I'm new to this community but facing a very similar situation - just turned 62 and considering filing for SS while continuing my small online reselling business. This entire thread has been incredibly helpful and honestly a bit overwhelming at the same time! The level of detail required for tracking seems intense, but I can see why it's necessary given how SSA interprets "substantial services" for self-employment. What really concerns me is the inconsistent information people are getting from different SSA reps - it makes me want to get everything in writing before I make any decisions. A few quick questions for those who've been through this: 1. When you call your local SSA office, do you get better/more consistent information than calling the national number? 2. For those tracking daily activities - do you literally write down every 5-minute interaction, or do you round up to reasonable time blocks? 3. Has anyone successfully argued that certain months shouldn't count as "substantial services" due to minimal time investment, even if you had some sales? I'm leaning toward being overly conservative with documentation based on everyone's advice, but I'm also trying to figure out if there's a practical threshold where SSA doesn't really scrutinize the details as much. Thanks to everyone for sharing their real-world experiences - this is exactly what I needed to read!

As someone who's been navigating Social Security and self-employment for over two years now, I wanted to share some additional insights that might help newcomers to this situation. First, regarding the SSA-131 form that several people mentioned - you can actually submit this online through your my Social Security account, which is much faster than mailing it. I've found it's better to submit it proactively for any month where you're even close to the limits rather than waiting to see if you exceeded them. Second, for those worried about seasonal businesses like Keith mentioned - I run a tax preparation service that's heavily seasonal (busy January-April, almost dormant May-December). What I learned is that SSA looks at whether you're "engaged in substantial gainful activity" on a month-by-month basis in your first year. So those dormant summer months where I only spend 5-10 hours doing continuing education or client follow-ups actually helped balance out my busy season months. One tip that saved me a lot of stress: I started treating this like any other business compliance requirement. I set up a simple monthly routine where I export my sales data, tally my hours from my daily log, and calculate my net earnings by the 5th of each following month. Takes about 30 minutes but gives me peace of mind. The learning curve is definitely steep, but once you establish a system, it becomes routine. Don't let the complexity discourage you from claiming benefits you've earned - just be methodical about documentation and don't hesitate to reach out to SSA when you have questions.

I wanted to add one more resource that's been incredibly helpful for me as someone who's navigating work with a disability - the Job Accommodation Network (JAN) at askjan.org. They have free consultants who can help you think through what workplace accommodations might help with your fatigue issues. Some accommodations that have worked well for people with fatigue conditions include: - Flexible start/end times to work around your peak energy hours - Permission to take short breaks as needed - Option to work from home on bad days - Modified lighting or workspace setup to reduce energy drain - Reduced travel or meeting requirements The great thing about JAN is they can help you figure out how to request accommodations professionally and what's reasonable to ask for. They also have sample accommodation request letters. Since you mentioned your fatigue is unpredictable, having a plan for accommodations before you start working could make the difference between success and having to stop again. Many employers are more willing to work with you if you come prepared with specific, reasonable solutions rather than just saying "I have fatigue issues." Best of luck with whatever you decide! The Trial Work Period really does give you a safety net to test things out.

I've been following this thread as someone who's also considering returning to work while on SSDI, and wow - there's so much valuable information here! I had no idea about programs like Ticket to Work or the Job Accommodation Network. One thing I'm curious about that I haven't seen discussed much - for those who've successfully returned to work, how did you handle the psychological/emotional side of it? I've been on SSDI for about 3 years now, and honestly, part of me is terrified of losing that financial security, even with the Trial Work Period protections. There's also this weird guilt/anxiety about whether I'm "disabled enough" to deserve benefits but "able enough" to work. Did anyone else struggle with these feelings? I know logically that the work incentives are designed to help people transition, but emotionally it feels like such a big risk. Any advice for getting past that mental hurdle would be really appreciated. Also, @Libby Hassan - your original question really resonated with me. The unpredictable fatigue is probably my biggest concern too. Some days I feel like I could work a full day, other days I can barely function. It's encouraging to see all the flexible work options people have shared.

I'm in a similar situation as a new teacher who's been considering a second job. After reading all these responses, I'm realizing I need to be much more strategic about this. The key insight seems to be that $31,275 "substantial earnings" threshold - if you can't hit that consistently, the WEP reduction might make the extra work not worth it financially. Have you considered maybe working more hours at your retail job to try to reach that threshold? Or maybe finding a higher-paying weekend job? It might be worth running the numbers to see if you could earn enough to make those years count as "substantial" - that seems to be the real game-changer for WEP calculations.

