Getting paid as a caregiver is possible, but the opportunity is only for a small percentage of the population. Social Security Disability Insurance (SSDI) offers a way for spousal benefits if you meet their criteria.
Under SSDI, a spouse may be eligible for benefits if they are at least 62 years old and their retired/disabled person receives retirement or disability benefits through the Social Security Administration (SSA). The amount that a spouse can receive depends on their earnings, the retired/disabled person’s benefits, when you both choose to take those benefits, and whether the spouse is working or not.
Under Social Security Disability Insurance (SSDI), you’ll generally receive up to 50% of your spouse’s primary insurance amount, which is the amount of your husband or wife’s monthly SSDI check. However, if the disabled worker’s children also collect benefits, Social Security may reduce your spousal benefit. This is because there is a limit on how much a family can receive in SSDI benefits, and the total benefits cannot exceed this limit.
Between age 62 and the spouse’s full retirement age, the spousal benefit amount is permanently reduced by a percentage based on the number of months up to their full retirement age and whether they are working. The full retirement age is when a person may first become entitled to full or unreduced retirement benefits. At the spouse’s full retirement age, the total spousal benefit cannot exceed one-half of the retired/disabled person’s total retirement amount.
Benefits paid to the spouse will not decrease the retired/disabled person’s retirement benefit. The value of the benefits the spouse receives, when added to the retired/disabled person’s benefit, may help you decide if taking your benefits sooner may be helpful.
To receive the spousal benefits, you must be married to the disabled worker for at least a year and over 62 years old. If children are in the household, there are other guidelines. Suppose you collect spousal benefits before reaching your full retirement age (66 or 67). In that case, you will be hit with an early retirement penalty unless certain conditions are met. These conditions include continuing to work after you start receiving benefits and staying within the annual earnings limit set by Social Security. A divorced spouse who was married to a disabled worker for at least ten years can also receive a benefit. That benefit does not count towards the maximum family benefit limits and does not affect the current spouse’s benefit amount.
If your husband or wife’s disability claim has already been approved, call the Social Security Administration (SSA) at 800-772-1213 or contact your local Social Security field office to apply for the spouse’s SSDI benefit. You will need your birth certificate, marriage certificate, social security number (SSN), the disabled worker’s SSN, and your bank’s routing information for direct deposit.
To learn more, check out: Fact Sheet: Social Security Disability Insurance (SSDI) (ssa.gov)
