Can I get SSI as military spouse with no work credits while husband delays Social Security until 62?

Hey there! So SSI and Social Security retirement are completely different programs. SSI is for low-income people with limited resources, while retirement is based on work credits. Are you and your husband under the income/resource limits for SSI? If your husband has military retirement and disability pay, you might make too much for SSI. But when he turns 62 you should qualify for spousal benefits which are WAY better anyway!

Unfortunately, with your husband's military retirement and VA disability income, you're almost certainly over the SSI income limits. SSI in 2025 has a Federal Benefit Rate of approximately $943/month for an individual, and the income limit is quite strict - with deemed income from your spouse counting against your eligibility. Your better path is to wait until your husband claims his Social Security retirement benefits. As his spouse, you'll be eligible for up to 50% of his Primary Insurance Amount even with no work credits of your own. If you want confirmation about your specific situation, you should definitely schedule an in-person appointment with your local SSA office. They can review your exact circumstances and explain what benefits you might qualify for now versus in the future when your husband reaches 62.

OMG the SSA sends those automated messages that dont even answer ur actual question!!! SO FRUSTRATING!!!! They did the same thing to me last year when i applied for widows benefits. Just generic info that had nothing to do with what i actually applied for!!!!

To directly answer your questions: 1. Yes, you should wait for the final SSI decision, but based on your husband's military retirement and VA disability income, you'll likely be denied due to household income/resource limits. 2. Regarding Medicare: You would become eligible for premium-free Medicare Part A when your husband turns 65 (not 62), assuming he has the required 40 work credits. You'd qualify through his work record once he's Medicare-eligible. 3. For Social Security benefits: Once your husband claims his retirement benefits (at 62 in 2028 as planned), you can apply for spousal benefits, which would be up to 50% of his full retirement amount (though reduced if you claim before your own FRA). The updates you're receiving are likely part of SSA's standard processing - they're confirming you don't qualify for SSDI or retirement before they make a determination on SSI, which has different eligibility requirements.

I had a similar situation trying to contact Social Security about my spousal benefits last month. I was getting nowhere with phone calls - constant busy signals or disconnects after waiting 1-2 hours. Finally found this service called Claimyr at claimyr.com that got me connected to a real SSA agent within 20 minutes! You can see how it works in their video demo here: https://youtu.be/Z-BRbJw3puU Once I actually talked to an agent, they explained everything about my spousal benefits situation. Much better than trying to figure things out from their automated messages. Might be worth trying if you want a definitive answer before 2028.

Honestly, the whole system is RIGGED against military spouses and caregivers!!! You gave up your career to support your husband's service and care for family, and THIS is how they thank you? By denying benefits and making you wait years? Meanwhile Congress votes themselves raises every year while people who ACTUALLY SERVED this country get the runaround. The SSA and VA systems are deliberately complicated to DENY benefits to those who deserve them. It's DISGRACEFUL!!!

My aunt was in almost EXACTLY your situation! Military spouse for 25 years, never enough work credits. She just waited till uncle claimed his SS at 65 (he waited longer than your hubby plans to). She got half his benefit amount and it was actually pretty decent! I know waiting till 2028 seems forever but from what I understand spousl benefits are usually a lot more than SSI anyway.

my neighbor is getting ssi and her husband works so maybe u could qualify? but they make u list every single thing u own its crazy, they even asked about her wedding ring value lol. the asset limits are super strict like $2000 for single person $3000 for couples i think

Wait i thought military spouses get some kinda special social security credit or something? my cousin said something about that once, but maybe it was a different benefit

I'm sorry you're dealing with this frustrating situation! As a fellow military spouse, I completely understand how confusing the SSA system can be. Based on what others have shared here, it sounds like your household income from your husband's military retirement and VA disability ($5,600/month) would likely put you over the SSI income limits. The SSI program has very strict income and asset requirements for couples. Your best bet really does seem to be waiting until 2028 when your husband claims his Social Security at 62. At that point, you'll be eligible for spousal benefits up to 50% of his Primary Insurance Amount - and this is typically much more generous than SSI anyway. One thing to consider: since your husband is planning to claim at 62 (before his full retirement age), his benefits will be permanently reduced, which would also reduce your spousal benefit. You might want to run some numbers to see if it would be worth it for him to wait longer, especially since you already have his military retirement and VA disability to live on. Have you looked into whether you qualify for any VA benefits as a military spouse? Sometimes there are programs available that people don't know about. Good luck with everything!

As someone who's been through the SSA maze myself, I'd definitely recommend scheduling that in-person appointment! The automated messages you're getting are just their standard processing notifications - they don't really tell you anything useful about your actual SSI eligibility. The reality is that with your husband's military retirement and VA disability income totaling $5,600/month, you're likely over the SSI income limits (which are around $1,415/month for couples in 2025). But it's still worth getting an official determination so you know for sure. One thing to keep in mind: when your husband does claim his Social Security at 62 in 2028, your spousal benefit will be based on his reduced amount since he's claiming before full retirement age. Given that you already have his military pension and VA disability for income, you might want to crunch the numbers on whether it makes sense for him to wait until his full retirement age (probably 67) to maximize both of your lifetime benefits. Also, don't forget about TRICARE for Life when he turns 65 - that plus Medicare will give you excellent healthcare coverage even if you have to wait a bit longer for it. Hang in there!

I really feel for your situation! As a military spouse myself, I know how isolating it can feel when the system doesn't seem designed for people who've sacrificed their own careers for service and caregiving. Based on what others have shared, your household income of $5,600/month unfortunately puts you well over the SSI limits. But here's something encouraging - spousal Social Security benefits are typically much better than SSI anyway! When your husband claims at 62, you could potentially get up to 50% of his benefit amount, which will likely be significantly more than the maximum SSI payment. That said, I'd echo what others have mentioned about considering whether he should wait past 62 to claim. Since you have his military retirement and VA disability providing a solid foundation, running the numbers on waiting until his full retirement age (probably 67) could mean substantially higher lifetime benefits for both of you. Also, don't overlook that you'll eventually have an amazing healthcare setup with Medicare + TRICARE for Life - that's honestly one of the best healthcare combinations you can have in retirement. The waiting is frustrating, but you're actually in a much better position than many people. Your husband's military service is going to provide you with multiple layers of financial security that most civilian couples don't have access to. Hang in there!