Community Chat

[SarahW]

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@Linmo wrote:

This has been an informative thread.  I'll be 62 in 2021 and was planning to take my own reduced SS payment at that time and then half of my husband's later on when he starts collecting at either full retirement age or at 70.  Now I'm reading that if I take mine early, I will get less than half of his amount when he retires rather than the full half.  I'll definitely look into it further before deciding.  

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You will get either your benefit or part of his; not both. 

[CalminHeart]

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@esmerelda wrote:

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@Nuttmeg wrote:

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@conlt wrote:

I turn 62 in a few weeks and I am waiting. When you take early SS, you can only make so much money out side of that or your SS decreases. Check that out, the pensions that you have may cancel out some of your SS money. 

@conlt 

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Please talk to your financial advisor. I know you have some medical problems. You may want to consider applying for SSA and SSDI.

I have a dear friend. She developed some health issues, and should have applied for SSDI when she took early retirement. She does have excellent health benefits and a pension. 

She is working part time jobs to fill the gap in her income. Mary will turn 62 next year and I hope her doctor can convince her to apply for SSDI.  So she can stop working as a substitute. 

Spoiler

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If she is capable of working (and she is working so she is capable) why would she be awarded SSDI?

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Lots of people HAVE to work even if they aren't supposed to for health reasons. People do what they have to do to survive.   It takes a long time to get SSDI approved and people still have to pay bills.

Side note, since her friend turns 62, she's eligible for regular Social Security so maybe that's what she'll actually by applying for. 

[Nuttmeg]

@esmerelda

@CalminHeart 

My friend suffered a stress breakdown from working in a toxic situation in a school.

She functions only with the help of a her

psychologist.

The new social distanting in school will create a great deal of stress for Mary. 

She has a long history of treatment for her condition. 

I do believe she will qualify for SSDI under the

rules. 

[esmerelda]

@Nuttmeg  Then why wait until she's 62?  If she's unable to work/shouldn't work according to her doctor, why not apply now?  As you said, it takes time...best to start now. 

As I may have said earlier, the fact that she IS working is evidence that she is not disabled.

IMO there's more than a few people on disability who are capable of working...and do work "under the table."  I knew one.

[Linmo]

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@SarahW wrote:

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@Linmo wrote:

This has been an informative thread.  I'll be 62 in 2021 and was planning to take my own reduced SS payment at that time and then half of my husband's later on when he starts collecting at either full retirement age or at 70.  Now I'm reading that if I take mine early, I will get less than half of his amount when he retires rather than the full half.  I'll definitely look into it further before deciding.  

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You will get either your benefit or part of his; not both. 

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@SarahW Yes, but I think I could take my reduced amount when I turn 62 and then switch to half or less than half of his when he takes it later if it is a higher amount than I would be getting on my own.  

[CelticCrafter]

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@Linmo wrote:

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@SarahW wrote:

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@Linmo wrote:

This has been an informative thread.  I'll be 62 in 2021 and was planning to take my own reduced SS payment at that time and then half of my husband's later on when he starts collecting at either full retirement age or at 70.  Now I'm reading that if I take mine early, I will get less than half of his amount when he retires rather than the full half.  I'll definitely look into it further before deciding.  

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You will get either your benefit or part of his; not both. 

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@SarahW Yes, but I think I could take my reduced amount when I turn 62 and then switch to half or less than half of his when he takes it later if it is a higher amount than I would be getting on my own.  

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@Linmo yes, that's what I did.  Took mine at 62 and then applied for spousal benefits when my husband took his.  You will have to re-apply to be able to get spousal benefits. 

[Nuttmeg]

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@esmerelda wrote:

@Nuttmeg  Then why wait until she's 62?  If she's unable to work/shouldn't work according to her doctor, why not apply now?  As you said, it takes time...best to start now. 

As I may have said earlier, the fact that she IS working is evidence that she is not disabled.

IMO there's more than a few people on disability who are capable of working...and do work "under the table."  I knew one.

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@esmerelda

My friend could have received benefits when she took early retirement 10 years ago. She did not want SSDI benefits. The discussion was not on the table. She just wanted to work. 

She is working but has many challenges coping at work. 

I believe, the new social distanting rules in a classroom will not help her anxiety issues.