My wife is 67 and gets her own Social Security. I am 62 and was planning on waiting until 70 to file for my benefits. But I was recently diagnosed with stage 4 pancreatic cancer. I understand that I could apply for Social Security disability benefits now, which would pay my full retirement age (FRA) rate. And then when I die, my wife would get that FRA amount for as long as she lives. Is this correct? Also, is it true that there’s a long waiting period for disability benefits?
So sorry to hear about your cancer diagnosis. What most people in your situation do is file for both Social Security retirement benefits and disability benefits (a.k.a. Social Security Disability Insurance, or SSDI) at the same time. Your retirement claim will be approved in a matter of weeks, and benefits will start soon thereafter.

Right now, approval of a disability claim normally takes about six months, although an expedited process is available for people with severe cancers like yours. As you mentioned, there’s also a mandatory five-month “waiting period” after the onset of your disability (as determined by Social Security) before the first benefits can be paid. Once they kick in, your ongoing SSDI benefit rate will be slightly less than your FRA rate. That’s because your disability benefit, normally equal to your FRA rate, is reduced by about 0.5 percent for each month you receive an early retirement benefit before you begin receiving SSDI. And after your death, your wife’s survivor benefit will be that reduced rate.

Two months ago, I filed for my Social Security at age 70. My wife did not work enough outside the home to qualify for retirement benefits. She was told by a Social Security Administration rep that she is not eligible for spousal benefits since I earn more than $25,000 a year. Do my outside earnings make her ineligible for spousal benefits?
They certainly do not. Once you are over your full retirement age, the earnings penalty rules no longer apply. That means you are due your own benefits and your wife is due spousal benefits on your record. You and your wife should go online immediately to ssa.gov/apply and file a claim for spousal benefits. Her claim can be retroactive to the month you filed for your benefits.

We sold a house in 2024. The money we made on that sale is causing my Medicare premium to go up now. But my husband recently died. Can I appeal that Medicare premium increase?
Yes, you can. An income spike such as yours can raise your Medicare Part B premium two years later. But you have good grounds for filing an appeal of that increase: the death of your spouse, which Medicare deems a “life-changing event.” (For information on other reasons to appeal, such as stopping work, do an internet search for “SSA handbook 2507” or call Social Security at 800-772-1213.) You’ll need to gather documentation to prove your case and fill out an SSA-44 form, available at ssa.gov/forms, then submit it to your local Social Security office.

I am receiving Social Security disability benefits. If I get married, will my disability checks be cut off or reduced?
Absolutely not. Your marital status has nothing to do with your eligibility for, or the amount of, your Social Security disability benefits.