My husband is 75 years old and was on SSDI for years before being converted to regular social security at his full retirement age. He used to be my dependent before we married in 2008. We have been together for 24 years.
I am currently 65, with a DOB in August 1954. My original plan was to retire at FRA in August 2020. But in Jan 2019 I required surgery on my left hand and right elbow and was no longer able to practice after 44 years as a physical therapist.
I have been on short term and CA state disability throughout 2019. I officially retired from my employer 10-1-2019 when all my accrued leave hours depleted. My CA disability benefit will max out this week. I am now transitioning onto my employers long term disability plan which evidently will end when I reach full retirement age. My employer's long term disability provider is facilitating an application for SSDI. It was originally denied but they are appealing. The LTD providers wants me on SSDI, obviously, because that means SSDI will reduce the amount the disability provider will be required pay me.
Would I be able to file for spousal benefits in August 2020, at my full retirement age, and defer collecting my own much higher benefit until I reach 70?
And once I start collecting my own benefit at 70, could my spouse increase his amount by switching to collecting spousal benefits off me? It appears that 50% of my benfit at age 66 would not be higher than his current benefit.
I am very confused about how to maximize any joint income in this unexpected "bridge" period when my retirement plan was upended. And how to how to establish the maximum benefits between my age 65 to 66, then 66 to 70. And then after age 70.
Also, if I were to qualify for the SSDI now, would I need to suspend that at my full retirement age in order to collect spousal benefits then, and eventually my own benefits at 70? Or should I reject the few months of SSDI before FRA? Would this pre FRA SSDI actually lower my lifetime monthly benefit amount?
As usual, staff at our SSA office seem to avoid giving any "advice", as they call simply answering these improtant questions which become non-reversible.
Sadly, due to lack of knowledge, we wasted over $30,000 dollars paying my spouse's Medicare Part B premiums all the years he was on my employer plan, basically for the Part D drug coverage. Despite my employer and Medicare BOTH knowing he had both means of coverage as they coordinated benefits to pay bills. And Medicare forced my employer plan to become primary. But neither ever informed us he could suspend his Medicare Part B until I officially retired in Oct 2019. That would have been a new car to replace our aged vehicle.
Help.
I have always been the higher wage earner in our family. My spouse's SS benefit is about $2000/ mo. Whereas had i worked to full retirement age, my projected benefit then would have been approx. $2800/mo.
Hi,
No, you can't file just for spousal benefits while letting your own benefit grow until age 70. Only people born prior to January 2 1954 are allowed to do that (https://www.ssa.gov/planners/retire/deemedfaq.html).
When you do start drawing your benefits your spouse could file for an excess spousal benefit, however, he'll only qualify if 50% of your primary insurance amount (PIA) is higher than his PIA. Based on the benefit rates you quoted, that doesn't appear to be possible in your case. A person's PIA, by the way, is equal to their Social Security retirement benefit rate if they start drawing at full retirement age (FRA).
If you qualify for Social Security disability (SSDI) benefits you could voluntarily suspend your benefits when they convert to regular retirement benefits at FRA, but you couldn't draw spousal benefits while your benefits are suspended (https://www.ssa.gov/planners/retire/suspendfaq.html). Drawing SSDI benefits prior to FRA wouldn't have any adverse effect on your benefit rate nor your ability to suspend your benefits at FRA in order to earn delayed retirement credits (DRC).
You may want to consider using our software (https://maximizemysocialsecurity.com/purchase) to compare all of your various options so that you can choose the best possible strategy for maximizing your benefits.
Best, Jerry
