§ 404.411 How are benefits reduced for age when a person is entitled to two or more benefits? ( a ) *What is the general rule?* Except as specifically provided in this section, benefits of an individual entitled to more than one benefit will be reduced for months of entitlement before full retirement age (as defined in § 404.409) according to the provisions of § 404.410. Such age reductions are made before any reduction under the provisions of § 404.407.
( b ) *How is my disability benefit reduced after entitlement to an old-age benefit or widow's or widower's benefit?* A person's disability benefit is reduced following entitlement to an old-age or widow's or widower's benefit (or following the month in which all conditions for entitlement to the widow's or widower's benefit are met except that the individual is entitled to an old-age benefit which equals or exceeds the primary insurance amount on which the widow's or widower's benefit is based) in accordance with the following provisions: ( 1 ) *Individuals born January 2, 1928, or later whose disability began January 1, 1990, or later.* When an individual is entitled to a disability benefit for a month after the month in which she or he becomes entitled to an old-age benefit which is reduced for age under § 404.410, the disability benefit is reduced by the amount by which the old-age benefit would be reduced under § 404.410 if she or he attained full retirement age in the first month of the most recent period of entitlement to the disability benefit.
( 2 ) *Individuals born January 2, 1928, or later whose disability began before January 1, 1990, and, all individuals born before January 2, 1928, regardless of when their disability began* — ( i ) *First entitled to disability in or after the month of attainment of age 62.* When an individual is first entitled to a disability benefit in or after the month in which she or he attains age 62 and for which she or he is first entitled to a widow's or widower's benefit (or would be so entitled except for entitlement to an equal or higher old-age benefit) before full retirement age, the disability benefit is reduced by the larger of: ( A ) The amount the disability benefit would have been reduced under paragraph (b)(1) of this section; or
( B ) The amount equal to the sum of the amount the widow's or widower's benefit would have been reduced under the provisions of § 404.410 if full retirement age for unreduced benefits were age 62 plus the amount by which the disability benefit would have been reduced under paragraph (b)(1) of this section if the benefit were equal to the excess of such benefit over the amount of the widow's or widower's benefit (without consideration of this paragraph).
( ii ) *First entitled to disability before age 62.* When a person is first entitled to a disability benefit for a month before the month in which she or he attains age 62 and she or he is also entitled to a widow's or widower's benefit (or would be so entitled except for entitlement to an equal or higher old-age benefit), the disability benefit is reduced as if the widow or widower attained full retirement age in the first month of her or his most recent period of entitlement to the disability benefits.
( c ) *How is my old-age benefit reduced after entitlement to a widow's or widower's benefit?* — ( 1 ) *Individual born after January 1, 1928.* The old-age benefit is reduced in accordance with § 404.410(a). There is no further reduction.
( 2 ) *Individual born before January 2, 1928.* The old-age benefit is reduced if, in the first month of entitlement, she or he is also entitled to a widow's or widower's benefit to which she or he was first entitled for a month before attainment of full retirement age or if, before attainment of full retirement age, she or he met all conditions for entitlement to widow's or widower's benefits in or before the first month for which she or he was entitled to old-age benefits except that the old-age benefit equals or exceeds the primary insurance amount on which the widow's or widower's benefit would be based. Under these circumstances, the old-age benefit is reduced by the larger of the following: ( i ) The amount by which the old-age benefit would be reduced under the regular age reduction provisions of § 404.410; or
( ii ) An amount equal to the sum of: ( A ) The amount by which the widow's or widower's benefit would be reduced under § 404.410 for months prior to age 62; and
( B ) The amount by which the old-age benefit would be reduced under § 404.410 if it were equal to the excess of the individual's primary insurance amount over the widow's or widower's benefit before any reduction for age (but after any reduction for the family maximum under § 404.403).
( d ) *How is my wife's or husband's benefit reduced when I am entitled to a reduced old-age benefit in the same month?* When a person is first entitled to a wife's or husband's benefit in or after the month of attainment of age 62, that benefit is reduced if, in the first month of entitlement, she or he is also entitled to an old-age benefit (but is not entitled to a disability benefit) to which she or he was first entitled before attainment of full retirement age. Under these circumstances, the wife's or husband's benefit is reduced by the sum of: ( 1 ) The amount by which the old-age benefit would be reduced under the provisions of § 404.410; and
( 2 ) The amount by which the spouse benefit would be reduced under the provisions of § 404.410 if it were equal to the excess of such benefit (before any reduction for age but after reduction for the family maximum under § 404.403) over the individual's own primary insurance amount.
( e ) *How is my wife's or husband's or widow's or widower's benefit reduced when I am entitled to a reduced disability benefit in the same month?* When a person is first entitled to a spouse or widow's or widower's benefit in or after the month of attainment of age 62 (or in the case of widow's or widower's benefits, age 50) that benefit is reduced if, in the first month of entitlement to that benefit, he or she is also entitled to a reduced disability benefit. Under these circumstances, the wife's or husband's or widow's or widower's benefit is reduced by the sum of: ( 1 ) The amount (if any) by which the disability benefit is reduced under paragraph (b)(1) of this section, and
( 2 ) The amount by which the wife's or husband's or widow's or widower's benefit would be reduced under § 404.410 if it were equal to the excess of such benefit (before any reduction for age but after reduction for the family maximum under § 404.403) over the disability benefit (before any reduction under paragraph (b) of this section).
[68 FR 4709, Jan. 30, 2003]