I'm just starting my teaching career and this thread has been incredibly eye-opening about WEP! I had no idea about the substantial earnings threshold or how it could impact future benefits. @Connor O'Reilly makes a great point about modeling different scenarios with the SSA calculator. For those of us early in our careers, it seems like we have a choice: either commit to consistently hitting that $31,275 threshold in our second jobs (which means serious hours), or focus on maximizing our 457(b) contributions and teacher's pension instead. The Medicare qualification angle that @Fatima Al-Farsi mentioned is also crucial - even if WEP reduces our SS benefits, having those 40 quarters for Medicare eligibility is huge. Has anyone here actually succeeded in getting 30+ years of substantial earnings while teaching full-time? I'm curious if it's realistic or if we should just plan around the WEP reduction from the start.

As someone who works in benefits administration, I want to emphasize a few key points that might help clarify your situation: Your understanding is correct - your husband MUST file for his own retirement benefits before you can claim spousal benefits, regardless of your respective ages or when you reach FRA. This is non-negotiable under current rules. However, here's a strategy worth considering: At your FRA (67), you could file for your own $425 monthly benefit. Then, when your husband eventually files (whether at 62, FRA, or later), you would automatically receive the higher spousal benefit amount. This at least gets you some income during those gap years rather than waiting with nothing. Regarding the spousal benefit calculation - you'd receive your own $425 PLUS a spousal supplement that brings your total to 50% of his Primary Insurance Amount. So if his PIA is $2,800, you'd get $1,400 total monthly ($425 + $975 supplement). Importantly, this calculation uses his FULL benefit amount even if he files early and receives less himself. The decision of when your husband should file depends on several factors: your current financial needs, both of your health situations, and whether he's still working (earnings test applies if filing before FRA). I'd strongly recommend calling SSA directly to get personalized projections for different scenarios - having those specific numbers will help you make an informed decision about timing versus benefit amounts.

As someone who recently navigated this exact situation, I wanted to share what helped me make sense of all the rules and timing issues. I'm 64 and my husband is 60, so I completely understand your frustration with having to wait for the younger spouse to file first! Here's what I found most helpful in making our decision: I created a simple timeline showing different scenarios and their outcomes. For example, if your husband files at 62 (when you're 65), you'd get 5 years of spousal benefits before you turn 70, versus getting nothing if you wait until his FRA. Even though the monthly amounts would be lower, those extra years of payments can really add up. One thing that gave me peace of mind was realizing that there's no "wrong" choice here - just different trade-offs between getting money sooner versus getting more money later. The key is figuring out what works best for your specific financial situation and stress tolerance. I'd definitely recommend calling SSA for personalized projections, but in the meantime, try not to overthink it too much. The difference between a "good" strategy and the "perfect" strategy is often much smaller than the stress we put ourselves through trying to optimize every detail. Sometimes having a steady income stream starting sooner is worth more than the extra dollars you might get by waiting for the absolute maximum benefits. You've got time to plan this out properly, and it sounds like you're asking all the right questions!

I'm going through the exact same thing! Filed my application about 7 weeks ago, withdrew it 3 weeks ago, and my MySocialSecurity account is still showing that "benefits may be suspended" message. I can't access any of my earnings history or benefit estimates that I used to check regularly. Reading through everyone's experiences here has been so helpful - I had no idea this was such a common issue! I was starting to worry that I had somehow permanently messed up my account. The timeline really does seem to vary wildly from person to person. I'm definitely going to request that paper statement using form SSA-7004 that several people mentioned while waiting for the online system to sort itself out. It's frustrating that SSA's systems get so confused by withdrawals, but at least now I know this is normal and will eventually resolve. Thanks for posting about this - it's such a relief to know we're all dealing with the same glitch!

I'm experiencing this exact same issue! Filed for retirement benefits about 4 weeks ago, then withdrew my application 10 days ago when I realized the financial benefits of waiting until my full retirement age. My MySocialSecurity account immediately switched to showing that "benefits may be suspended" message and I can't access any of my previous information - no earnings history, benefit estimates, nothing! It's so frustrating because I was using those tools regularly for retirement planning. Reading through everyone's experiences here has been incredibly helpful and reassuring. I had no idea this was such a widespread problem after withdrawals - I genuinely thought I had somehow broken my account! The timeline variations are wild, but it sounds like patience is key. I'm definitely going to request a paper statement using form SSA-7004 like several people suggested while waiting for the online system to sort itself out. Thanks to everyone for sharing their stories - it's such a relief to know this is a known glitch that will eventually resolve itself!