

4. An even Bigger Trap- Check very carefully in both your Company Retirement and your Company Disability Plans for the “Medicare” Trigger. That means you may find[B] you are required[/B] to Apply for and Accept Medicare on the first date you are eligible.

There’s more, lots more and it falls under “Which Plan is the Primary Provider”

Good Luck