Question

Can MetLife reduce my husband's benefit if I am receiving benefits on my own award of SSDI?

Asked on May 20th 2015 by Dona
My husband has been on LTD with Metlife through his employer since his Aoritc Heart surgery in 2001 which has left him completely disabled. He is also receiving SSI and will be turning 62 this year. Metlife has sent their yearly finiacial inquiries and they would like my ss # and my info because they see I’m 62 or older and need to know how I’m receiving my ss. I will be 62 this year but I’m receiving ssi from my disability since 2009. I had fought and won my 3 year fight for LTD claim with metlife, but after only 3 months of receiving my LTD from them they reveiwed my case and decided I was no longer disabled. After spending every penny we had saved and selling all our assets for my attorney for the 3 year fight I decided I was done and took my early retirement to be done with metlife I didn’t want their LTD after my attorney said they could do this everytime I won my case. I just can’t see the need or what they could do with my info. As you can see I don’t trust metlife and my husband says he’s not going to put anything down. But the question “Is your spouse receiving ss benefits payable on their own employment record”. Does that mean ssi too off my employment record? Could we say no to that question? I don’t ever plan to claim myself as a dependant on his ss. I doudt your able to answer my question, Metlife seems to have control over attorneys and the judicial system, for them to keep getting away with their consistent dirty tricks, thats probably why no one has been able to get a class action lawsuit against them. My company quit using them as their STD and LTD after all the stress and heartache I had to go through, I was pretty vocal to them and they started researching other employees trying to get or denied their claims and saw the pattern. Too bad other employers don’t see the pattern and hurt metlife where it’ll hurt, no new contracts….

Answer

Answered on May 21st 2015 by Attorney Gregory Dell

Dona, MetLife would only be able to offset your husband’s claim if you were receiving dependent SSDI based on your husband’s disability claim with the SSA. As you are receiving benefits based on your own award of SSDI MetLife would not be able to reduce your husband’s benefit.