SSDI to retirement at FRA (67) - will my benefit amount change? Also questions about ex-spouse benefits

Your SSDI benefit will convert to retirement at exactly the same amount when you reach 67. There's no penalty or bonus for having been on disability - it's calculated the same way as if you'd reached full retirement age (FRA) normally. The only difference is that the name changes from "disability" to "retirement" benefits. Regarding your ex-spouse benefit: You may be eligible for up to 50% of his PIA (Primary Insurance Amount) at your full retirement age IF that amount is higher than your own benefit. So if he's getting $4,000 in benefits, 50% would be $2,000, which is more than your current $1,890, so you'd get a small top-up of $110. But if 50% of his benefit is less than your $1,890, you won't get anything additional.

Just to add to what was shared - the transition from SSDI to retirement benefits at your FRA is completely automatic. You won't need to do anything, and you'll continue to receive the same monthly amount without interruption. One important note: Your long-term disability insurance that runs until 67 might be affected. Many private LTD policies reduce their payment by the amount you receive from Social Security. Check your policy because some require you to apply for retirement at 62 (early retirement) even though your SSDI continues until 67. If your policy doesn't specify this requirement, you're fine keeping SSDI until it automatically converts.

I went through this last year. When my SSDI switched to retirement at my FRA, NOTHING changed except the name of the benefit. Same payment amount, same payment date. They didn't even send me a notice - it just happened behind the scenes! BUT you DO need to apply separately for ex-spouse benefits!!! SSA doesn't know you were married unless you tell them. Go to your local office with your marriage certificate and divorce decree at least 3-4 months before you turn 67. If your ex hasn't filed for his benefits yet, you might have to wait until he does (unless he's over 62 and you've been divorced for over 2 years). And the LTD payment WILL probably change when you hit 67 - most policies stop completely at that point. Check your policy!!

Are you sure about the amount? I thought disability was less than retirement. My neighbor said her check went up when she switched over. Maybe it depends on how much you worked before becoming disabled?

For the ex-spouse benefit, he would need to have a PIA (Primary Insurance Amount) of at least double what you're getting for you to qualify for any additional amount as an ex-spouse. So with your $1,890, he would need a PIA of at least $3,780 for you to potentially get any top-up benefit. I tried for MONTHS to get through to SSA about my ex-spouse benefits last year. Every time I called, I'd wait for 2+ hours and then get disconnected. I finally used a service called Claimyr (claimyr.com) that got me connected to an agent in about 20 minutes. They have a video showing how it works: https://youtu.be/Z-BRbJw3puU. Totally worth it for saving hours of frustration, especially for something complex like ex-spouse benefits where you really need to talk to a knowledgeable person.

my mom went from ssdi to retirement last year and she said nothing changed with her payment. they just sent her a letter saying congrats your now on retirement instead of disability lol. but she did say she wished she looked into the spouse benefit thing sooner cause she didnt know about it til after and ended up missing a few months of higher payments! dont wait to ask them about it

WAIT A MINUTE! Has anyone mentioned the WEP/GPO rules to you?? If you get a pension from work not covered by Social Security (like some government jobs), that can DRASTICALLY reduce any spousal benefits you might be entitled to. The Government Pension Offset can reduce spousal benefits by 2/3 of your non-covered pension amount. THIS IS IMPORTANT!!

One more important thing - when applying for the ex-spouse benefit, you don't need to contact your ex. SSA doesn't notify them that you're applying for benefits on their record. You'll need: 1. Your marriage certificate 2. Your divorce decree 3. Your ex's Social Security number (if you know it) If you don't have your ex's SSN, SSA can usually find it with his name and date of birth. The benefit processing can take 2-3 months, so apply at least 3-4 months before turning 67 to avoid missing any payments.

so ur ltd insurance stops at 67 and then u just get ss? does that mean ull get less money each month? that sounds scary

Make sure you look into Medicare too if you haven't already. Since you've been on SSDI for 2+ years, you should already have Medicare Parts A and B, but it's a good time to review if your plan choices are still the best for you as you transition to retirement. Sometimes people don't realize they have different options once they're past 65.

Just wanted to chime in as someone who went through this transition two years ago! Your SSDI will convert seamlessly to retirement benefits at 67 with no change in amount - that part is automatic and stress-free. For the ex-spouse benefit, definitely start the paperwork process early. In my case, I had to dig through old boxes to find my marriage certificate, and it took longer than expected. One tip: if you can't find the original marriage certificate, you can usually get a certified copy from the county clerk's office where you got married. They often have online ordering now. Also, regarding your LTD insurance ending - have you looked into whether you might qualify for any state benefits or programs once that income stops? Some states have supplemental programs for people transitioning off disability insurance. It might be worth checking with your state's disability services office. The Medicare review suggestion is spot-on too. Even though your coverage won't change dramatically, it's worth doing an annual review during open enrollment to make sure you're getting the best value for your needs.

I'm in a similar situation - currently on SSDI and approaching my FRA in a few years. This thread has been incredibly helpful! One thing I wanted to add that I learned from my case worker: when you apply for the ex-spouse benefit, make sure to ask specifically about "auxiliary benefits" - sometimes the SSA representatives don't automatically check for all the different types of benefits you might qualify for. Also, if your ex-spouse hasn't filed for their retirement benefits yet but is over 62, you can still potentially get benefits on their record as long as you've been divorced for at least 2 years. @Victoria Scott - have you considered reaching out to your local Area Agency on Aging? Even though you're not quite at their typical age range, they sometimes have benefits counselors who specialize in Social Security transitions and can help you navigate all these moving pieces with the LTD ending and potential ex-spouse benefits. They might know about local resources that could help bridge the gap when your LTD stops. The automatic conversion at 67 really is seamless though - that's one less thing to worry about!

One more thing to keep in mind - when you're getting close to 67 and your LTD is ending, make sure you understand exactly when your LTD payments stop versus when your SSDI converts to retirement. Some LTD policies end on your 67th birthday, while SSDI converts to retirement benefits in the month you reach full retirement age. If there's any gap, you'll want to plan for that financially. Also, regarding the ex-spouse benefit calculation - remember that if you do qualify for additional money based on your ex's record, you'll receive the higher of either your own benefit OR the spousal benefit, not both added together. So if your own benefit is $1,890 and the spousal benefit would be $1,950, you'd get $1,950 total, not $3,840. One last tip: when you go to apply for the ex-spouse benefit, bring copies of everything rather than originals if possible. SSA can make copies right there, but you'll feel better knowing your important documents are safe at home. Good luck with everything!