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I think with SSDI u can get divorced spouse benefits at ANY age not just retirement age. Normal retirement people have to wait till 62 but SSDI is different rules I think???
That's correct. If you're receiving SSDI, you can qualify for divorced spouse benefits at any age, not just retirement age, as long as you meet the marriage duration requirements (10+ years) and haven't remarried.
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I was confused by FRA too when I first started looking at SS stuff. Full Retirement Age - it varies based on birth year. Mine is 66 and 6 months (born in 1957). I think urs would be 67 if ur turning 62 next month. Check ssa.gov and set up an account to see ur exact numbers. Good luck with all of it!
Thanks! I'll definitely set up an account. Did you find the website easy to navigate?
Parts of it are OK but other parts are really confusing! The benefit calculator is helpful though. Just be patient with it.
The MOST IMPORTANT thing you need to know about FRA is that it affects how much your benefit is reduced if you're still working! If you claim before your FRA and earn over the earnings limit ($21,240 in 2025) they take back $1 of benefits for every $2 you earn over that limit!!! But once you reach FRA, there's NO LIMIT on what you can earn while receiving benefits!!! The SSA doesn't make this clear enough and people get SHOCKED when their benefits get reduced.
Oh wow, I had no idea! I was planning to work part-time while collecting. This is really important information - thank you!
That's correct about the earnings limit, but it's also worth mentioning that any benefits withheld due to excess earnings aren't permanently lost. Once you reach FRA, your benefit amount is recalculated to give you credit for the months your benefits were reduced or withheld.
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Just wanted to add my experience - my son's DAC application took exactly 14 weeks from submission to approval. His mySocialSecurity account was unavailable for about 3 weeks during processing. They continued his SSI payments until the DAC kicked in, and then he got a nice backpay amount for the difference between the higher DAC payment and his old SSI rate. Hang in there!
That's exactly what I needed to hear! Thanks for sharing your timeline. Did you have to call them repeatedly or did they just process it without needing follow-up?
We called once around week 8 just to check status. They said it was in process and didn't need anything else from us. Then it just showed up one day with a letter explaining everything about 6 weeks later.
hey quick question sorta related - does anyone know if the DAC recipient can work part time? my niece wants to try working like 10 hrs a week at a craft store but we're scared it will mess up her benefits
Yes, DAC recipients can work, but they need to stay under the Substantial Gainful Activity (SGA) limit, which is $1,550/month for 2025. At 10 hours per week at minimum wage, she should be well under that limit. Just make sure to report the earnings to SSA. Unlike SSI, DAC benefits aren't reduced dollar-for-dollar with earnings, but if she consistently earns over the SGA amount, it could eventually affect benefits eligibility.
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This is so confusing! I thought I understood how marriage duration works for Social Security but now I'm not sure. I was in a traditional opposite-sex marriage for 9 years and 10 months before divorce, and I was told I missed the 10-year cutoff for ex-spouse benefits by just 2 months. It seems unfair that some people get different rules than others, but I guess that's how the law works sometimes. In any case, OP, I hope you can get those benefits!
The rules aren't different - all marriages follow the same 10-year duration requirement for ex-spouse benefits. The difference is only in how the start date is determined. For same-sex marriages, SSA had to clarify that they recognize these marriages from their original legal date, not from when federal recognition occurred. In your case, unfortunately, the marriage was indeed just shy of the 10-year mark.
Thank you all so much for the helpful information! I feel much better prepared now. I'll definitely keep records of all the policy information mentioned here when I eventually apply. I'm still years away from being eligible age-wise, but it's a relief to know I'll qualify based on the marriage duration. Social Security rules are so complicated - I'm grateful for this community's knowledge!
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One important thing to remember is that even though your benefit might be reduced due to having fewer than 35 years of work, you can still maximize what you'll receive by carefully choosing WHEN to start taking benefits. If you start at 62, you'll receive a permanently reduced amount (about 30% less than your full retirement age benefit). If you wait until your full retirement age (probably 66-67 for you), you'll get 100% of your calculated benefit. And if you can delay until 70, you'll receive an increased benefit (about 8% more per year you delay after full retirement age). Since you mentioned being a caregiver for your spouse, you might also want to look into whether you'd qualify for spousal benefits, depending on your spouse's work record.
Wait, so if he waits until 70 to claim, does that make up for the zeros? Or is the 8% increase per year based on the already-reduced amount from having fewer than 35 years? This is so confusing!!
The 8% increase per year (between full retirement age and 70) would be applied to your already-calculated benefit amount, which would include the reduction from having zeros in your 35-year calculation. So it doesn't completely "make up" for the zeros, but it can significantly increase your monthly payment regardless of your work history length.
