Should I file for Social Security spousal benefits at 62 or wait until husband reaches FRA next year?

The good news is that you can claim spousal benefits on your current husband's record since you've been married over 10 years (requirement is only 1 year). Whether he's on SSDI or regular retirement doesn't actually matter for your spousal benefit eligibility. However, timing DOES matter for the amount you'll receive. If you claim at 62, you'll permanently reduce your spousal benefit to about 32.5% of his Primary Insurance Amount instead of the full 50% you'd get at your own FRA. One important note: Your husband transitioning from SSDI to retirement won't increase your spousal benefit. The calculation is based on his PIA regardless of which benefit he receives.

My wife filed for spousal at 62 last yr and got like $745/mo. She could've got almost $1100 if she waited till her FRA but we needed the $ now. Its all about what u need not whats perfect on paper.

Filing at 62 means a permanent reduction to about 32.5% of your husband's PIA instead of 50% at your FRA. This is likely several hundred dollars difference monthly. The key question is: can you afford to wait? If you need income now, taking reduced benefits might be necessary. But if you can delay even a year or two, each year of delay between 62-FRA increases your benefit percentage. Also, have you considered whether you might qualify for survivor benefits from your first husband if you were married 20 years? If he earned Social Security credits, you might be eligible.

wait as long as u can!! i took mine early and REGRET IT SO MUCH!!! once u file early ur STUCK with that lower amount FOREVER. its like a 30% cut taking it at 62 vs waiting

Your situation sounds similar to mine. I was also a caregiver for many years with insufficient work credits. When I applied for spousal benefits, I ran into endless problems trying to get through to Social Security. After three failed attempts to schedule an appointment, I finally used a service called Claimyr (claimyr.com) that got me connected to a real person at SSA in under 20 minutes. They have a video showing how it works at https://youtu.be/Z-BRbJw3puU Regarding your actual question - I did calculations both ways and found that waiting until my FRA would have meant about 45% more in monthly benefits. But that meant waiting 4+ years for any income at all. I ultimately filed at 63 as a compromise.

Doesnt matter if hes on SSDI or retirement his benefit amount stays the same at FRA. what matters is YOUR age when YOU file for spousal. each month you wait after 62 = slightly higher payment

The advice here seems focused on maximizing your monthly payment, but don't forget to think about your total lifetime benefits too! If you wait 4+ years to claim (assuming your FRA is around 66-67), you're giving up 48+ monthly payments. You'd need to live well into your 80s before the higher monthly amount makes up for all those missed payments. No one can predict how long we'll live, but if you have health concerns or family history of shorter lifespan, claiming earlier often results in more total benefits received over your lifetime.

After reviewing all the advice here, let me summarize the key points for your decision: 1) Your husband's transition from SSDI to retirement benefits won't affect your spousal benefit amount. 2) Filing at 62 gives you about 32.5% of his PIA permanently, while waiting until your FRA gives you 50%. 3) Each month you delay between 62 and FRA increases your benefit percentage slightly. 4) Consider both monthly amount AND lifetime total benefits in your decision. 5) Your financial needs now vs. later should guide your choice - there's no universally "right" answer. I suggest calling SSA to get exact benefit estimates for different filing ages to make an informed decision.