If you’re collecting Social Security Disability Insurance, or SSDI, your mate may be eligible for benefits depending, on his or her age and other factors.

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If You Receive Social Security Disability, Can Your Spouse Get Benefits?

Social Security Disability Insurance (SSDI) is a federal program that provides financial assistance to individuals who are unable to work due to a disability. But what about the spouse of someone receiving disability benefits? Are they eligible to receive benefits as well? The answer is – it depends.

To be eligible for SSDI benefits, the individual must have earned sufficient “work credits” through their previous employment. These work credits are essentially proof of the individual’s contributions to the Social Security system. In most cases, if you have earned enough credits to qualify for SSDI, your spouse may also be eligible for auxiliary benefits.

Auxiliary benefits refer to benefits that are provided to family members of the disabled worker. This includes the spouse, minor children, and even adult disabled children in some cases. The amount of auxiliary benefits that the spouse can receive is generally equal to one-half of the disabled worker’s benefit. However, there is usually a cap on the total amount that can be paid out to the entire family.

It is important to note that the spouse must meet certain criteria to qualify for auxiliary benefits. Firstly, they must be at least 62 years of age, which is the earliest age at which Social Security retirement benefits can be claimed. If the spouse is caring for a child who is under the age of 16 or disabled, they can be any age and still qualify. Additionally, the spouse must have been married to the disabled worker for at least one year in most cases, though there are exceptions to this rule.

If the spouse is eligible for their own Social Security retirement benefits, they will receive their own benefit first. If the amount is less than one-half of the disabled worker’s benefit, the Social Security Administration will provide an additional amount to bring the total to one-half of the disabled worker’s benefit. This ensures that the spouse receives the maximum auxiliary benefit possible.

It is worth mentioning that if the spouse is also disabled and qualifies for their own SSDI benefits, their benefit amount may be higher than the auxiliary benefit. In this case, they would receive their own benefit and not the auxiliary benefit. The Social Security Administration will always pay the higher of the two benefits – whether it is the auxiliary benefit or the individual’s own SSDI benefit.

In summary, if you are receiving Social Security Disability Insurance benefits, your spouse may be eligible for auxiliary benefits if they meet certain criteria. These criteria include being at least 62 years old, having been married to the disabled worker for at least one year, and in some cases, caring for a child under the age of 16 or a disabled child. The amount of the auxiliary benefit is generally equal to one-half of the disabled worker’s benefit, but there is a cap on the total amount that can be paid out to the entire family.