has she checked out the state medicaid? my sister got on that while waiting for disability and it covered all her heart meds and doctor visits. the income limits are pretty low but if shes not working much might qualify???

To address your question about whether she should have avoided applying for retirement: Unfortunately, that's a complicated cost-benefit analysis everyone in this situation needs to make individually. Pros of taking early retirement during SSDI appeal: - Immediate income - Possible Medicare eligibility after 24 months Cons: - Permanently reduced benefits if SSDI claim ultimately fails - Slightly complicates the disability case There's no clear right answer. About 45% of SSDI claims are approved at the ALJ hearing level, but that means many are still denied. The backlog for hearings is currently 12-18 months in most areas. If her condition is deteriorating without proper medical care, getting treatment through work insurance might actually strengthen her case by documenting her conditions better. Just make sure she doesn't push herself to the point of serious harm trying to maintain a job she truly cannot do.

my uncle waited til 70 to collect his SS even though he got medicare at 65. got an extra 30% on his monthly check cuz he waited! smart move if you can afford to wait

One thing I haven't seen mentioned yet is that if you decide to apply for Medicare only at 65, you'll need to pay the Medicare Part B premiums directly (they won't be deducted from your Social Security payment since you won't be receiving one yet). In 2025, the standard Part B premium is projected to be around $185-$190 per month, though it could be higher depending on your income. You'll receive quarterly bills from Medicare or can set up automatic payments from your bank account. Just something to budget for!

One thing to consider is that even with the WEP reduction, it still might make financial sense to claim at 64 rather than waiting, depending on your health and financial situation. I ran calculations for myself and found that the break-even point where waiting until FRA made sense was around 82 years old. So if you don't expect to live past that age, taking it earlier could give you more lifetime benefits even with the WEP reduction. Just something to think about.

do u know if u paid into SS for those govt jobs? some govt jobs do pay into SS so maybe WEP wont affect u?? just checkin

I went to a retirement seminar last week and the financial advisor said most of these online calculators are pretty accurate. He recommended that site specifically! He also said to add 5-7 years to whatever you think your life expectancy is because most people underestimate. Apparently women especially tend to live longer than they plan for financially.

I think what matters more than the life expectancy they use is your OWN family history and health. My parents both passed in their early 70s from heart issues that run in the family, so I'm planning to claim at 62. No calculator knows YOUR situation!

Wait a minute - has anyone mentioned the impact on taxes here? When my wife started collecting her retirement on top of my SSDI, it pushed our combined income into a higher tax bracket and suddenly 85% of my SSDI became taxable! The extra benefit amount wasn't worth the tax hit. Make sure to consider the tax implications before you get excited about any potential increase!

Based on the numbers you shared, let's do a quick calculation: If your husband's benefit at his full retirement age (before any delayed retirement credits) is around $2,800, then 50% of that would be $1,400. Since your current SSDI is $1,650, which is higher than the $1,400 spousal benefit you might be eligible for, you likely won't receive any additional amount through dual entitlement. However, these are just estimates. Your husband's PIA (Primary Insurance Amount) might be different from his actual benefit if he's delaying past full retirement age. I'd still recommend applying for the spousal benefit once he files, just to make sure you don't miss out on any potential increase.