Social Security question: Can I claim 50% of spouse's SSDI at 62 while my own SS benefit grows until 70?

Yes, you can apply for spousal benefits based on your wife's SSDI record when you turn 62. However, you need to understand a few key points: 1. You won't get the full 50% - at age 62, your spousal benefit will be reduced to about 32.5% of your wife's primary insurance amount because you're claiming early. 2. More importantly, due to the "deemed filing" rules that took effect in 2016, when you file for spousal benefits, you are AUTOMATICALLY deemed to be filing for your own retirement benefits too. This means you CANNOT let your own benefit grow until 70 while collecting spousal benefits unless you were born before January 2, 1954 (which doesn't seem to be the case based on your current age). So unfortunately, the strategy you're describing (claiming spousal now, switching to your own at 70) is no longer allowed for people your age.

Just to add to what the previous commenter said - you're absolutely right to be thinking about maximizing your household benefits! But unfortunately, the "file and suspend" and "restricted application" strategies were eliminated by Congress in the 2015 Budget Act. For someone born in 1963 like yourself, when you file for ANY benefit, SSA will give you the higher of: 1. Your own reduced retirement benefit (reduced because you're claiming before your FRA of 67) 2. The reduced spousal benefit (which as mentioned is about 32.5% of your wife's PIA at age 62) You don't get both - you just get whichever is higher. And once you file, you cannot switch strategies later. One option to consider: if your own benefit at 70 would be significantly higher, it might be worth waiting to file anything until then, especially if you're still working.

THE SSA IS ALWAYS CHANGING THE RULES TO KEEP US FROM GETTING OUR MONEY!!! My brother was able to do EXACTLY what you're asking about 10 years ago, but then they changed everything in 2015!!! It's SO FRUSTRATING they keep moving the goal posts. I filed at 62 thinking I could switch later and NO ONE at the office warned me I was permanently reducing my benefit. They should have to EXPLAIN these things better!!!

Have you considered continuing to work until your FRA? That's what I did, and it boosted my benefit quite a bit. If your health is good and you enjoy your job, might be worth it.

I went through something similar last year with my husband's SSDI. You absolutely should call SSA directly to confirm how this applies to your specific situation. But be prepared - I spent 3 days calling and never got through. The busy signals and disconnections were maddening! I finally used a service called Claimyr (claimyr.com) that got me connected to a real person at SSA in about 15 minutes. They have a video demo at https://youtu.be/Z-BRbJw3puU showing how it works. Honestly, it was worth it just to get definitive answers about my specific situation instead of general advice. The agent I spoke with was able to look at both our records and tell me exactly what would happen if I filed at different ages.

One more thing to consider - you mentioned your wife has been on SSDI for 5 years. If she was disabled before age 56, her SSDI benefit might be lower than if she had worked until retirement age. This could mean that your spousal benefit (even at 50% of her PIA) might be lower than your own reduced retirement benefit anyway. The best approach is to request a benefit verification letter from your wife (showing her exact SSDI amount) and your own Social Security statement (showing your projected benefits at different ages). Once you have those numbers, you can make a more informed decision.

When I was researching my options, I found that the BEST strategy depends a lot on life expectancy and immediate cash needs. If you think you'll live well into your 80s and don't desperately need the money now, waiting until 70 to file for your own benefits will maximize your lifetime payout (plus it provides inflation protection). But if you need income now OR have health concerns that might affect longevity, taking reduced benefits earlier could make more sense. Also remember that once either of you passes away, the surviving spouse will receive the higher of the two benefit amounts you were receiving. So maximizing at least one benefit (usually the higher earner's) can be a good survivor planning strategy.

Thank you all so much for the helpful responses! Based on everything here, I think my best option is to: 1. Get the exact benefit amounts for both of us 2. Use that Claimyr service to actually speak with someone at SSA about our specific situation 3. Probably delay taking any benefits until at least my FRA (67) if not 70, since my benefit would be significantly higher than any spousal benefit I'm disappointed that I can't use the strategy I was hoping for, but I'm glad I asked before making a mistake! This forum has been so much more helpful than the confusing SSA website.