The whole system is BROKEN!! My husband is also a disabled vet and we've been fighting with SS for THREE YEARS trying to get his benefits straightened out. They lost his paperwork TWICE and every time we call we get someone different who gives contradictory information. I'm so tired of this bureaucratic nightmare!!!

One more important point regarding your situation: When you reach out to SSA, specifically ask about the "Disability Freeze" (also called an "Earnings Record Freeze"). This is different from converting from retirement to disability benefits. The disability freeze protects your earnings record by excluding periods of low earnings due to disability from your benefit calculation. Since your benefit amount is based on your lifetime earnings, this could potentially increase your monthly payment even though you're past FRA. To apply for a disability freeze, you'll need to complete form SSA-16 (Application for Disability Insurance Benefits) and provide medical evidence supporting that your disability began before you applied for early retirement. The key is proving your disability onset date was before your early retirement application.

Be prepared for them to calculate your GPO wrong the first time!!!! When I applied, they didn't account for the fact that my husband's pension was already reduced by a divorce settlement (from his first marriage). I had to appeal and it took MONTHS to fix. Make sure you understand exactly how GPO should apply in your situation before you go in. The GPO reduction is 2/3 of the government pension amount but sometimes they mess up which amount to use as the base.

To answer your original question more directly - yes, for GPO cases specifically, an original or certified copy of the marriage license is virtually always required. The reason is that GPO requires very specific verification of both the marriage relationship and its timing relative to the government employment. The good news is that once they verify it, they return the document to you immediately - they don't keep it. Also, while you're waiting for the certificate to arrive, you can still gather other documentation you'll need: - Proof of your husband's pension amount - Records showing when he began his firefighting career - Information about when he started receiving his pension - Your birth certificate (original or certified copy) - Both of your Social Security numbers This will help streamline the process once you have the marriage certificate in hand.

One more important point to consider: If you're still working when you begin collecting benefits, and you haven't reached your Full Retirement Age (FRA), you'll be subject to the earnings test. For 2025, if you earn above approximately $22,300 (estimated based on current $21,240 limit), SSA will withhold $1 in benefits for every $2 you earn above that limit. If 2025 is the year you reach your FRA, a different limit applies for the months before your birthday month - about $59,500 annual limit (estimated based on current $56,520), with $1 withheld for every $3 earned over the limit. Once you reach your FRA, there's no earnings limit and you can earn any amount without reduction in benefits.

When you do apply, I highly recommend using the online application at ssa.gov rather than calling or visiting an office. It's much faster and you can save your progress if you need to gather more information. The online system will guide you through exactly what information they need and will tell you if you're applying too early. Also, consider creating your my Social Security account now if you haven't already. You can verify your earnings record is correct before applying, which can prevent delays later.

im so sorry about your mom passing away. taxes are the LAST thing you want to deal with during grief. sending virtual hugs your way!

i think we're all missing something important - was this her regular monthly benefit or a one-time death benefit? cuz SS has that $255 death benefit they pay to surviving spouses or dependents and the tax rules might be different for that vs regular benefits

To answer your original question about PENALTIES - YES there are penalties beyond just paying back the money!! If they decide you "knowingly withheld information" (which they LOVE to claim), they can impose a penalty of an ADDITIONAL 50% of the overpayment amount!!! And they can also impose a 6-month or 12-month SUSPENSION of benefits even after you'd otherwise be eligible again!! And don't count on that payment plan being reasonable - they wanted $200/month from me on a $6000 overpayment which I COULDN'T AFFORD after losing my SSI!! Sorry to be so negative but I went through HELL with this exact situation and I'm still dealing with the fallout a year later.

Update: I called my local SSA office this morning and got nowhere - just an automated message saying they're experiencing high call volumes (as usual). I think I'm going to try that Claimyr service someone mentioned because I really need to talk to a real person before I submit these forms. In the meantime, I've gathered all my paystubs and printed out my bank statements. I've also started researching Michigan's Freedom to Work program. The monthly premium seems reasonable compared to losing coverage completely. I'm still nervous but feeling a bit more prepared. Thanks to everyone who shared their experiences and advice!

