---
kind: "range"
citation: "20 C.F.R. §§ 404.411–404.413"
title: "20"
from: "404.411"
to: "404.413"
count: 3
url: "https://uscodex.org/cfr/20/404.411..404.413"
---

# §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](/cfr/20/404.409.md)) according to the provisions of [§ 404.410](/cfr/20/404.410.md). Such age reductions are made before any reduction under the provisions of [§ 404.407](/cfr/20/404.407.md).
- (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](/cfr/20/404.410.md), the disability benefit is reduced by the amount by which the old-age benefit would be reduced under [§ 404.410](/cfr/20/404.410.md) 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)](#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](/cfr/20/404.410.md) 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)](#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)](/cfr/20/404.410.md?p=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](/cfr/20/404.410.md); 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](/cfr/20/404.410.md) for months prior to age 62; and
      - (B) The amount by which the old-age benefit would be reduced under [§ 404.410](/cfr/20/404.410.md) 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](/cfr/20/404.403.md)).
- (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](/cfr/20/404.410.md); and
  - (2) The amount by which the spouse benefit would be reduced under the provisions of [§ 404.410](/cfr/20/404.410.md) 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](/cfr/20/404.403.md)) 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)](#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](/cfr/20/404.410.md) 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](/cfr/20/404.403.md)) over the disability benefit (before any reduction under [paragraph (b)](#b) of this section).

# §404.412. After my benefits are reduced for age when and how will adjustments to that reduction be made?

- (a) **When may adjustment be necessary?** The following months are not counted for purposes of reducing benefits in accordance with [§ 404.410](/cfr/20/404.410.md);
  - (1) Months subject to deduction under [§ 404.415](/cfr/20/404.415.md) or [§ 404.417](/cfr/20/404.417.md);
  - (2) In the case of a wife's or husband's benefit, any month in which she or he had a child of the insured individual in her or his care and for which the child was entitled to child's benefits;
  - (3) In the case of a wife's or husband's benefit, any month for which entitlement to such benefits is precluded because the insured person's disability ceased (and, as a result, the insured individual's entitlement to disability benefits ended);
  - (4) In the case of a widow's or widower's benefit, any month in which she or he had in her or his care a child of the deceased insured individual and for which the child was entitled to child's benefits;
  - (5) In the case of a widow's or widower's benefit, any month before attainment of full retirement age for which she or he was not entitled to such benefits;
  - (6) In the case of an old-age benefit, any month for which the individual was entitled to disability benefits.
- (b) **When is the adjustment made?** We make automatic adjustments in benefits to exclude the months of entitlement described in [paragraphs (a)(1) through (6)](#a-1..a-6) of this section from consideration when determining the amount by which such benefits are reduced. Each year we examine beneficiary records to identify when an individual has attained full retirement age and one or more months described in [paragraphs (a)(1) through (6)](#a-1..a-6) of this section occurred prior to such age during the period of entitlement to benefits reduced for age. Increases in benefit amounts based upon this adjustment are effective with the month of attainment of full retirement age. In the case of widow's or widower's benefits, this adjustment is made in the month of attainment of age 62 as well as the month of attainment of full retirement age.

# §404.413. After my benefits are reduced for age what happens if there is an increase in my primary insurance amount?

- (a) **What is the general rule on reduction of increases?** After an individual's benefits are reduced for age under [§§ 404.410 through 404.411](/cfr/20/404.410..404.411.md), the primary insurance amount on which such benefits are based may subsequently be increased because of a recomputation, a general benefit increase pursuant to an amendment of the Act, or increases based upon a rise in the cost-of-living under [section 215(i)](/cfr/20/215.md?p=i) of the Social Security Act. When the primary insurance amount increases the monthly benefit amount also increases.
- (b) **How are subsequent increases in the primary insurance amount reduced after 1977?** After 1977, when an individual's benefits have been reduced for age and the benefit is increased due to an increase in the primary insurance amount, the amount of the increase to which the individual is entitled is proportionately reduced as provided in [paragraph (c)](#c) of this section. The method of reduction is determined by whether entitlement to reduced benefits began before 1978 or after 1977. When an individual is entitled to more than one benefit which is reduced for age, the rules for reducing the benefit increases apply to each reduced benefit.
- (c) **How is the reduction computed for increases after 1977?**
  - (1) **Entitlement to reduced benefits after 1977.** If an individual becomes entitled after 1977 to a benefit reduced for age, and the primary insurance amount on which the reduced benefit is based is increased, the amount of the increase payable to the individual is reduced by the same percentage as we use to reduce the benefit in the month of initial entitlement. Where the reduced benefit of an individual has been adjusted at full retirement age (age 62 and full retirement age for widows or widowers), any increase to which the individual becomes entitled thereafter is reduced by the adjusted percentage.
  - (2) **Entitlement to reduced benefits before 1978.** For an individual, who became entitled to a benefit reduced for age before 1978, whose benefit may be increased as a result of an increase in the primary insurance amount after 1977, we increase the amount of the benefit by the same percentage as the increase in the primary insurance amount.
- (d) **How was the reduction computed for increases prior to 1978?** When the individual's primary insurance amount increased, the amount of the increase was reduced separately under §§ [404.410](/cfr/20/404.410.md) and [404.411](/cfr/20/404.411.md). The separate reduction was based on the number of months from the effective date of the increase through the month of attainment of age 65. This reduced increase amount was then added to the reduced benefit that was in effect in the month before the effective date of the increase. The result was the new monthly benefit amount.