Can I claim Social Security benefits on my ex-husband's record while on SSDI at age 63?

Yes, you can potentially collect ex-spouse benefits while on SSDI, but there are rules. Since you were married over 10 years and haven't remarried, you qualify. BUT at 63 you'd get a reduced amount - something like 35% less than waiting till your full retirement age. Also, your ex doesn't need to be retired for you to claim, he just needs to be eligible for benefits (which at 63 he is). Call SSA to see which benefit would be higher.

When I went thru something similar SSA told me you don't get both!! They give you whichever is higher, not both combined. So if your ex's record would give you $1900 and your SSDI is $1675, you'd get $1900 total. Not worth it if the difference is small IMO

You've received some good information, but there are some important details to clarify. When you're receiving SSDI and eligible for spousal/ex-spousal benefits, SSA will pay what's called a "dual entitlement." You'll receive your own SSDI benefit, and IF the spousal benefit would be higher, you'll get the difference added. You won't lose your SSDI. For example: If your SSDI is $1,675 and your potential ex-spousal benefit would be $2,000, you'd receive your $1,675 SSDI plus an additional $325 from the ex-spousal benefit for a total of $2,000. Also important - since you're already on SSDI, you're considered to be at "full retirement age" for the purpose of spousal benefits, so you wouldn't take the reduction for claiming early that others mentioned.

WRONG INFO ABOVE!!!! My sister tried this exact thing and SSA said disability is NOT same as FRA for ex spouse benefits!!! She got reduced amount for claiming at 62!!! Don't listen to bad advice!!!!!

I went through this last year! Good news - you can apply for ex-spouse benefits even though your ex is still working. As long as he's 62+, you qualify. Bad news - the wait times to talk to someone at SSA are BRUTAL. I spent 3 days trying to get through, kept getting disconnected after waiting 2+ hours each time. So frustrating!

I've helped clients with this exact situation as part of my retirement planning practice. Here's what you need to know: 1. Yes, you can file for ex-spouse benefits while on SSDI 2. Your divorce must be at least 2 years ago (which it is) 3. Your ex doesn't need to file for his benefits first, he just needs to be eligible 4. You'll get the higher of either your SSDI or up to 50% of his PIA (Primary Insurance Amount) 5. Since you're on SSDI, you won't face the reduction for filing before FRA I recommend requesting an appointment with SSA specifically to discuss this. They'll need his SSN to check what your potential benefit amount would be.

my aunt did this but got denied because she remarried. you didn't say if you remarried after the divorce? that would make u ineligible fyi

Also remember that if your ex passes away, the rules change completely. Then you could get 100% of his benefit as a surviving divorced spouse (instead of max 50% while he's alive). Just something to keep in mind for future planning.

Thank you all for the helpful advice! I'm going to try calling SSA tomorrow to set up an appointment. Sounds like it's definitely worth checking into, especially if I can get some additional money each month without losing my SSDI. I'll update once I find out what they say about my specific situation.

Just be prepared for them 2 say no. Thats what they do. Say NO first and make u appeal. Thats how they save $$$ by hoping people give up!!!!

One more technical point that might help: When you speak with SSA, the specific term for what you're applying for is "auxiliary benefits as a divorced spouse." Using this terminology might help ensure you're directed to the right information. Also, prepare for the possibility that even if you're eligible for additional benefits, the increase might be modest depending on your ex's earnings record. Any increase helps, but just setting realistic expectations.

I wanted to add one more important point that hasn't been mentioned yet - make sure to ask SSA about retroactive benefits when you apply. Since you've been eligible for ex-spousal benefits potentially for some time (depending on when your ex became eligible at 62), you might be entitled to back payments for up to 6 months prior to your application date. This could result in a nice lump sum in addition to your ongoing monthly increase. It's worth asking about even if they don't bring it up initially!

I went through this exact situation about 2 years ago! I was 64, on SSDI for 7 years, and divorced from my ex-husband after 15 years of marriage. The good news is that SSA was actually very helpful once I got through to them. My advice: definitely apply! In my case, my SSDI was $1,450 and my ex-spousal benefit calculation came out to $1,680, so I got an extra $230 per month. It's not life-changing money, but it definitely helps with groceries and utilities. The process took about 6 weeks from application to first payment. One thing I learned - they automatically convert your SSDI to regular retirement benefits when you reach full retirement age, but your spousal benefits continue, so you don't lose anything. Good luck!

