I'm relatively new to this community but wanted to share some information that might be helpful based on what I've learned through my own research and experience with family members in similar situations. First, I want to echo what others have said about being able to claim spousal benefits while your husband is on SSDI - this is absolutely correct and something many people don't realize. The key thing to understand is that you'll receive the higher of either your own retirement benefit OR up to 50% of your husband's primary insurance amount (reduced for claiming early), not both added together. One thing I haven't seen mentioned yet is that when you do apply, you might want to ask about "protective filing." This allows you to establish an application date while you're still gathering information or making final decisions. If you end up qualifying for benefits, they can sometimes be paid retroactively to your protective filing date rather than when you complete the full application. Also, regarding your concern about permanently affecting future benefits by claiming early - while your own retirement benefit would be permanently reduced, any spousal benefits you might be eligible for later would be calculated separately. So claiming your own retirement early at 63 doesn't necessarily hurt potential spousal benefits. Given your caregiving responsibilities and financial pressures, it sounds like claiming benefits now makes a lot of practical sense. Sometimes the "optimal" strategy on paper isn't the right strategy for real life circumstances. Best of luck with whatever you decide!

I'm new to this community but wanted to share something that might be helpful for your situation. My mother went through almost exactly what you're describing - she was the primary caregiver for my disabled father while also helping with her elderly parents, and had very limited work history due to those caregiving responsibilities. One thing that really helped her was understanding that Social Security has a "family maximum" rule, but it works differently for disability versus retirement benefits. Since your husband is on SSDI, there's typically more room for additional family benefits compared to regular retirement benefits. This means your spousal benefit is less likely to be reduced due to the family maximum. Also, I wanted to mention that when you do apply, it might be worth asking about auxiliary benefits for any qualifying dependents. Since you mentioned raising your grandchildren, if any of them are still under 18 (or under 19 and in high school) and dependent on you financially, they might be eligible for benefits on your husband's record as well. The timing question is really important too - if you're going to apply, consider doing it sooner rather than later. Social Security benefits can only be paid retroactively for up to 6 months from your application date, so waiting longer doesn't help you recover any missed payments. Your situation as a caregiver supporting multiple generations is incredibly valuable to society, even though it's not always recognized financially. I hope you're able to get the benefits you deserve and some relief from the financial stress.

I'm so sorry to hear about your brother's condition. This is such a difficult situation to navigate during an already stressful time. One thing I'd add to the excellent advice already given - make sure your sister-in-law understands that if she does decide to claim survivor benefits early at 60, the reduction is permanent even after she reaches FRA. She'd get about 71.5% of his full benefit amount if she claims at 60, versus 100% if she waits until her FRA at 67. Given her current income of $52,000, she'd likely lose most or all of her survivor benefit to the earnings test until she reaches FRA. It might make more sense for her to wait, but definitely get those specific calculations from SSA with her actual numbers. Also, when the time comes, make sure she applies for the survivor benefits within the proper timeframe - she can receive up to 6 months of retroactive benefits, but no more than that. The timing of the application matters. Wishing your family strength during this difficult time.

I'm really sorry about your brother's diagnosis. This is such a heavy situation for your whole family. Just wanted to add one more perspective as someone who works in benefits administration - your sister-in-law might also want to consider how her employer's group health insurance factors into this decision. If she's currently getting health benefits through her job at the dental practice, that could be a significant consideration in her overall financial planning. Also, I noticed others mentioned creating a my Social Security account online. When she does that, she should look specifically at her "retirement estimator" which will show her projected benefits at different claiming ages (62, FRA, and 70). Having those numbers will make the comparison with survivor benefits much clearer. One last thing - if your brother is currently receiving SSDI, his benefit amount is already at his full retirement age amount (not reduced for early claiming), so that's the base amount for calculating her survivor benefit percentage. That's actually advantageous compared to situations where someone claimed early retirement before passing away. Take care of yourselves during this difficult time.

I've been lurking here for a while as my wife and I navigate similar decisions, and this thread has been incredibly educational! One thing I wanted to add that I learned from our financial advisor is about the "file and suspend" strategy that used to exist - it's no longer available as of 2016, but some older online articles still mention it, which can be confusing. Also, for those worried about SSA calculation errors, I found it helpful to create a simple spreadsheet tracking my wife's earnings history (you can get this from your annual Social Security statement at ssa.gov/myaccount). This way, when we do file, we'll have our own record to compare against their calculations. One more tip: if you're married, don't forget to consider spousal benefits in your strategy. Even though you're focusing on maximizing your wife's benefit since yours will be smaller, there might be timing strategies around spousal benefits that could help optimize your combined Social Security income. The rules are complex, but it's worth understanding all your options before making the final decision. Thanks again to everyone who shared their experiences - especially the warnings about double-checking calculations and the Medicare timing reminders!

