Hi Larry, Love your site!! Gold Star.
I am on SSDI and 59. Is there any way i can get off disability and claim 50% of spouses? How do i find out what his benefit will be? If i leave the country and go back to UK will my SSDI stop after 6 months?
Thank you
Hi,
You couldn't opt to quit drawing disability benefits (SSDI) and just draw spousal benefits instead, but you could potentially qualify for spousal benefits in addition to your SSDI as early as when you turn age 62. However, assuming that you're currently married your spouse would have to be drawing his benefits in order for you to potentially be eligible for spousal benefits, and if you start drawing spousal benefits prior to your full retirement age (FRA) your spousal benefit rate will be reduced for age.
For example, say Mona is drawing a $1000 monthly SSDI benefit and her husband starts drawing his benefits at FRA. Mona's husband's FRA rate (PIA) is $2400, so if Mona was FRA or older she could potentially qualify for an unreduced excess spousal benefit of $200, or 50% of her husband's PIA minus her own PIA, which is the same as her full SSDI rate (i.e. $2400/2 - $1000). However, if Mona starts drawing her excess spousal benefits at age 62 they will be reduced by between 30% - 35% depending on her year of birth. And, if Mona's husband's PIA wasn't more than twice as much as her own PIA, she wouldn't be eligible for any spousal benefits.
You can continue to be paid SSDI benefits indefinitely even if you move to the UK (https://www.ssa.gov/pubs/EN-05-10137.pdf). That would also apply to your regular Social Security retirement benefits, which your SSDI will automatically convert to when you reach FRA.
Your spouse could get an estimate of his potential benefit amount using the Social Security benefit calculator in our maximization software program. If he won't share that information with you I don't know how you could find out, but when you're nearing age 62 you could contact Social Security to ask them if you're eligible for additional spousal benefits.
Best, Jerry
