I can definitely relate to your confusion about this! I'm 60 and went through the exact same research process last year when I started planning my retirement timeline. The 35-year rule is absolutely correct for Social Security benefit calculations, but here's what helped ease my anxiety about it: I discovered that the SSA's benefit calculators on their website are incredibly detailed and can show you exactly how different scenarios would affect your monthly payments. What really surprised me was learning that those "missing" years might not hurt as much as you'd expect, especially if your recent earnings are significantly higher than your early career. In my case, I realized that working 2-3 additional years at my current salary would actually replace some of my lowest-earning years from the early 1990s rather than just filling in zeros - which provides much more benefit increase per year worked. One thing that really helped me was scheduling an appointment at my local SSA office. The representative was able to pull up my exact earnings record and walk me through how the calculation would work with different retirement dates. It was so much more helpful than trying to estimate based on general rules. With 31 years of solid work history, you're honestly in a pretty good position. The reduction from those 4 missing years will likely be in the 10-15% range, which is meaningful but definitely not retirement-ending. The real question is whether the financial and personal benefits of working a few more years outweigh the value of starting retirement sooner. Don't let this stress you out too much - you've got good options either way!

As someone who just went through this exact confusion recently, I can totally understand your stress about this! The 35-year requirement is indeed correct for Social Security retirement benefit calculations, but let me share what helped put my mind at ease. I was in a very similar situation with 30 years of work history and panicking about those missing 5 years. What I learned after spending way too much time researching this is that while yes, those missing years will be calculated as zeros and reduce your benefit, the impact is typically much more manageable than it initially sounds. For someone with your work history (31 years), you're looking at roughly a 10-12% reduction compared to what your benefit would be with 35 full years. That's certainly not insignificant, but it's also not the end of the world for your retirement planning. Here's the key insight that really changed my perspective: if your current earnings are substantially higher than your early career years (which is typical for most people), working additional years might actually REPLACE some of those lower-earning years rather than just filling in zeros. This can provide a much bigger benefit boost per additional year worked. I'd strongly recommend creating a mySocialSecurity account if you haven't already and really studying your earnings history. Look at what you were making in your first several working years compared to now. If there's a significant difference, you might find that working just 1-2 more years could meaningfully increase your benefits - not because you're reaching that magical 35-year mark, but because you're replacing lower-earning years with higher-earning ones. Either way, don't let this keep you up at night. With 31 years of solid work history, you're in a much better position than many people, and you have good options whether you decide to work longer or retire when you originally planned!

I'm so sorry for your loss, Aaron. I went through this exact same situation when my husband passed away about 6 months ago, and the complete lack of online visibility for survivor benefits is absolutely maddening when you're already dealing with so much. What I learned after weeks of panic and multiple phone calls is that survivor benefits are processed through a completely different system that has no integration with the MySocialSecurity portal whatsoever. It's not that your application is lost or there's something wrong with your account - it's just that SSA's technology for survivor claims is stuck in the stone age. Here's what worked for me: - Called at exactly 8:00 AM when SSA opens (wait times are much more manageable) - Asked specifically for my "survivor benefits application status" and my claim control number - Had my late husband's SSN and our application date ready - Requested contact information for my assigned Claims Representative My timeline ended up being about 8 weeks from application to receiving the approval letter, then another 2 weeks for the first payment. But I did receive full backpay covering everything from my application date, so financially nothing was lost during the waiting period. I know how nerve-wracking this uncertainty is when you're grieving and worried about finances. Based on all the experiences shared here, your application is almost certainly progressing normally through their manual review process - you just can't see it because of their antiquated systems. The waiting is horrible, but you're definitely not alone in this frustrating experience. Hang in there, and don't hesitate to call for a status update now that you're at the 5-week mark.

I'm so sorry for your loss, Aaron. I went through this exact same frustrating experience when my father passed away about a year ago and I had to help my mother navigate the survivor benefits application process. The complete lack of online visibility is honestly one of the most broken aspects of the SSA system. What we discovered is that survivor benefits are processed through a completely separate legacy system that has absolutely no integration with the MySocialSecurity portal. It's not that your application is missing - it's just that their technology for survivor claims is decades behind their other systems. A few things that helped us during this stressful waiting period: - Call SSA at exactly 8:00 AM when they open for much shorter wait times - Ask specifically for your "survivor claim status" and request your application control number - Have your late husband's SSN and the date you applied ready when you call - Try to get the direct contact info for your assigned Claims Representative if possible My mother's application took about 7 weeks total from submission to receiving the approval letter. The first payment came about 10 days after that, and she received full backpay covering the entire period from her application date. I know how incredibly stressful this waiting period is when you're already dealing with grief and financial uncertainty. But based on everyone's experiences here and what we went through, your application is almost certainly progressing normally through their manual review process - you just can't see any of it because of their antiquated systems. At 5 weeks, you're well within the normal timeframe. The system is completely broken for transparency, but your claim isn't lost. Hang in there, and definitely call for a status update since you're getting close to the typical approval timeframe.

