this reminds me when I filed the ssa office gave me wrong info too said i couldnt get widows benefits till 60 but turns out i could get them at 50 because im disabled! dont even trust the ssa people sometimes they make mistakes

Since we're clarifying misconceptions, let me address the part about being "married way over 20 years" - that duration only matters for divorced spouse benefits (which require a 10-year marriage). For currently married couples, there's no marriage duration requirement for spousal benefits except that you must be currently married. To summarize your situation: 1. You'll get 100% of your own benefit at FRA in March 2025 2. Your husband's early filing has no impact on your benefit amount 3. You'll get either your own benefit OR a spousal benefit (whichever is higher), not both 4. Since you worked your entire life, your own benefit is likely higher than any spousal benefit If you want to verify all this, call SSA at 1-800-772-1213 and request a benefit verification or speak with a claims specialist.

One important point nobody has mentioned: for your father's application, make sure he specifically lists all conditions, but especially document the falling asleep episodes in detail. This could indicate several possible conditions: 1. Sleep apnea (common with COPD) 2. Medication side effects from treatments for depression/anxiety 3. Narcolepsy or idiopathic hypersomnia 4. Potential neurological issues He should keep a daily log of these episodes - when they occur, duration, circumstances, etc. This kind of specific documentation significantly strengthens disability claims, especially for symptoms that don't show up well on standard medical tests. Also, since he's 55, check if he qualifies for early retirement as a backup plan while pursuing SSDI. Though benefits would be reduced, it might provide some income during the potentially lengthy disability determination process.

my mom went thru appeals for her fibro too. they kept saying it wasnt real even tho she couldnt even hold a cup somedays. make sure u have a GOOD lawyer, made all the difference for her

what about if they take money out for medicare does the 1099 show the amount before or after they take that out?

The SSA-1099 typically shows the gross benefit amount before Medicare premium deductions, and then separately indicates the amount deducted for Medicare premiums. The

I tried calling SS about this exact issue last month and spent TWO HOURS on hold only to be disconnected! The whole system is broken. Why can't they hire more people to answer the phones??!!

my aunt retired at 65 and she said the monthly thing worked great for her. but she had to be really careful about tracking her hours at her part time job. good luck with everything!

also don't forget about survivor benefits! if your husband passes away first (since he's older) you get to take the larger of your benefit or his full benefit. so another reason for you to maximize yours if possible.

One more thing to consider: If you wait until your FRA to claim, but your husband is already collecting his retirement benefit, you can choose to take ONLY the spousal benefit (50% of his PIA) at your FRA and let your own retirement benefit continue to grow until age 70. This could be beneficial if your own benefit plus delayed retirement credits would eventually exceed the spousal amount. However, this strategy only works if you wait until your FRA to claim anything. If you claim even one month early, you're deemed to be filing for all benefits you're eligible for at that time.