Should husband take Social Security at 67 (FRA) with memory issues? I'm on SSDI

Given your situation, he should absolutely file now at his FRA. There are several reasons for this: 1. At FRA (67), he'll receive 100% of his primary insurance amount (PIA) 2. While delaying until 70 would increase his benefit by 8% per year, you need income now 3. With memory issues, filing sooner with your help might be easier than waiting 4. If his condition worsens, the application process could become significantly more challenging If you wait and his condition deteriorates, you might need to become his representative payee, which requires additional paperwork and ongoing responsibilities. The SSA will want medical evidence of his inability to manage his benefits. Also, remember that when either of you passes away, the surviving spouse will receive the higher of the two benefit amounts. So his benefit could eventually become your survivor benefit.

Speaking from experience, APPLY NOW!!! My husband had early dementia and we waited too long. It was a NIGHTMARE trying to get him approved when he couldn't remember basic info for the application. We ended up having to get doctors notes, legal paperwork proving I could act on his behalf, and it took MONTHS longer than it should have. Don't wait until the memory issues get worse. The SS system is NOT easy to navigate for someone with cognitive decline.

You'll need to weigh immediate needs against long-term benefits. Each year he delays past FRA increases his benefit by 8% (permanently). That's guaranteed money. But if you need income now, taking it at 67 makes sense. Regarding his memory issues - if they're significant, consider setting up direct deposit immediately and possibly planning for you to become his representative payee in the future. Don't wait until it's an emergency. One thing to consider: your husband's higher benefit would become your survivor benefit if he passes away before you. So delaying his filing could potentially give you higher income later in life.

my uncle had alzheimers and we waited to long to file. big mistake!!! by the time we did he couldnt sign his name the same way twice and they kept rejecting the paperwork. take the money now and deal with the paperwork while he still can help with the process trust me

I'd recommend applying right away for several reasons. With memory issues that could progress, handling the application process now will be easier than later. I was in a similar situation with my wife who had early-onset Alzheimer's. Getting through to Social Security was a nightmare - I spent days trying to schedule an appointment. I finally used a service called Claimyr (claimyr.com) that got me connected to an SSA representative in under 5 minutes. They have a video showing how it works: https://youtu.be/Z-BRbJw3puU It saved me hours of frustration and we were able to complete her application while she could still participate. Looking back, I'm so glad we didn't wait - her condition deteriorated faster than expected.

Has he been diagnosed with anything specific yet? You might want to look into applying for SSDI for him instead of retirement if his condition is severe enough. My friend's husband got approved for disability with early-onset dementia and it was actually more than his retirement would have been.

Why not split the difference? Have him file a restricted application for spousal benefits on YOUR record. That way he gets some money now (up to 50% of your SSDI) and his own benefit continues to grow until 70. Best of both worlds!

btw how much would he get if he files now? that matters to know if waiting is worth it

Given what you've said - he's 67, has memory issues, is unemployed, and you need the money - I think he should file right now. Here's my reasoning: 1. You're struggling financially - $2,200/month would help immediately 2. The memory issues create risk for a more complicated application later 3. He's already at FRA so there's no penalty for filing now 4. Your SSDI plus his retirement would give you about $3,950/month combined While waiting until 70 would give him an extra $528/month, that's 36 months of not receiving $2,200/month - that's $79,200 you'd be missing out on in the short term. You'd need to live over 12 years beyond age 70 just to break even on that decision.

To answer your question about survivor benefits: If your husband passes away, you would receive the higher of the two benefits, not both. So you would stop receiving your SSDI and instead receive his Social Security retirement benefit as a survivor benefit. This is why his benefit amount matters for your long-term financial security as well. Given your current financial situation and his cognitive challenges, filing now seems most prudent. The immediate financial relief outweighs the potential long-term gain, especially considering the administrative challenges you might face if his condition worsens.