What you collect on SS Disability IS your SS payment if you were able to retire. You will not collect any more $$ when you reach retirment age, except for cost of living raises. All payments are based on your last 10 years pay record. If you did not work a lot due to illness, you get less than if you worked and made the maximum contributions through witholding taxes. On SS Disability I made one quater of what I could have made if I was still working. You put in, and they throw you a bone! No body can live on that money.I have a ?friend? who always reminds me of what I would be earning if I was still working! She always wants me to go on some trip or other with her. I know trips are a thing of the past. You really have to down-size everything. But I still have my computer and internet.