Can I receive spousal benefits with husband on SSDI under new Social Security law?

Thank you for the clear explanation! So my husband doesn't need to switch from SSDI to retirement benefits for me to qualify - that's a relief. Yes, I am concerned about the GPO. My teacher's pension is about $2,800/month. If they reduce my spousal benefit by 2/3 of that amount (around $1,867), would I get anything at all? What's the maximum spousal benefit I could potentially receive before the GPO reduction?

That's encouraging to hear you still got something! Do you remember approximately what percentage of the full spousal benefit she received after the reduction? I'm trying to figure out if it will be worth applying.

Thank you for breaking it down so clearly! This makes me think I probably won't get much, if anything. If my husband's SSDI is about $2,100/month, then my maximum spousal benefit would be $1,050 (50%), but reduced to about $682 (32.5%) for claiming early, and then reduced by $1,867 for GPO... which means zero benefit. Is there any point in applying if the math shows I'll get zero? Do circumstances ever change later that could make me eligible for something?

While I understand your frustration with GPO, it's actually designed to create parity. Most people don't realize that Social Security benefits are already reduced to account for spousal benefits - it's built into the formula. Teachers and other government workers who don't pay into Social Security aren't funding that spousal benefit component, so GPO tries to level the playing field. Doesn't make it feel any better when you're on the receiving end though! The system is definitely complex and can feel unfair.

I was having the same problem for weeks trying to resolve an overpayment issue. Kept getting disconnected or waiting for hours. I finally used a service called Claimyr (claimyr.com) that got me through to a Social Security agent in about 20 minutes instead of hours of redials. They have a video showing how it works at https://youtu.be/Z-BRbJw3puU Totally worth it because the agent I spoke with was able to answer all my GPO questions and give me a personalized estimate. Found out I was actually eligible for a small benefit despite my pension.

Great question. For spousal benefits, waiting past age 62 only helps up to your Full Retirement Age (probably 67 for you). There's no additional increase for waiting beyond FRA like there is with retirement benefits. If the GPO would completely eliminate your benefit at age 62, waiting until FRA would only help if the higher percentage (50% at FRA vs 32.5% at 62) would be enough to give you some benefit after the GPO reduction. For example: - At 62: 32.5% of your husband's PIA minus GPO reduction - At FRA: 50% of your husband's PIA minus the same GPO reduction If your husband's SSDI is $2,100 as you mentioned, and your GPO reduction is $1,867: - At 62: $682 (32.5% of $2,100) - $1,867 = $0 - At FRA: $1,050 (50% of $2,100) - $1,867 = $0 In this example, waiting wouldn't help. But if his benefit was higher or your pension lower, waiting might make a difference.

Your sister-in-law is partly correct, but there's an important distinction. The Government Pension Offset (GPO) still applies to widow(er)'s benefits, but it's calculated the same way as for spousal benefits - reduced by 2/3 of your non-covered pension. However, widow(er)'s benefits can be up to 100% of what the deceased spouse received, rather than the 50% maximum for spousal benefits. So after the GPO reduction, you might still get something as a widow even if you get nothing as a spouse. Applying now for spousal benefits doesn't affect future widow(er)'s benefits, though. You'd apply for those separately if the time comes.

That's a creative suggestion I hadn't considered! I'll look into part-time work options to get those 8 remaining quarters. Any idea how much my own Social Security benefit might be with the minimum 40 quarters plus my teaching pension? Would WEP reduce it significantly? I'll definitely apply for the spousal benefits now regardless, just to have it on file. It's all so complicated!

With only 32 quarters of coverage, your Social Security benefit would be quite small even before WEP. The formula heavily weights the first dollars of average earnings, but with minimal quarters, your average would be low. WEP could reduce your benefit by up to $587 per month in 2024, but it can't reduce it below half of what it would be without WEP. Given your teaching pension amount, you'd likely face the maximum WEP reduction. However, getting your own benefit might still be worth it because: 1) You'd have your own record independent of your husband's 2) If you become widowed, you could potentially switch between your own benefit and survivor benefits, choosing whichever is higher 3) Having your own work record provides some financial independence I'd suggest running the numbers with SSA to see if 8 more quarters of work would be financially beneficial long-term.

Thank you so much for sharing your real experience! It's incredibly helpful to hear from someone who actually went through this process. Getting $150/month after GPO is better than I expected based on the calculations others have shared. Your point about applying even when the math suggests zero benefit makes a lot of sense - I hadn't thought about potential calculation errors or future changes in circumstances. And knowing that the SSDI automatically converts to retirement benefits without any action needed is reassuring. I'll definitely try the online application at ssa.gov first. The phone system sounds like a nightmare based on what others have said here. Did you find the online process straightforward? Were there any documents you needed that weren't obvious from the application? Thanks again for the practical advice from someone who's been there!

This is such a helpful thread! I'm new to this community and in almost the exact same boat - just retired from teaching after 25 years and trying to figure out my Social Security options with my husband on SSDI. The information about GPO potentially wiping out most or all of the spousal benefit is discouraging but good to know upfront. I'm curious about the suggestion to earn 8 more quarters for my own record - has anyone actually done this and can share whether it was worth the effort? I'm wondering if part-time substitute teaching would count toward those quarters or if it needs to be a job that pays into Social Security. Also, for those who have applied online at ssa.gov, approximately how long did it take to get a decision? I'm trying to plan my timeline. Thanks to everyone for sharing their experiences - this is so much more helpful than the confusing information I've been finding elsewhere!