Can I keep my SSDI while collecting ex-spouse Social Security benefits at 64?

Good news! You don't have to forfeit your SSDI to receive ex-spouse benefits. SSA will pay you whichever is higher - your own SSDI benefit OR the divorced spouse benefit (which would be up to 50% of his PIA). But you won't receive both amounts combined. If your SSDI is currently higher than what you'd get from the ex-spouse benefit, nothing will change. If the ex-spouse benefit would be higher, they'll switch you to that amount. Either way, you won't lose money.

my sister went thru this exact thing last yr!! she kept getting her disabilty check cuz it was more then what shed get from her ex. SSA just compares the 2 amounts and gives u the bigger one. dont worry abt losing ur benefits!

I'm a retired SSA claims specialist, so let me clarify a few points: 1. You need to actually APPLY for the divorced spouse benefits - it's not automatic. SSA won't know to check this for you. 2. If your ex-husband hasn't filed for his own benefits yet, you can still apply for divorced spouse benefits as long as you've been divorced for at least 2 years. 3. As others mentioned, you'll receive the higher of either your own SSDI benefit or the divorced spouse benefit (up to 50% of his Primary Insurance Amount) - not both. 4. Important: When you reach your Full Retirement Age (66 and 4 months for someone born in 1961), your SSDI will automatically convert to regular retirement benefits, but the amount stays the same. 5. After your ex-husband files, check if 50% of his benefit would be higher than your current SSDI. If yes, it's worth applying.

The whole system is DESIGNED to be confusing! They make everything complicated so people don't get the money they're entitled to. I waited 3 MONTHS for them to figure out my ex-spouse benefit and then they underpaid me by $240!!! Had to fight for ANOTHER 2 months to get that fixed!!! When you call, DOCUMENT EVERYTHING - names, dates, what they tell you. Don't trust them to get it right the first time!!!

@profile5 You're partially correct. If you take divorced spouse benefits before your Full Retirement Age, they are reduced - but not to exactly 35%. The reduction is approximately 0.69% for each month before your FRA. However, this reduction formula is different from disability benefits! @OP: Since you're already on SSDI, you wouldn't face the early reduction penalties that apply to retired workers who claim early. You would be eligible for the full 50% of your ex-husband's PIA that you're entitled to as a divorced spouse (assuming you don't remarry). The comparison would be between your full SSDI amount and the full divorced spouse amount.

My mom just dealt with this last year she tried calling SSA for WEEKS couldn't get through kept getting disconnected it was a nightmare she was so stressed. She finally used this service called Claimyr (claimyr.com) that got her through to an actual SSA person in like 20 minutes. They have a video showing how it works https://youtu.be/Z-BRbJw3puU saved her so much frustration! She did find out her SSDI was higher than ex-spouse benefits so nothing changed but at least she got answers

@OP Yes, you've got it right. You need to apply specifically for the divorced spouse benefits to trigger the comparison. Since you're receiving SSDI and not early retirement benefits, you would be eligible for the full 50% of your ex-husband's PIA (if that amount is higher than your SSDI) without reduction. The application process is straightforward - you'll need your marriage certificate, divorce decree, and your ex's Social Security number (if you have it, though SSA can usually find it if you don't). I recommend calling to schedule an appointment rather than trying to do it online since your situation involves SSDI.

Just to add to the frustration - I applied for ex-spouse benefits and SSA lost my paperwork TWICE!!! Make copies of EVERYTHING you submit. And if you mail anything, use certified mail with return receipt. They denied ever receiving my divorce decree even though I had proof it was delivered!

i went through this whole process last yr and found out my ex was actually getting SSDI too not retirement! apparently you cant get ex-spouse benefits if theyre on disability only if theyre getting retirement? nobody told me this until after i waited 2 months for them to process everything... make sure you find out exactly what benefits your ex is receiving before you go through all this trouble!!

Thank you all for the helpful information! I've made notes of everything and will gather my documents (including birth certificate!) before applying. I'll probably use that Claimyr service to help get through to someone at SSA since making an appointment sounds like the best approach. I'm feeling much more confident now - at least I know I won't lose my current benefits if the ex-spouse amount turns out to be lower. I'll update here after I've gone through the process in case it helps someone else in a similar situation.