Hey Larry,
My husband and I are both on disability. He is 61 and I will be 60 on July 7th. Do we apply for our Social security at our FRA or do we stay on disability until we pass away? Which will give us the fullest benefit and amount? Thanks so much. Take care

Hi,

You can continue receiving Social Security disability (SSDI) benefits until you reach full retirement age (FRA), at which time your SSDI benefits automatically convert to regular Social Security retirement benefits at the same rate. The only reason that either of you would need to apply for other benefits is if one of you could qualify for spousal or survivor benefits.

You can only qualify for spousal benefits if your spouse's primary insurance amount (PIA) is more than twice as much as your own PIA. A person's PIA is equal to the Social Security retirement benefit rate if they start drawing at FRA, or their full SSDI benefit rate. If either you or your husband could qualify for spousal benefits, you couldn't qualify until you're at least age 62. And, if you file for spousal benefits prior to FRA your benefit rate is reduced for age.

When one of you dies, the other would likely qualify for at least a one-time death benefit of $255. Also, the surviving member of a couple can be paid up to the higher of their 2 benefit rates. Both the one-time payment and survivor benefits require an application, so whenever one of you dies the other spouse will want to contact Social Security to file the appropriate application.

Best, Jerry