Can I still get spousal benefits from my husband's Social Security after receiving SSDI?

Yes, you might be eligible for additional benefits as a spouse even while on SSDI, but it works differently than you might think. When your husband files for his retirement benefits, you can potentially receive a spousal benefit that would bring your total benefit up to 50% of his Primary Insurance Amount (PIA) if that amount is higher than your current SSDI. Since your SSDI is $1,650 and his benefit at FRA is around $3,200, you could potentially receive additional money to bring your total to $1,600 (50% of his PIA). However, since your current SSDI is already higher than 50% of his benefit, you likely won't receive any additional spousal benefits while he's alive. As for survivor benefits - if your husband passes away, you would be eligible to receive his full benefit amount as a widow (assuming you're at least 60 years old when claiming widow benefits). So in that case, your benefit would increase from your current $1,650 to his $3,200. This is one reason some people consider having the higher-earning spouse delay claiming as long as possible - it increases the survivor benefit for the remaining spouse.

my sister was in almost exactly your situation!! she got SSDI and her husband worked longer than her. when he started his ss at 66 she thought she'd get extra $$ but nope, SSA told her since her SSDI was more than half his benefit she didnt get anything extra. but when he died 3 yrs later she DID get his full amount which helped her alot.

You should also think about what happens if your husband waits until 70 to file instead of his FRA. His benefit would increase by 8% per year, so instead of $3,200, he could get around $4,000 per month. That means if he passes before you, you'd get $4,000 instead of $3,200 as a survivor. Might be worth considering given his health issues and the age difference between you two.

Hi there! I wanted to reach out because I was in almost exactly your situation last year. My husband is 8 years older than me, and I've been on SSDI for about 5 years now. We spent MONTHS trying to get through to Social Security to figure out our options, and it was absolutely maddening. Constant busy signals, disconnections, or being told to call back later. Finally, I found this service called Claimyr (claimyr.com) that got me through to an actual SSA agent in under 20 minutes after weeks of trying on my own. They have a video showing how it works: https://youtu.be/Z-BRbJw3puU Once I actually got to speak with someone, they explained everything about how my SSDI would interact with spousal benefits and eventually survivor benefits. It was such a relief to have our questions answered by an actual SSA employee instead of guessing or relying on what friends told us. Just thought I'd share since I know how frustrating it can be to get accurate information!

Just to add some important information about your SSDI question - your disability benefit will automatically convert to retirement benefits when you reach Full Retirement Age, but the amount will stay exactly the same. It's just an internal administrative change at SSA, nothing you need to do, and you won't see any difference in your payments. Regarding your husband's claiming strategy, given his health issues and your significant age difference, you might want to consider having him file a restricted application for spousal benefits only (if he's eligible) while letting his own retirement benefit continue to grow until age 70. This could provide some income now while maximizing the eventual survivor benefit you would receive. However, this option is only available to people born before January 2, 1954, so it depends on his exact birthdate. Lastly, make sure both of you are enrolled in Medicare on time to avoid late enrollment penalties. For most people on SSDI, Medicare enrollment is automatic after 24 months of disability benefits.

I dont understand why everyone is making this so complicated!! Just take the money as soon as you can!! The system is designed to pay out the same amount no matter when you claim - if you wait longer you get bigger checks but for fewer years. With health problems you never know how long you have. My uncle waited til 70 to maximize his benefit and then died 3 months later. All that money he could have had for 8 years GONE!! Just my 2 cents.

I work with retirees on their financial planning, and based on what you've shared, here's what you should know: 1. Your SSDI benefit ($1,650) is already higher than what you'd get as a spouse (50% of his $3,200 = $1,600), so you won't get additional spousal benefits. 2. If your husband passes away, you would be eligible for his full benefit amount as a survivor. This is why many couples in your situation consider having the higher earner delay benefits - each year he delays past FRA increases his benefit by 8%, which directly increases your potential survivor benefit. 3. Given the 5-year age difference and his health concerns, you might want to consider a strategy where he claims at his FRA or slightly later to balance current income needs with protecting your future survivor benefits. 4. When you reach your FRA, your SSDI will convert to retirement benefits, but the amount stays the same. One thing to note: if he decides to work while collecting benefits before his FRA, he'll be subject to the earnings test which could reduce his benefits temporarily if he earns above certain thresholds.

