We Can't Wait Act of 2026
Sponsored By: Senator Susan Collins
Introduced
Summary
Option to receive disability insurance benefits during the Social Security waiting period. This bill would create a new election allowing eligible disabled workers to accelerate benefit payments during the usual waiting period while adding actuarial and administrative rules to limit budget risk and ensure transparency.
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- Would let qualifying disabled individuals who have not reached early retirement age elect to receive disability insurance payments during the waiting period and allow a representative payee to make that election where applicable.
- Would require the Chief Actuary to compute a percentage to keep the election actuarially neutral over a 75-year horizon, with the first computation within 36 months and recurring later, and give the Commissioner a certification step tied to a 91 percent threshold.
- Would force the Social Security Administration to update application forms within 180 days and provide public information and a calculator so people can see how the election changes monthly benefits.
*Designed to preserve actuarial neutrality for the Federal Disability Insurance Trust Fund by requiring a computed percentage and certification process over a 75-year horizon.*
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Bill Overview
Analyzed Economic Effects
2 provisions identified: 1 benefits, 0 costs, 1 mixed.
Elect to get SSDI during wait
If enacted, you would be able to elect in writing to receive Social Security Disability Insurance (SSDI) during the statutory waiting period if you have not attained early retirement age. The new rule would start for applications made or pending beginning the first month that begins 180 days after enactment. For applications pending before that effective date you would have 45 days after the law takes effect, or 10 days after a favorable decision if that 10-day window ends later. For applications filed on or after the effective date you could elect on filing or within 10 days, and you could elect on requesting reconsideration or a hearing or within 10 days of those events. If a representative payee is chosen, the payee could confirm or revoke the election within 10 days after selection. Elections or revocations could not occur in the first month of an established eligibility period.
SSDI forms and online calculator
If enacted, the Commissioner would update SSDI application forms within 180 days to include the new waiting-period election option and allow revocations. The Commissioner would also post public information online and provide a calculator to estimate how electing waiting-period payments would affect your monthly disability benefit.
Sponsors & CoSponsors
Sponsor
Susan Collins
ME • R
Cosponsors
Maggie Hassan
NH • D
Sponsored 2/25/2026
Roll Call Votes
No roll call votes available for this bill.
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