Social Security US: can my wife get Social Security if I am disabled?
Social Security Disability Insurance (SSDI) provides financial support for Americans with disabilities and family members can also claim the benefits.
Although the Social Security Administration (SSA) is primarily recognized for the retirement benefits it provides to workers in the United States, the agency also offers a range of other programs aimed at providing financial aid to vulnerable Americans.
Social Security Disability Insurance (SSDI) pays benefits to you and certain family members if you are insured, meaning that you have contributed enough to the SSA during your time in work.
If you qualify for SSDI, your spouse can receive a benefit as part of your support program if you have been married for at least one year and your spouse is at least 62 years old. If your spouse cares for a child of yours who is under 16 years old or disabled, they can still claim SSDI support regardless of their age.
How much can a spouse claim from SSDI?
If a spouse is caring for a disabled person’s child or has reached full retirement age, they can receive up to 50% of their partner’s disability benefits.
There are some limits on this, however, related to the SSA’s ‘dual entitlement’ restrictions. You cannot claim a spousal benefit if you are already in receipt of a Social Security retirement or disability benefit of your own that exceeds the amount from the spousal SSDI claim.
If you claim spousal benefits before reaching full retirement age and there are no childcare issues, the amount you receive will be reduced. This applies to all forms of SSA benefits.
Who else can claim SSDI spousal benefits?
There are also some conditions in which a former spouse may claim SSDI after a divorce. If the marriage lasted for at least a decade and the spouse claiming SSDI is at least 62 and has not remarried, the former partner may claim a spousal benefit as normal. If an ex-spouse of yours makes a claim for SSDI spousal benefits, this will not affect any benefits you are receiving from the SSA.
If you are an SSDI recipient, then any minor or disabled children you have can also claim benefits from the same program. However these are subject to a total benefits cap known as the ‘family maximum’.
The family maximum amounts are calculated for each individual household and take into account their earnings history, family size, work status and a variety of other conditions. The SSDI family maximum will be between 100-150% of the individual claimant’s full entitlement.