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S3924119th CongressWALLET

We Can't Wait Act of 2026

Sponsored By: Senator Collins, Susan M. [R-ME]

Introduced

Summary

Allows disabled applicants to elect to receive Social Security Disability Insurance during the normal waiting period. It creates short, written election windows and a formula to set reduced monthly payments for those who choose to start benefits early.

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  • People applying for disability who are under early retirement age can opt in to get DI payments during the waiting period by submitting a written election in specified windows. Those windows include a 45-day period tied to enactment and 10-day windows after filing, a favorable decision, reconsideration, or a hearing.
  • If the Social Security Commissioner appoints a representative payee, that payee may confirm or revoke the election within a 10-day window after selection. Elections or revocations are not allowed during the first month of an established eligibility period.
  • Payments for waiting-period months begin at 94.25% during a 36-month phase that starts 180 days after enactment. The Chief Actuary must set a percentage every five years to make the 75-year fiscal impact actuarially neutral and the Commissioner will certify any percentage that is at least 91%.

*The option is structured to be actuarially neutral to the Disability Insurance Trust Fund over 75 years through periodic recalculation and certification.*

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Bill Overview

Analyzed Economic Effects

1 provisions identified: 0 benefits, 0 costs, 1 mixed.

Option to get disability pay during wait

This bill would let you elect in writing to get Social Security Disability Insurance (DI) payments during the statutory waiting period. It would apply only to people who have not reached early retirement age and to DI applications made or pending on or after the first month that begins 180 days after enactment. For the first 36 months after that start, monthly payments would be 94.25% of your normal DI amount. After 36 months, the monthly percent would be the Commissioner-certified percent based on periodic actuarial calculations. You would have limited windows to make or revoke the election tied to filing, favorable decisions, reconsideration, hearings, or selection of a representative payee. The Social Security Administration would have to update forms and post public information and a calculator within 180 days of enactment.

Sponsors & CoSponsors

Sponsor

Collins, Susan M. [R-ME]

ME • R

Cosponsors

  • Sen. Hassan, Margaret Wood [D-NH]

    NH • D

    Sponsored 2/25/2026

Roll Call Votes

No roll call votes available for this bill.

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