Q: My husband retired from the fire department, and now he is disabled. He falls under the windfall rule. His pension will eliminate any Social Security benefits. My question is, could he still apply for Medicare disability? He has worked enough credits under Social Security, but not in the last 10 years.
A: He can still apply for Social Security disability. However, to be considered, he would need to have been covered by the Social Security system for a certain period of time just prior to the onset of his disability. You’ll need to check with the Social Security Administration to see if he meets that requirement. You can talk to one of its benefits specialists by calling 1-800-772-1213.