I just wanted to add something that might help others in similar situations - if you're having trouble getting through to SSA by phone, you can also try scheduling an appointment online through their website at ssa.gov. I found this to be much easier than calling during peak hours. You can select "retirement/spousal benefits" as the reason for your appointment. Also, even if you don't have all the required documents immediately, go ahead and start the process anyway. They can work with you to get missing information, and it's better to get your application date established sooner rather than later for potential retroactive benefits. The SSA representatives are generally very knowledgeable about these dual entitlement situations, so don't hesitate to ask detailed questions about how the calculations work in your specific case.

As someone who works in social services advocacy, I wanted to add a few practical tips that might help streamline your application process. First, if you don't have your ex-husband's SSN, don't worry - SSA can locate his record using his full name, date of birth, and approximate dates of your marriage. They have extensive cross-referencing systems. Second, consider bringing a trusted friend or family member to your SSA appointment for support and to help you remember all the information they provide. These conversations can involve a lot of technical details, and having someone there to take notes can be really valuable. Finally, ask the representative to explain exactly how your new benefit amount was calculated and request a written summary if possible. This documentation can be helpful if there are any future questions or changes to your benefits. The fact that you're being proactive about exploring all your benefit options is really smart - many people miss out on money they're entitled to simply because they don't know to ask!

I wanted to share some additional information that might be helpful based on what I've learned about SSDI and spousal benefits. One thing to keep in mind is that when you apply for ex-spousal benefits while on SSDI, the process can sometimes take a bit longer than regular retirement applications because they need to coordinate between different benefit systems. Don't get discouraged if it takes 8-12 weeks rather than the typical 6 weeks. Also, make sure to ask about any potential impacts on other benefits you might be receiving - things like Medicare premiums or state assistance programs. Sometimes even a modest increase in Social Security can affect eligibility thresholds for other programs. It's usually still worth it, but good to know ahead of time so there are no surprises. The representatives should be able to run scenarios for you to show exactly how much your total monthly payment would change. Best of luck with your application!

I'm just starting to research this same situation! I'm 62, been on SSDI for 3 years, and was married to my ex for 12 years before divorcing in 2015. He's 65 now and still working. Reading through all these responses has been so helpful - I had no idea about the dual entitlement concept or that being on SSDI might protect from early filing reductions. I'm definitely going to look into the online appointment scheduling that someone mentioned rather than trying to call. It's encouraging to see that several people have successfully navigated this process. Does anyone know if there's a difference in how they handle the application if your ex-husband is still working versus already retired? I keep seeing conflicting information about whether he needs to have filed for his own benefits first.

This thread has been incredibly informative! I'm in a similar situation - 64, on SSDI for 6 years, divorced after 14 years of marriage. What I'm taking away from all these responses is that it's definitely worth applying, even if the benefit increase is modest. The dual entitlement explanation really helped clarify how this works - I was confused about whether I'd lose my SSDI. I'm also relieved to learn that SSA can look up my ex's record without needing his SSN, since we haven't been in contact for years. I'm going to try the online appointment scheduling option rather than calling. For those who have successfully applied, did you notice any delay in receiving your first adjusted payment, or did it come through on your regular payment date once approved?

I've been following this discussion with great interest as someone who recently went through this exact process! I'm 65, was on SSDI for 8 years, and divorced after 18 years of marriage. I applied for ex-spousal benefits about 6 months ago and wanted to share my experience to help answer some of the questions that have come up. Regarding payment timing - once my application was approved (took about 10 weeks), my first adjusted payment came on my regular payment date. There wasn't any additional delay, which was a relief. They also paid me the retroactive benefits as a separate deposit about 2 weeks later. For those asking about the SSN issue - I didn't have my ex's SSN either, but SSA was able to locate his record easily using just his full name, birth date, and our marriage dates. They asked a few verification questions about where we lived during the marriage, but it was straightforward. One thing I'd add that hasn't been mentioned much - keep copies of everything you submit and take notes during your appointment. The process involves a lot of technical details, and having your own records really helped when I had follow-up questions later. Also, don't be surprised if they need to contact you for additional information even after your initial appointment - this seems to be pretty normal and doesn't mean there's a problem with your application. The online appointment scheduling worked great for me too. Much easier than trying to call during busy hours!