My friend is on SSDI and is 62 years old. Her husband is deceased and would be 69 years of age, if alive. At what point would she switch from SSDI and begin taking her spousal benefit?
thanks

Hi,

If your friend is receiving Social Security disability benefits (SSDI) and would qualify for a higher survivor benefit rate, it would almost certainly be advantageous for her to file for her survivor benefits as soon as possible. She wouldn't actually be switching from SSDI to survivor benefits, though. Instead, she would be paid an excess survivor benefit in addition to her SSDI. Her survivor rate would temporarily be reduced for age due to filing prior to full retirement age (FRA), but the reduction would be removed once she reaches FRA.

If your friend wasn't already receiving SSDI when she started drawing reduced survivor benefits, the reduction in her survivor rate would not be removed at FRA. So, it's only the fact that she's receiving SSDI that would likely make it advantageous for her to apply for her survivor benefits ASAP.

Your friend may want to consider using our maximization software in order to confirm her optimal filing strategy.

Best, Jerry