Though it is uncommon, some Social Security disability applicants turn 65 while their claims are still pending. In that circumstance, you can still apply for Medicare due to achieving the age of 65. Social Security has to do some maneuvering on its end to make this occur. They must take your disability application out of

Yours At 65--No Matter What Anybody Told You

their system while they process your Medicare application. With that done, Social Security reinstates your disability application. It then proceeds as if nothing had happened.

If you find yourself turning 65 while applying for disability do not let Social Security tell you that you must drop your disability claim. This is simply not true. It is also not true that if Social Security finds you disabled after age 65 you must wait two years for Medicare.

I Heard From A Guy Who Heard From A Guy. . . . 

Even smart people can fall prey to bad information. I recently had the family of a client insist they had to drop his Social Security disability claim to get him on

Wait, Who Told You What?

Medicare. Their source for this? A social worker at a hospital.  They elected to trust her instead of me. The decision could cost the client tens of thousands of dollars in lost disability and retirement benefits.

Go Slow And Get Good Advice

If you find yourself unsure of what to do when it comes to important financial decisions, slow down. Get good advice. Move cautiously. And don't take legal advice from social workers.