Thank you all for the helpful responses! I understand much better now. So the letter just confirmed I'm eligible for benefits (40 credits), but my benefit amount will be calculated using 35 years with 16 of those being zeros. I'll definitely check my my.ssa.gov account to see the estimate and consider when to start claiming - maybe delaying until 70 makes sense to maximize what I'll receive. Really appreciate everyone's input - this community is so helpful for navigating these complicated SS issues!
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Is it true that they dont pay for the first month? Someone told me that SS benefits are paid a month behind so even if you start in April you dont get paid until May? I'm confused about this whole payment schedule thing.
Yes, that's correct. Social Security benefits are paid in the month following the month for which they are due. So April benefits would be paid in May. Additionally, the payment date is determined by your birth date: if born on the 1st-10th, you're paid on the 2nd Wednesday; 11th-20th, paid on the 3rd Wednesday; 21st-31st, paid on the 4th Wednesday.
I called my local SSA office today after getting advice here, and they confirmed that for an April 2025 start date, I should apply in January 2025. They also mentioned that since I'm turning 67 in May (my FRA), taking benefits just one month early in April will only reduce my monthly amount by less than 1%. I've decided to go ahead with that plan. Thanks everyone for your helpful advice!
Glad you got it confirmed! Best of luck with your application in January.
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ALSO!!! I forgot to mention - while you're waiting for Medicare to kick in, check if your state has a Medicaid program for disabled adults! My daughter qualified for Medicaid during the Medicare waiting period and it helped SOOO much with her medical bills!!!
this is good advice 👍 medicaid saved us big time during the wait
One more thing to consider: Once your son is approved for DAC benefits, he might be eligible for SSI (Supplemental Security Income) during the Medicare waiting period if his income and resources are low enough. SSI recipients automatically qualify for Medicaid in most states, which could help with healthcare costs while waiting for Medicare. You should specifically ask about this when you call SSA about the DAC application.
Thank you for this suggestion! I'll definitely ask about SSI when we apply for the DAC benefits. He has very little income and resources, so this might be an option for us. I really appreciate everyone's help - I feel much better informed now than after talking to the SSA representative.
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my friend got some kind of moms benefit when her son was getting disability but i dont remember what it was called
That was likely a Mother's or Father's benefit, which is available to a parent caring for a disabled child who is receiving benefits, but only if the child is receiving benefits because their parent (the number holder) is either disabled, retired, or deceased. They don't apply just for being a caregiver to someone on DAC benefits in this situation.
I know this isn't strictly about Social Security, but have you looked into becoming her paid caregiver through your state's Medicaid program? My cousin does this for her disabled daughter in Arizona and it's been a lifesaver financially. The pay isn't amazing but it acknowledges the work you're already doing. Every state has different rules though.
I haven't explored that option yet! That's a great suggestion. We're in Michigan, so I'll need to research our state's specific programs. Thank you!
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my aunt did that and shes happy with her choice. the money now was more important to her than maybe getting more later. nobody knows how long we got anyway right?
That's exactly my thinking too! Bird in hand and all that. Plus with inflation these days, having money now seems smart.
Wait I'm still confused about one thing - if she takes her own benefit now at 62 ($850) and then her husband files at his FRA when she's 64, will her spousal benefit be based on her being 62 or 64? Does she get penalized based on when she first filed for ANY benefit or based on her age when she becomes eligible for spousal?
The reduction is based on when she first filed for her own benefits (62 in this case). Once you file for any retirement benefit, that early filing reduction sticks with you and affects your spousal benefits as well. This is called deemed filing - when you file for one benefit, you're deemed to have filed for all benefits you're eligible for either now or in the future. The reduction percentages are different for own benefits vs. spousal, but the early filing impact remains.
Fernanda Marquez
my friend got audited once cuz her kid had a savings account plus SS survivors and the interest pushed it over some limit. make sure ur kid doesnt have any other $ coming in
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Aidan Percy
Just to add a bit more info - as the representative payee, you should have received a "Representative Payee Report" form from SSA to complete each year. This isn't a tax form, but it's the SSA's way of making sure the benefits are being used properly for your daughter. Make sure you complete and return that form when it arrives (usually around the anniversary of when you began receiving benefits). The SSA can suspend payments if they don't receive this form.
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Axel Bourke
•Oh! I did get something in the mail about a report but I thought it was just general information. I'll go find that and make sure I fill it out. Thanks for mentioning this - would hate to have the payments stopped over paperwork.
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