Can I take spousal Social Security at 65 while working if my husband's SSDI converted to retirement benefits?

Yes, you CAN file for spousal benefits while still working, but there are several things to consider: - Since you're below your FRA of 67, your spousal benefit will be permanently reduced (approximately 13.3% for claiming 2 years early) - The earnings test will apply - in 2025, if you earn more than $22,750, they'll withhold $1 of benefits for every $2 you earn above that limit - Any benefits withheld now will be returned to you gradually after you reach your FRA For your husband, the conversion from SSDI to retirement benefits is just administrative - his check amount stays the same. Carefully consider if taking reduced benefits now makes sense if you're still earning good income. The earnings test could potentially withhold all your benefits depending on your salary.

I was in almost IDENTICAL situation last yr!! My husband was on SSDI for 12 yrs before converting to regular SS at 65. I was still working at 65 (I'm 66 now) and wanted to get ANY benefits I could. Here's what happened - I applied for spousal, but because I earned about $60k, ALL my benefits were withheld due to the earnings test. Total waste of time filing all that paperwork!! Now I'm just waiting till I hit my FRA next year. Also the SSA office told me that since my own benefit at FRA will be higher than my spousal portion, there's literally NO REASON for me to apply before my FRA. Might be different in your case tho.

I worked for SSA for 22 years before retiring in 2022, so I can clarify some things about your situation: 1. Yes, you can technically file for spousal benefits while working, but the earnings test will likely eliminate most or all payments until you reach FRA. 2. Your husband's switch from SSDI to retirement benefits was automatic and administrative - his payment amount remains exactly the same. 3. There's a critical calculation you need: Will your own retirement benefit at FRA be higher than 50% of your husband's FRA amount? If yes, then filing for spousal now makes little sense. 4. If you plan to continue working until 67 or beyond with substantial earnings, the smartest strategy is usually waiting until you retire or reach your FRA. I recommend creating an account at my.ssa.gov to see your projected benefits before making any decisions.

With your own benefit at FRA being $2,700 and your husband's at $2,200, you're absolutely correct - you should wait and claim your own retirement benefit. Your spousal benefit would only be $1,100 (50% of his benefit), which is far less than your own. If you claimed spousal now at 65: 1. It would be reduced for early filing to about $953/month 2. Most or all would be withheld due to your $75k earnings 3. You'd still need to file for your own larger benefit later The smartest approach with your numbers is to simply wait until your FRA (or even age 70 if you want maximum benefits) and file for your own retirement benefit then.

everyone keeps talking bout the earning test but nobody mentions that if u do take spousal now and get hit with deductions you LOSE that money forever!!!! its not like they give it all back when u hit 67!!! my brother inlaw went thru this and got totally screwed by SSA!!!!

I'm going through this exact situation and tried calling Social Security last week. After being on hold for over an hour, I got hung up on twice! So frustrating. I ended up using a service called Claimyr (claimyr.com) that got me connected to an SSA agent in under 10 minutes. They have a video showing how it works: https://youtu.be/Z-BRbJw3puU The agent I spoke with confirmed what others here are saying - if your own benefit at full retirement age will be higher than the spousal benefit, there's no advantage to applying early, especially while still working with substantial earnings. They also explained that you can get a detailed benefit comparison by scheduling an appointment with an SSA claims specialist who can run different scenarios for you.

Yes, the agent was surprisingly helpful! I was worried about getting someone who would rush me, but they took time to explain everything. They even sent me some calculation worksheets by mail afterward. One thing they emphasized that I haven't seen mentioned here - if you file for ANY type of benefit before FRA (spousal or your own), you're deemed to have filed for ALL benefits you're eligible for. This is called "deemed filing" and it can have permanent implications for your benefit amounts. Given your earnings and benefit amounts, waiting until at least your FRA seems like the clear winner strategy.

To answer your question about working after FRA - yes, once you reach your full retirement age of 67, you can collect your FULL Social Security retirement benefit with NO reduction regardless of how much you earn. There is no earnings test or penalty after FRA. Many people continue working while collecting their full benefits after reaching FRA. This can be a great strategy because: 1. You get your full benefit with no reductions 2. You might even continue increasing your benefit amount if your current earnings are higher than some of your previous years used in the calculation 3. You can contribute more to retirement accounts And to clarify the "deemed filing" question that came up - yes, for people born after 1/1/1954, if you file for one benefit, you're deemed to have filed for all benefits you're eligible for, and you'll receive whichever amount is higher.

My sister is in similar sitution and the SSA office told her that she shud apply ANYWAY even if everything gets withheld becuz it "establishes her filing date" for some technical reason.... something about widows benefits later?? i dont remember the details but maybe ask about that if u call them

I'm in a very similar situation and this thread has been incredibly helpful! I'm 64 and still working, earning about $80k annually, while my husband just turned 65 and his SSDI converted to retirement benefits. Reading through all these responses, it seems like the key factors are: 1. Your own benefit amount vs. spousal benefit amount 2. Your current earnings level 3. Whether you plan to keep working past FRA Based on what everyone's shared, it sounds like for most people still working with decent salaries, waiting until FRA makes the most sense. The earnings test would just wipe out most benefits anyway, and if your own benefit is higher than spousal, there's really no advantage to filing early. Has anyone here actually tried using that my.ssa.gov benefit calculator to compare scenarios? I've looked at mine but find it confusing to figure out exactly what I'd get under different timing options.

I'm new to this community but going through almost the exact same situation! I'm 65, still working full-time making about $68,000, and my husband's SSDI just converted to retirement benefits when he turned 65 last month. Reading through all these responses has been so enlightening - I had no idea about the "deemed filing" rule or how the earnings test actually works. I've been stressing about whether I should apply for something NOW, but it sounds like with my salary level, most benefits would just get withheld anyway. One question I haven't seen addressed - if I wait until my FRA to file, will there be any issues with the fact that my husband's benefits converted from SSDI to retirement? Does that timing affect my eligibility for spousal benefits at all, or is it just treated the same as if he had regular retirement benefits all along? Also, has anyone here actually received those calculation worksheets that were mentioned? I called SSA twice but couldn't get through, and I'm wondering if it's worth trying that Claimyr service that was suggested or if I should just be patient and keep trying the regular number. Thank you all for sharing your experiences - this has been more helpful than anything I found on the SSA website!