How to cancel your disability benefits

You can stop receiving Social Security Disability Insurance (SSDI) or Supplemental Security Income (SSI) at any time by notifying the Social Security Administration. The process is straightforward: contact your local Social Security office, call 1-800-772-1213, or visit your online account at ssa.gov. You do not need a reason to stop, and the decision takes effect the month after Social Security receives your request.

Before you cancel, understand what happens next. Your monthly payments will end, and you will lose Medicare (if you receive SSDI) or Medicaid (if you receive SSI) coverage unless you take steps to keep it. If you return to work and your earnings exceed the limit, Social Security may suspend or terminate your benefits anyway—but canceling yourself gives you more control over the timing and your health coverage.

Key Takeaways

  • You can cancel SSDI or SSI by contacting Social Security in person, by phone, or online, and the cancellation takes effect the following month.
  • Stopping benefits also stops your Medicare or Medicaid coverage unless you take action to continue it separately.
  • If you are returning to work, you may be able to keep some benefits under work incentive rules rather than canceling outright.
  • Social Security will send you a written notice confirming your cancellation and explaining what happens to your coverage.
  • You can reapply for benefits later if your circumstances change, but you will have to go through the process again.

Three ways to notify Social Security

The fastest method depends on where you are and what you prefer. If you have a my Social Security account, you can send a message through the find portal without leaving home. Log in at ssa.gov, go to "Message Center," and write a clear statement that you want to cancel your SSDI or SSI benefits, including the month you want the cancellation to start.

Calling 1-800-772-1213 is the most direct route if you want confirmation on the spot. Have your Social Security number ready. The representative will ask when you want the cancellation to take effect and will send you a written confirmation in the mail. If you are deaf or hard of hearing, use the TTY number 1-800-325-0778.

Visiting your local Social Security office in person lets you hand over a written request and get a receipt. Find your office at ssa.gov/locator. Bring your Social Security card and a photo ID. This method leaves a paper trail if you ever need to prove when you notified them.

What happens to your health coverage when you cancel

SSDI recipients receive Medicare automatically after 24 months of benefits. If you cancel SSDI, your Medicare ends unless you pay for it yourself. You can continue Part A (hospital insurance) and Part B (doctor visits) by paying a monthly premium, or you can drop coverage entirely. Contact Medicare at 1-800-633-4227 to discuss your options before you cancel SSDI.

SSI recipients receive Medicaid, which is state-run and varies by location. Some states will let you keep Medicaid even after SSI ends if your income stays low enough. Others end Medicaid automatically when SSI stops. Call your state Medicaid office or ask Social Security which rule applies to you before you cancel.

If you are canceling because you are returning to work, you may not need to cancel at all. Social Security has work incentive programs that let you earn money while keeping some or all of your benefits. These programs have different rules for SSDI and SSI, so contact Social Security's work incentives planning and information (WIPA) project before you make a final decision.

When canceling makes sense and when it does not

Cancel if you no longer need the income, your condition has improved and you can work full-time, or you are moving to another country and cannot receive benefits there. You should also cancel if you are receiving benefits you are not may have access to to—for example, if you failed to report a change in your living situation or income. Canceling voluntarily is cleaner than waiting for Social Security to discover the overpayment and demand the money back.

Do not cancel if you are unsure whether you can sustain yourself without the income. Do not cancel if you are starting a new job and do not yet know whether it will last. Do not cancel if you have dependents who receive benefits on your record—their payments may end too. In these situations, talk to a Social Security representative or a benefits counselor before you proceed.

What happens if you want to reapply later

You can reapply for SSDI or SSI after you cancel, but you start from the beginning. You will need to submit a new process, provide medical evidence of your disability, and wait for a decision. The process takes three to six months on average, longer if your case goes to a hearing. During that time, you will receive no payments.

If you canceled because you returned to work and that job ends, you may be able to reapply faster under a rule called "expedited reinstatement." This rule lets you restart benefits within five years of cancellation without a full new process, as long as you report the job loss quickly. Ask Social Security whether you may have access to when you cancel.

How to handle overpayments before you cancel

If Social Security has already told you that you were overpaid—meaning you received money you were not may have access to to—canceling does not erase the debt. Social Security will still expect repayment. You can negotiate a repayment plan, request a waiver if you did not cause the overpayment, or ask for a hearing to dispute the amount. Do these things before you cancel so you understand what you owe.

If you cancel and then Social Security discovers an overpayment later, they can withhold future benefits (if you reapply), take tax refunds, or pursue other collection methods. It is better to settle the issue while you are still receiving benefits and have more options.

Frequently Asked Questions

Can I cancel just one type of benefit if I receive both SSDI and SSI?

No. SSDI and SSI are separate programs, and you cannot receive both at the same time. If you are receiving one, you cannot also receive the other. Canceling one means canceling both. If you are unsure which program you are on, call Social Security at 1-800-772-1213 and ask.

What if my dependent children are receiving benefits on my record?

Their benefits will end when you cancel. If you are the only earner in the household, canceling your benefits may leave your children without income support. Talk to Social Security about your options before you cancel, or consider whether a work incentive program might let you keep some benefits while working.

Do I have to give a reason for canceling?

No. Social Security does not require you to explain why you want to cancel. You straightforward notify them of your decision and the month you want it to take effect. They will send you a confirmation letter in the mail.

How long does it take for the cancellation to go into effect?

Cancellation takes effect the month after Social Security receives your request. If you call on March 15 and ask for cancellation in April, your last payment will be in April. If you want it to start in May, say so when you contact them.

Can I cancel my benefits and then change my mind?

Yes, but only within a limited time. You have 12 months after cancellation to ask Social Security to restart your benefits without filing a new process. After 12 months, you must reapply. Contact Social Security as soon as you decide you want benefits again.