Has anyone else noticed how the rules for Social Security are DELIBERATELY complicated?? I swear they make it confusing on purpose so people don't claim everything they're entitled to. My neighbor worked for SSA for 30 years and even she says most of their own employees don't understand all the rules. The whole system needs to be simplified!

I'm also navigating a similar situation with my spouse, though we're a bit younger. One thing I learned from speaking with a local AARP volunteer tax advisor is that you might want to consider having your husband create a my Social Security account online if he hasn't already. It will show his exact benefit estimates at different claiming ages, which can help you make more informed decisions about timing. Also, regarding the survivor benefits - I believe you'd need to apply for those separately if something happens to your husband. They don't automatically switch you over, so it's important to contact SSA as soon as possible after a spouse's death to avoid any delays in receiving the higher benefit amount. Given all the conflicting information people get from different SSA representatives, you might also want to document any advice you receive in writing when you do speak with them. Some people request email confirmations or follow up with written requests to have their conversations documented in their file.

I'm in a very similar situation and wanted to share what I learned from my experience. I'm 57 and have been on SSDI for 4 years, and my husband is 63. We went through the same confusion about spousal benefits and survivor benefits. One thing that really helped us was getting a personalized Social Security statement from the SSA website that shows exactly what your benefits would be at different ages. For survivor benefits, I found out that if I'm between 60-67 when my husband passes, I'd get a reduced survivor benefit, but if I wait until my FRA (67), I'd get his full benefit amount. Also, something important I learned - if you're receiving SSDI when your husband files for retirement, you're automatically considered to be filing for spousal benefits too (they call it "deemed filing"). But since your SSDI is already higher than the spousal benefit, you just continue receiving your current amount. The Medicare transition was something else we had to figure out. Since you're on SSDI, you should already be enrolled in Medicare, but make sure your husband signs up during his initial enrollment period to avoid penalties. Have you looked into whether your husband might benefit from working with a Social Security claiming strategist? Some financial advisors specialize in this and can run scenarios based on your specific situation and health considerations.

I wanted to share some additional perspective on this situation. One thing that hasn't been mentioned yet is the importance of timing if your husband does decide to delay his benefits. Since he's already 62 and has health issues, you might want to consider a middle-ground approach - having him file at his Full Retirement Age (66 or 67 depending on his birth year) rather than waiting until 70. This would give you both some security of receiving benefits sooner while still providing a decent survivor benefit for you later. Also, keep in mind that if your husband is still working part-time, his earnings could affect his Social Security benefits if he files before his FRA due to the earnings test. But once he reaches FRA, he can earn any amount without it affecting his benefits. Another consideration - if your husband's health deteriorates significantly, he might potentially qualify for SSDI himself, which could change your overall strategy. SSDI recipients can receive their full benefit amount regardless of age, without the early filing reductions that apply to regular retirement benefits. Given the complexity of your situation with the age difference, health concerns, and your existing SSDI, it really might be worth consulting with someone who specializes in Social Security optimization to run different scenarios and see what works best for your specific circumstances.

I wanted to add something that might be helpful regarding the conversion from SSDI to retirement benefits. When your SSDI automatically converts to retirement benefits at your Full Retirement Age (67), the amount stays exactly the same, but there's one small advantage - you'll no longer be subject to SSDI's continuing disability reviews. Those reviews can be stressful even when your condition is clearly permanent, so that's one less thing to worry about. Also, regarding getting accurate information from SSA - I've found that visiting a local Social Security office in person (with an appointment) often yields better results than calling. The representatives seem to have more time to look at your specific situation and pull up the relevant rules. Just make sure to bring all relevant documents and maybe even write down your questions beforehand. One more thing about survivor benefits timing - if something does happen to your husband before you reach age 60, you could potentially receive a one-time lump-sum death payment of $255, and if you're caring for his child under 16 (or disabled), you might be eligible for survivor benefits earlier. But given your ages, this probably doesn't apply to your situation.