As a newcomer to this community, I'm amazed by how helpful and detailed everyone's responses have been! My 17-year-old son receives dependent benefits from my SSDI, and we're right in the thick of college applications now. Reading through all these experiences has been both eye-opening and reassuring. I had no idea about the professional judgment option that some schools offer, or that the benefits would be treated differently for taxes versus FAFSA. The suggestion about reaching out to disability services offices at colleges is something I'm definitely going to do - I was only thinking about financial aid offices. I'm also really intrigued by the community college transfer strategy and the gap year timing consideration, though we might be too late in the process for those options. One thing I wanted to add is that we discovered our state has a program called "Vocational Rehabilitation Services" that can help with college expenses for students whose families receive disability benefits - it might be worth checking if other states have similar programs. Thank you all for sharing your real-world experiences and making this overwhelming process feel more manageable!

As a newcomer to this community, I'm incredibly grateful for all the detailed information shared in this thread! My 15-year-old son receives dependent benefits from my SSDI, and I've been dreading the whole college financial aid process because I had no idea how his benefits would factor in. Reading through everyone's experiences has been both enlightening and reassuring - especially learning about the distinction between tax reporting and FAFSA requirements, which I never would have known about otherwise. The timing strategy around when benefits end is particularly interesting since we still have a few years to plan. I'm also going to look into our state's Vocational Rehabilitation Services and start researching merit-based scholarships early. One question I have is whether anyone has experience with how these benefits affect eligibility for things like dual enrollment or early college programs while still in high school? I'm wondering if getting some college credits completed while he's still receiving benefits might be a strategic advantage. Thank you all for creating such a supportive space to share these complex experiences!

Good question about him waiting until 70. Your spousal benefit is based on his PIA (what he'd get at his full retirement age), not his actual benefit amount. So while HE would get a larger benefit by waiting until 70 (about 8% per year in delayed retirement credits), your spousal benefit wouldn't increase beyond 50% of his PIA. However, there's still an advantage to him waiting - if he passes away before you, you'd be eligible for survivor benefits equal to 100% of what he was receiving, including those delayed retirement credits. So his waiting could significantly increase your eventual widow's benefit. Given your age difference and his higher earning history, him delaying benefits could be a good strategy for maximizing your lifetime household benefits, especially if he has longevity in his family.

Just want to add one practical tip that helped me when I was navigating this - keep detailed records of all your communications with SSA! I created a simple spreadsheet tracking dates, who I spoke with, and what they told me. This saved me so much hassle later when I got conflicting information from different representatives. Also, if you haven't already, create your my Social Security account online at ssa.gov. You can see your earnings history, get benefit estimates, and even run scenarios for different filing ages. It's much more reliable than trying to get through on the phone, and you can see exactly what your husband's estimated PIA would be at different ages. One last thing - consider consulting with a fee-only financial planner who specializes in Social Security strategies before making any major decisions. The rules are complex and the stakes are high given that these decisions can't easily be undone.

Just wanted to add that you should also consider the long-term impact on Medicare premiums. When your wife starts receiving Social Security benefits, her Medicare Part B and Part D premiums (when she becomes eligible at 65) will be based on her modified adjusted gross income from two years prior. If she's still doing consulting work, the combined income from both your Social Security benefits plus any work income could potentially push you into higher Medicare premium brackets. It might be worth consulting with a financial planner who specializes in retirement benefits to run some projections on the total impact - not just the immediate Social Security benefit amounts, but also how it affects your overall tax situation and future Medicare costs. The decision isn't just about maximizing Social Security; it's about optimizing your entire retirement income strategy.

I went through this exact same situation with my husband two years ago! One thing that really helped us was creating a simple spreadsheet to compare scenarios. We calculated what my wife would get taking spousal benefits at 62 versus waiting until full retirement age, then factored in the total amount she'd receive over different lifespans (like age 80, 85, 90). The break-even point was around age 78-79 in our case. Also, don't forget that once you start receiving spousal benefits, you can't switch strategies later - it's a permanent decision. Given that your wife's own benefit is relatively low at $425, the spousal benefit will almost certainly be higher even with the early claiming reduction. I'd also suggest calling SSA during off-peak hours (mid-morning on weekdays) to avoid long hold times. Good luck navigating this - it's confusing but you'll get through it!