As someone who just went through this exact decision process last year, I wanted to share what worked for us. My wife delayed from 67 to 70 and we're so glad we did! A few practical tips that helped us: 1. We used the SSA's online "my Social Security" account to track her estimated benefits at different ages - much more accurate than the general calculators 2. We calculated our "crossover point" - the age where delaying to 70 would pay off vs. starting at 67, which for us was around 82 3. Most importantly, we factored in that her higher benefit would become my survivor benefit if she passes first One thing that really surprised us was learning that Medicare Part A enrollment is automatic if you're already receiving Social Security, but since we delayed SS, we had to actively enroll in Medicare at 65. Almost missed that deadline! The COLA timing was exactly as others described - she got credit for every January increase even while delaying. When she finally started collecting in January 2024, her benefit included all the COLAs from 2021, 2022, and 2023 applied to the delayed credit amount. My advice: if you can afford to wait financially and you're both in good health with family history of longevity, the math usually favors delaying. But run your own numbers and don't rely solely on SSA reps - we caught two errors in their initial calculations!

I completely understand your frustration with the online application process! As someone who helps seniors navigate these systems, I'd recommend starting with a few preparatory steps before diving back in. First, create a my Social Security account at ssa.gov if you haven't already - this will give you access to your complete earnings history and benefit estimates. Print this out to have as reference during your application. Here's a practical approach: gather everything in one sitting first. You'll need your Social Security card, birth certificate, bank routing/account numbers for direct deposit, and if married/divorced, those certificates too. For employment history, focus on jobs from the last 2-3 years with exact dates and employer addresses. The application has about 8-10 main sections and you can save your progress at any point. Don't rush - many people take 2-3 sessions to complete it thoughtfully. The most critical decision is your benefit start date, so read those screens very carefully as others have mentioned. If you get truly stuck, consider calling the SSA at 1-800-772-1213 during off-peak hours (mid-week, mid-morning) for guidance. You've got this!

I went through this exact same process six months ago and completely understand your stress! One thing that really helped me was printing out the SSA-1-BK form (Application for Retirement Insurance Benefits) from their website first - it's basically a paper version that shows you all the questions you'll encounter online. You can fill it out by hand as practice, then use it as a reference when doing the actual online application. Also, don't feel pressured to complete everything in one sitting. I actually logged out and came back three different times over a week as I gathered missing information. The system saves your progress automatically at each section. One heads up - they'll ask about any pensions you might receive from work where you didn't pay Social Security taxes (like some government jobs or foreign employment). Have those details ready if applicable, as it can affect your benefit calculation. The whole process becomes much less overwhelming when you approach it as filling out sections rather than one giant form. You've got this!

Update: I finally got through to SSA after using the Claimyr service that someone suggested. The agent confirmed that with my projected pension of $4,200, I'll get zero spousal benefits (the GPO reduction exceeds what I would receive). However, she explained that if my husband passes away, I might still get some survivor benefits since those can be up to 100% of his benefit (before GPO reduction) instead of the 50% for spousal benefits. She also clarified that if I work a job with Social Security coverage for 5 more years (to get to at least 20 credits), it still won't help me get my own retirement benefit (need 40 credits), but it might slightly improve my situation with survivor benefits later. Knowing the real numbers is frustrating but at least now we can plan appropriately. Thanks everyone for your help!

Thanks for sharing your update! It's really helpful to see how this played out with actual numbers. I'm a teacher in California facing a similar situation - my husband has a strong SS record but I've only paid into CalSTRS for 18 years. Your experience confirms what I've been dreading about GPO completely eliminating spousal benefits when you have a decent pension. The survivor benefit angle is interesting though - I hadn't considered that the higher benefit amount (100% vs 50%) might still leave something after the GPO reduction even when spousal benefits get wiped out completely. Did the SSA agent give you any rough numbers on what survivor benefits might look like after GPO in your case? This whole system really does penalize teachers whose spouses contributed to SS their whole careers. But like you said, at least having real numbers lets you plan accordingly instead of hoping for benefits that won't materialize.