As you reach retirement age, you might be wondering how Social Security retirement benefits will affect your Social Security Disability Benefits in Pennsylvania. Being aware of these benefits is important for safeguarding your financial future and well-being. Retirement benefits and disability benefits can be helpful when you can no longer work because of a disability or old age. If you ever have any questions or legal concerns about any of these benefits, then feel free to seek advice from a Pennsylvania disability lawyer.

Pennsylvania Retirement and Disability Insurance 

When it comes to Pennsylvania retirement and disability benefits, you can only be given one or the other. The Social Security Administration does not offer both at the same time, but rather, the one that offers the highest monetary benefits. However, this only applies if you are eligible for both types of benefits.

In the majority of cases, disability benefits are usually the benefits that pay the highest. This means that if you qualify for retirement benefits and you are already receiving disability benefits, you are more and likely going to receive disability benefits instead of retirement benefits. However, this may not always be the case.

In other cases, once you reach full retirement age, disability benefits may convert to retirement benefits and you will receive the same disability benefit payments, just under the name of retirement benefits. One scenario in which you would receive more benefits from retirement would be if you have not paid into Social Security through your job or you are receiving workers’ compensation.

Applying for Retirement Benefits in Pennsylvania

Retirement benefits in Pennsylvania are offered as early as you turn 62 and feel ready to retire. The only setback to retiring this early is your retirement benefits may be reduced by up to 28.3 percent compared to no reduction if you choose to retire at the full retirement age of 66 years. You can even increase the amount of retirement benefits you could receive by retiring a few years after you turn 66 years old.

When it comes to how much you will receive in retirement benefits across the board, this is usually determined by your age and how much income you earned. A percentage will be taken out of your income that will vary depending on how old you are when you retire and whether you earned a low, medium, or high level of income. Low earners are given higher percentages of income than high earners. Spouses and children may also receive retirement benefits depending on different factors. 

Disability Lawyer in Pennsylvania

Figuring out the mechanics of retirement benefits and Pennsylvania disability benefits can be tricky. Talk to a Pennsylvania individual disability insurance attorney if you have been denied the disability benefits you need. All you have to do is call Edelstein & Nelson today at 1-800-300-0909 for a consultation with one of our attorneys. One of our experienced Pennsylvania disability lawyers can help you figure out what steps you need to take to secure the disability benefits you need to protect your finances.