Question
Does it matter if I received social security retirement payments before the disability claim started?
I am currently employed with The Hartford and am on an approved short-term disability claim which we be exhausting soon. I also have long-term disability coverage as well and am waiting for that to be approved. My question about the long-term disability claim, is whether my receiving social security retirement benefits before going on the disability claims, counted against my long-term disability payments. I think it may matter if I started receiving the social security payments before, or during my company disability claim.
Answer
Typically, Hartford offsets Social Security retirement benefits only if you began receiving them after the start of your long-term disability claim, not if you were already receiving them beforehand. However, it is important that you carefully review your long-term disability policy, which you may request from Hartford or your employer, to confirm whether Social Security retirement benefits received prior to your claim are considered “other income” that could reduce your benefit payments.
