Social Security benefits for wife with MS disability since 19 - no work history but turning 60 soon?

There are actually two possibilities that might help your sister, depending on her current marriage situation and her husband's work record: 1. If her husband is still alive and they're still married, she might qualify for spousal benefits on his record when she turns 62 (or earlier if he's already collecting and she's caring for their child under 16). This would be approximately 35% of his full retirement amount if she claims at 62. 2. If her husband has passed away or they divorced after 10+ years of marriage, she might qualify for survivor benefits or divorced spouse benefits. Regarding disability, unfortunately the window for SSDI has closed since she didn't work enough to earn the required credits before becoming disabled. However, she might qualify for Supplemental Security Income (SSI) now if her household income and resources are below the limits. I'd recommend she schedule an appointment with SSA to review all options. Be prepared with marriage certificates, her limited work history information, and medical records documenting her condition started before age 22 (important for potential disabled adult child benefits if her parents are retired/deceased).

Based on what you've described, your sister almost certainly won't qualify for SSDI (Social Security Disability Insurance) because she didn't earn enough work credits before becoming disabled. However, she should still explore these options: 1. When her husband files for his retirement benefits, she can file for spousal benefits (50% of his PIA if she waits until her FRA, less if she claims earlier) 2. If either of her parents are deceased or receiving Social Security retirement/disability, she might qualify as a Disabled Adult Child (DAC) if her disability began before age 22 (which it sounds like it did) 3. She might qualify for the Medicare Savings Program to help with Medicare costs when she becomes eligible, even if she doesn't qualify for SSI due to resources The key is to apply and get an official determination rather than relying on what "people told her." Many people receive incorrect information about their eligibility.

OMG this is EXACTLY what happened to my cousin!! Nobody helped him for YEARS because "not enough work credits" but when he finally went to SSA they found out he could get benefits on his dad's record as a disabled adult child!!! Your sister NEEDS to go talk to someone at Social Security directly!

Try calling SSA directly to ask about all this but good luck getting through!!! I spent THREE WEEKS trying to reach someone about my disabled brother's benefits. Kept getting disconnected or wait times over 2 hours that I couldn't stay on for because of work.

The most important thing is for your sister to actually apply and get an official determination from SSA. Here's what she should do: 1. Gather documentation of her disability onset date (medical records from age 20) 2. Document her limited work history (even 8 months should be in SSA's system) 3. Get her parents' Social Security numbers if they're collecting benefits 4. Apply specifically for Disabled Adult Child benefits if her disability began before 22 and one/both parents receive Social Security 5. If not approved for DAC benefits, look into spouse's benefits when her husband files 6. Apply for Extra Help with Medicare costs when she approaches Medicare age Many people are incorrectly told they don't qualify when they actually do. The rules are complex and most non-SSA employees (and even some SSA employees) don't fully understand all the provisions.

my sister got ssdi with only 1.5 years work because she was young when she got disabled. did your wife ever apply and get denied or just never applied? big difference because they look at different rules for young people who get disabled. you should apply and see what they say not just listen to random people.

I work with disability claims (not for SSA) and here's something many people miss: if her disability began before age 22 and EITHER of her parents are receiving Social Security retirement/disability OR are deceased, she could qualify for benefits as a Disabled Adult Child on their record. This is completely different from SSI or SSDI! It doesn't matter how little she worked. This is often overlooked by people giving advice about disability.

For a DAC claim like this, I'd recommend applying in person if possible, or at least starting with a phone appointment. Explain clearly that you're applying for Disabled Adult Child benefits based on her parent's record. The online system doesn't handle these specialized cases as well. Bring every medical record you can find from when she was 20-22 to establish that the disability began before 22. School records showing she had to drop out or accommodate her condition can help too. If her parents are both receiving Social Security, she could potentially file on either record - usually the higher earner's record would be best. This could be life-changing for her - both monthly income AND Medicare coverage regardless of her age after 24 months of benefits.