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A. You can. Social Security will accept your application for early benefits when you're 61 years 9 months. Regardless of how old you are, the agency generally recommends that you apply three months before you would like the first payment to arrive.
SSI is also for disabled persons, but is specifically for those who have demonstrated a financial need. If you are disabled, you may qualify for SSI whether you have worked in recent years or not. Generally speaking, the best time to file for SSI is as soon as you realize you may have a disability which is likely to last over a year.