Does Information Influence the Choice between Social Security Disability and Early Retirement Benefits?

We examine how information affects the choice between Social Security Disability Insurance (DI) and Old-Age Insurance (OAI) benefits for people between 62 and full retirement age. We find that receiving an initial Social Security statement, which provides recipients with personalized estimated benefit amounts available from DI and OAI, increases the probability of applying for both programs among those with a work-limiting health condition or a low work ability index, and this response is concentrated among people who are further from full retirement age. The increase in DI applications is split between applications for DI only and applications for both programs.