Ask Larry

Can I Get Spousal Benefits And Keep Working?

My husband has been on disability since 1990. I will be 64 this month. Is there anyway we can get any benefits for me and i can still keep working? Our son is 32 and disabled. All they allow for him is minimal SSI. Why cant he get more? I never filed. Didn't know I should.

Hi,

It sounds like you would at least qualify for reduced spousal benefits, but the Social Security earnings test may limit or preclude you from actually receiving benefits prior to age 66. For more information on the earnings test, see the following reference: https://www.ssa.gov/planners/retire/whileworking2.html.

If your son was disabled prior to age 22, it's possible that he would qualify for disabled adult child's benefits on your husband's record. The most he could get is 50% of his father's disability benefit rate, but sometimes no family benefits can be paid on the record of a disabled worker if they had a minimal earnings history.

You may want to consider running the maximization software available on this website in order to explore all of your filing options.

Best, Jerry

Category: 
Posted: 
Jan 8 2017 - 7:30am
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