One more important point - if your sister has any dependent children under 18 (or adult disabled children whose disability began before age 22), they may also qualify for benefits on her record once she's approved for SSDI. This doesn't apply to most 61-year-olds, but worth mentioning in case it's relevant to her situation.

As someone who works with disability claims, I want to emphasize that your sister should also be prepared for the appeals process if needed. Initial SSDI applications are denied about 65% of the time, even for legitimate claims. If she gets denied initially, don't give up! The reconsideration and hearing levels have much higher approval rates. Keep all her medical records organized and make sure her doctors are documenting how her rheumatoid arthritis specifically prevents her from performing her nursing duties. The key is showing she cannot do her past work AND cannot adjust to other work given her age, education, and limitations. With 35+ years of work history and a solid medical condition like severe RA, she has a strong case - just be patient with the process.

my neighbor said she got extra $$ from SS by calling and asking for whats called a "benefit recalculation" after she stopped working. might be worth trying

I'm sorry to hear about your health challenges, Charlie. Unfortunately, the other commenters are correct - you cannot switch to SSDI after reaching your Full Retirement Age. However, I'd strongly encourage you to follow up on that benefit recalculation suggestion! Since you worked part-time until recently, those earnings from ages 62-67 might have increased your benefit amount. SSA is supposed to automatically recalculate annually, but sometimes they miss it or there are delays. Call them and specifically ask for a "benefit recalculation" based on your recent work history. Even a small increase would help with your medical expenses. Also, make sure to check if you qualify for any Medicare assistance programs for your arthritis medications - every little bit helps when you're on a fixed income.

Thank you all for the incredible resources! I've ordered the Mike Piper book and am going through the POMS documentation (which is indeed as unfriendly as warned). The Annual Statistical Supplement is also proving very helpful. I'm realizing this is more complex than I initially thought, especially with the family maximum calculations and the special considerations for my child. I'm particularly concerned about that SGA limit mentioned for DAC benefits - definitely need to model that scenario carefully. For those who might find this thread later, I'll try to share my spreadsheet once I've got it working properly with all these variables. Thanks again for all the help!

As someone who's been down this rabbit hole before, I'd also recommend checking out the Social Security Administration's "Red Book" - specifically the 2025 version. It's their comprehensive guide to work incentives and contains detailed information about how earnings affect benefits, especially important for your special needs child scenario. One thing I learned the hard way: when building your spreadsheet, make sure to account for the fact that Social Security uses a very specific method for indexing earnings to current dollars using the Average Wage Index (AWI). The historical AWI factors are published annually and you'll need them for accurate AIME calculations. Also, if you're planning to include spousal benefit scenarios, don't forget about the Government Pension Offset (GPO) and Windfall Elimination Provision (WEP) if either applies to your situation - these can significantly impact calculations but are often overlooked. The complexity is real, but once you get all the pieces together in a spreadsheet, it becomes incredibly powerful for scenario planning. Looking forward to seeing what you create!

Thank you all for the helpful information! I'm going to start gathering my medical records and look into disability attorneys in my area. I'm still nervous about the application process and potential wait time, but at least now I know that IF I get approved, I'll receive my full benefit amount without reduction. That's a huge relief. I'll also check out that Claimyr service when I need to call SSA - sounds much better than sitting on hold all day with my painful joints! I'll update this thread once I get started with the process in case it helps others with similar conditions.

Best of luck with your application, Tony! Your approach sounds smart - gathering all medical records upfront and getting legal help early can really make a difference. One thing I'd add from my experience helping my mom with her SSDI claim: keep copies of EVERYTHING you submit to SSA. They sometimes lose paperwork and having your own copies saved us from having to re-request records from doctors. Also, if your rheumatologist hasn't already, ask them to specifically document in your records how your arthritis affects your ability to sit, stand, walk, lift, and grip - SSA focuses heavily on these functional limitations. The waiting is the hardest part, but you're going into this well-informed which puts you ahead of many applicants. Wishing you a smooth process and quick approval!

I had a very similar experience when I applied for my benefits last year! Like you, I was married for over 10 years and provided all my ex-husband's information on the application, but my approval letter only mentioned my own retirement benefit. I was worried I was missing out on something too. After calling SSA (which took forever to get through), they confirmed that they had already run both calculations - my own benefit versus the divorced spouse benefit - and my own was higher by about $95 per month. The agent explained that this is actually pretty common, especially for people who worked steadily throughout their careers. What surprised me was learning that even though my ex earned significantly more in his peak years, the Social Security formula favors consistent earnings over high peaks. Plus, since I worked for 38 years and he had some periods of unemployment early in his career, my benefit calculation came out ahead. The fact that they didn't request your marriage/divorce certificate is actually a good sign - they typically only ask for those documents when they need to process a spousal benefit claim. Since you provided his SSN and they have access to his earnings record, they could easily compare the two amounts electronically. Still worth calling to confirm for your peace of mind, but it sounds like you're already getting the higher benefit amount!

I'm going through a similar situation right now! Just applied for my benefits last month and I'm waiting for my approval letter. I was married to my ex for 14 years and he definitely earned more than me throughout our careers, so I'm curious to see if I'll get a similar result where my own benefit ends up being higher. Reading through all these responses has been really educational - I had no idea about the progressive formula or how consistent work history could sometimes beat out higher peak earnings. I worked pretty steadily for 35 years while my ex had some career changes and gaps, so maybe I'll be in a similar boat. Thanks for posting this question! It's helping me understand what to expect when I get my own letter. Hope everything works out smoothly when you call to verify!