We Can't Wait Act of 2026

Key Points

• Currently, people approved for Social Security Disability Insurance (SSDI) must wait five months before receiving their first check. This bill lets them choose to start getting paid during that waiting period instead of going without income.
• If someone chooses early payments, their monthly benefit will be permanently reduced to keep the program cost-neutral. The initial reduction sets payments at 94.25% of the full amount, and this smaller check stays the same for their entire time on disability.
• Every five years, the Social Security Administration's Chief Actuary will recalculate the reduction percentage to ensure the program remains financially balanced over a 75-year period. If the percentage drops below 91%, the Commissioner can choose not to certify it and must deliver a report to Congress with recommendations.
• The Social Security Administration must post an online calculator so people can see exactly how the early payment option would affect their monthly check. The agency also has to update its disability application forms to include the election option within 180 days of the law's enactment.