Can my younger disabled husband get survivor benefits if I die? He was denied SSDI for lack of work credits

Yes, your husband would be eligible for disabled widower benefits if you pass away before he reaches retirement age. Since you've been married more than 9 months (and in your case, over 10 years), he could receive 71.5% of your benefit amount as a disabled widower. He would need to apply within 7 years of your death and prove he became disabled before or within 7 years of your passing. The good news is that even though he doesn't have enough work credits for his own SSDI, that doesn't matter for survivor benefits - he can draw on YOUR work record. He'll need medical documentation of his disability that meets SSA's definition.

my dad was in this exact situation!!!! when my mom died he got benefits even tho he was only 50 and had barely worked because of his back problems. they made him go to like 3 different doctors appointments to prove he was disabled enough but he did get approved eventually. took like 8 months tho and was STRESSFUL

Your husband would qualify for what SSA calls "disabled widow(er)'s benefits" since you've been married over 9 months. The key requirements are: 1. He must be at least 50 years old (which he is) 2. His disability must meet SSA's disability criteria 3. The disability must have started before or within 7 years of your death 4. He must apply within a certain timeframe The benefit would be approximately 71.5% of your full benefit amount. However, if he receives any other benefits (like SSI), those could be reduced accordingly. I'd suggest getting his medical documentation organized now, and perhaps having him apply for SSI in the meantime if he hasn't already - even with minimal/no work credits, he might qualify for that based on disability and limited household income.

I had a terrible time trying to reach SSA about my husband's survivor benefits last year. I literally called 43 times over two weeks and either couldn't get through or got disconnected. Finally used a service called Claimyr that got me connected to an agent in 20 minutes instead of having to call repeatedly. They have a video showing how it works at https://youtu.be/Z-BRbJw3puU - it really saved my sanity during an already stressful time. Regarding your actual question - yes, he would likely qualify for disabled widower benefits at age 54. Make sure he has all his medical records organized and documentation of when his disability began. The process takes several months even in the best circumstances.

has he applied for SSI? thats different from SSDI and doesn't need work credits, just based on being disabled and low income. might help now

sorry your going through this!!! the system is SO BROKEN for disabled people!!! my sister tried to get survivors benefits when her husband died and they kept LOSING her paperwork and telling her different things every time she called!!! took almost a YEAR to get approved!! and they kept saying she wasn't disabled enough even with doctor notes!!! FIGHT FOR YOUR RIGHTS!!!

One more important thing I forgot to mention - your husband should apply for the widower benefits as soon as possible after your passing (though I hope that's many years from now). The application process can be lengthy, especially for disability-based survivor benefits. Also, if he's denied initially (which happens frequently), he should definitely appeal. Many legitimate claims are denied on the first try but approved on reconsideration or at a hearing level. And having a disability attorney can help tremendously - they typically only charge if they win the case (usually 25% of backpay with a cap).

When my father died, my disabled mother had a similar situation. A key thing that helped was having a "funeral fund" set aside because survivor benefits don't start immediately, and there's often a gap period with no income. Also, make sure your husband knows where all important documents are kept - death certificate, marriage certificate, your SS number, birth certificates, etc. The SSA requires these for the application process. Having them organized ahead of time saved my mom a lot of stress.