Social Security application advice needed - filing with terminally ill spouse at different ages

I'm very sorry about your wife's illness. Here's what you should do: First, you should file for your retirement benefits since you're already at FRA. Then your wife can apply for her own retirement benefits and spousal benefits simultaneously. Since she's not yet at her FRA, she'll get a reduced amount - not the full 50%. At 65, she'd get approximately 45.8% of your PIA (Primary Insurance Amount) as spousal benefits. However, SSA will pay her own benefit first, then add enough of the spousal benefit to reach the higher amount if applicable. This is called the "deemed filing" rule. I strongly recommend doing this online at ssa.gov and marking it as an "Immediate Claim" and briefly explaining the terminal illness situation. SSA can expedite claims in cases of terminal illness under their TERI program. You'll need her medical documentation ready.

my mom was in smiilar situation but opposite she was the sick 1. dad filed online cuz he couldnt leave her either. you gotta call them tho to get the spousal thing going right. took us like 5 days of trying to get thru to them on the phone, was so frustrating. mom got way more $ when they did spousal benefits tho so def worth it

I've been through the exact situation you're describing, and I know how overwhelming it feels. When my husband was diagnosed with stage 4 cancer, I had to navigate all this while being his caregiver. One thing not mentioned yet - if you're going to apply online, have ALL your documentation ready before starting: both your SSNs, birth certificates, marriage certificate, your wife's medical documentation, and bank account info for direct deposit. The online application times out after a while, so being prepared saves a lot of stress. Also, when I was struggling to reach someone at SSA by phone, I found this service called Claimyr (claimyr.com) that got me connected to an agent without the endless wait. They have a video showing how it works: https://youtu.be/Z-BRbJw3puU. It was honestly a lifesaver during an already stressful time when I couldn't stay on hold for hours. And finally, in our case, we qualified for the TERI program, which expedited everything. Make sure that's noted in your application.

I hate to be the bearer of bad news, but Social Security benefits for spouses can be VERY CONFUSING! 😣 The 50% spousal benefit isn't as straightforward as it sounds. Your wife CAN'T just get half your benefit automatically. She'll get her own benefit first, THEN they'll add a supplemental amount IF the spousal benefit would be higher. Since she's under FRA, she'll get a REDUCED amount - both of her own benefit AND the spousal portion! It's called "deemed filing" and it's PERMANENT even after she reaches FRA! Also, did anyone mention survivor benefits yet? I hate to bring it up, but with your wife's condition, you should know that as a widow, you might be eligible for survivor benefits if her benefit would be higher than yours (though it sounds like yours is higher). The system is SO COMPLICATED and the agents sometimes give WRONG INFORMATION! I spent 2 years fighting with SSA over a mistake they made with my benefits!!!

You've received some good advice already. I'll add that your timing is actually quite important here. Since you're already past your FRA, you won't face any reduction in benefits by filing now. For your wife, since she's under her FRA (which I believe would be 66 and 2 months based on her age), she would face a reduction in both her own retirement benefit and any spousal benefit. The spousal benefit maximum is indeed 50% of your PIA, but that's only if claimed at her FRA. At 65, she would face approximately a 8.3% reduction. The exact calculation is fairly complex because it depends on exactly how many months before her FRA she claims. Here's what will happen: She'll receive her own reduced benefit first, then an additional amount to bring her total to the reduced spousal benefit level if that's higher. In your situation with the benefit estimates you provided, she would likely receive a combination of her own reduced benefit plus a spousal supplement. Definitely mention her medical condition in the application. The SSA has the Terminal Illness Program (TERI) that expedites claims for those with terminal conditions.

just wanted to say im sorry about your wife man. my aunt went thru cancer last year and its tough. about the SS stuff, definitely call them directly, the website is confusing as hell. good luck

To follow up on your question about the TERI program - you don't need to specifically mention TERI by name, but you should clearly state in the remarks section of the application that your wife has been diagnosed with terminal cancer. Include her doctor's name, hospital, and approximate date of diagnosis. SSA has specific criteria for flagging TERI cases. Regarding the benefit calculation: Let's say your full PIA is $2,950. At 65, your wife would be eligible for approximately 45.8% of that as a spousal benefit, which is about $1,351. However, she'd receive her own reduced retirement benefit first (around $1,120 if she files now at 65 instead of her FRA). Then SSA would add a supplemental spousal benefit of about $231 to reach the $1,351 total. One more important note: If you haven't already, make sure you have set up direct deposit for both of you. This will ensure uninterrupted benefit payments regardless of your circumstances.

btw if ur doing online applications and get stuck the website is TERRIBLE lol. i tried 3 differnt browsers before it worked. use Chrome not Safari thats what finally worked for me

I want to thank everyone for the incredibly helpful advice. I've gathered all our documents (birth certificates, marriage certificate, my wife's medical records) and plan to start my application online tomorrow using Chrome as suggested. I'll clearly note my wife's terminal condition in the remarks section and hope it gets flagged for the TERI program. After I get my application submitted, I'll help my wife apply for her benefits and clearly indicate she's applying for both her retirement and spousal benefits. Based on the calculations shared, she should receive around $1,350 total between the two, which will really help with our expenses. I'm also going to check out that Claimyr service since it sounds like I'll need to speak with SSA at some point about the spousal benefits. Being able to avoid long wait times would be a huge relief given my caregiving responsibilities. You've all been so supportive and informative - it's made a stressful situation much more manageable. I'll update on how things go after we submit our applications.