Have you looked into your state's emergency assistance programs? Some states have emergency funds for people waiting on SSDI decisions. Also check with your county's Department of Social Services - they might have emergency housing assistance to help with your mortgage payment. Don't be too proud to apply for SNAP benefits (food stamps) too - that's what these programs are for!

One more important thing to consider: If you take early retirement at 63, your benefit is reduced by about 20-25% permanently. However, if your SSDI is approved later, you'll receive the full disability benefit (which equals your FRA benefit amount with no reduction). The difference between these amounts over years could be significant. For context: If your FRA benefit would be $2,000/month, early retirement at 63 might give you around $1,500/month permanently. But SSDI would give you the full $2,000/month, plus back pay for the waiting period. That's a $500/month difference for the rest of your life. Have you checked your estimated benefit amount on your my Social Security account at ssa.gov? That would give you a better idea of what you're looking at financially.

My husband was in this EXACT situation!!! His bday is in March but he waited till June to file (FRA) because we heard horror stories about the SSA messing up people's payment amounts when they file right at their birthday month! So we waited a few extra months just to be safe. Dunno if thats really necessary but we didnt want any mistakes!!!!

One other thing to consider - since your husband is still working at a good salary, his Social Security benefit amount might actually increase slightly if his current earnings are higher than some earlier years in his earnings record. SSA uses the highest 35 years of indexed earnings to calculate benefits. This is especially true if he had any years with low earnings or gaps in his work history. Each additional high-earning year can bump out a lower year in the calculation. So waiting those extra months could potentially increase his benefit by more than just avoiding the early filing reduction.

wait i dont get it…if ur already on SSDI does that mean ur already getting ur full amount? why would they reduce ANYTHING?? makes no sense….

One more important point - if your disability benefit is $1,100 and 50% of your ex's PIA is $1,200, then at FRA you would receive your $1,100 disability (which converts to retirement) PLUS an additional $100 as the excess spousal amount. So waiting until FRA in your case would mean an extra $100/month for life, plus any COLAs applied to that amount. Just something to keep in mind as you're making your decision.

You're right - widow(er) benefits are reduced if claimed before Full Retirement Age. At age 61, the reduction is approximately 28.5% from the full 100% survivor benefit. The exact reduction percentage depends on birth year and exact age when claiming.

I want to thank everyone for all this helpful information. I'm going to call SSA tomorrow to schedule an appointment to discuss advance planning. It's a relief to understand what to expect, even though it's hard to think about. I'll make sure to keep all the necessary documentation organized and ready. I appreciate the tip about Claimyr too - sounds like it might save a lot of frustration when the time comes to make these changes.

u should tell him to go to ssa.gov n make an account if he doesnt have 1 already. thats the fastest way to see what options r available. the website shows u everything ur eligible for

One thing nobody's mentioned - since your ex-husband is 70 and has health problems, he might also qualify for SSI (Supplemental Security Income) depending on his total assets and income. It's meant for people with limited resources. The benefit amount isn't huge but every bit helps when someone's struggling financially with health issues.