Not sure about the rest but wanted to share that my mom was in almost the exact same situation last year! She started collecting on her ex-husband's record even though he hadn't filed yet. She had to specifically mention the 2-year divorce rule though because the first SSA person she talked to didn't seem to know about it. Good luck!!! 👍

Based on what you've shared, your own benefit at FRA ($1,850) is actually higher than what you'd get as an ex-spouse benefit (50% of $3,400 = $1,700). And remember that filing at 62 means you'd only get about 70% of either amount. This is a critical point many people miss: SSA doesn't give you both benefits added together. They give you the higher of the two. So in your case, you'd likely just get your own reduced retirement benefit if you file at 62. If you can afford to wait until your FRA or even age 70, your own benefit would grow substantially and almost certainly exceed anything you'd get on your ex's record.

do u need to wait till august tho?? my friend applied in the same month he stopped working and it was fine

Thanks everyone for the helpful responses! I'm going to try to reach SSA to confirm my specific situation, but it sounds like the First Year Monthly Test could really help me. I'll make sure to document my work stoppage date and keep track of any special payments. This community has been so helpful!

Just to add one important point: make sure when you do speak with SSA that you verify they're using your highest 35 earning years to calculate your Primary Insurance Amount (PIA) for your retirement benefit. Sometimes years get missed in their system, especially if you had multiple employers or self-employment income. Also, since you're turning 67, which I'm assuming is your Full Retirement Age (FRA) based on your birth year, you should be receiving 100% of your PIA. If you see any reduction applied, immediately question that when you call.

When I switched from my disability to retirement benefits last year, I got three different notices that all contradicted each other. One said I was approved, one said I needed to apply, and another had an incorrect benefit amount. I finally got it straightened out, but it took multiple calls. My advice is to keep a file with copies of EVERYTHING they send you. Take notes during every phone call including the representative's name and ID number. The SSA systems don't always communicate with each other, so having your own documentation is crucial. Also, don't be surprised if your first payment at the new benefit amount is slightly delayed. Mine was about 2 weeks late, but they eventually got it right with the correct amount.

Nobody is talking about how this affects HIS benefits!!! If she claims on his record it REDUCES what he gets!!! That's why exes don't want you claiming on their record!!

One more tip from my experience - print out ALL your tax returns from the marriage if you have them. They asked me for income verification because they wanted to check if I had any government pensions that would trigger the Windfall Elimination Provision (WEP) or Government Pension Offset (GPO). Those can reduce benefits if you worked for state/local government that didn't pay into Social Security.

You're asking exactly the right questions! Let me clarify a few important points: 1) You are correct that if you're not working, your Social Security benefit amount isn't growing significantly. However, there is still a reduction for claiming early at 62 versus waiting until your Full Retirement Age (FRA). 2) If you take retirement benefits now and later win your SSDI appeal, SSA will adjust your benefit. You'll receive the higher SSDI benefit amount going forward AND they'll pay you the difference between what you received in retirement benefits and what you should have received in SSDI benefits for the overlapping months. 3) The timing matters: If you need income now, apply for retirement benefits right away through your my Social Security account. It typically takes about 2-3 weeks to process a retirement claim if you have all your documentation ready. 4) Very important: Make sure to tell SSA that you have a pending disability appeal when you apply for retirement benefits. This ensures proper coordination between the two systems. 5) If you win your SSDI appeal, your benefits will automatically convert from reduced retirement to your full disability amount with no action needed from you. This approach is called the "simultaneous claims" strategy and is perfectly legitimate. Many people in your situation take this route to ensure some income while waiting for the disability appeal process, which can take 1-2 years to resolve.

Thank you all for the helpful responses! I'm going to go ahead and apply for retirement benefits online this week. I'll make sure to mention my pending disability appeal as suggested. The financial stress has been overwhelming, so getting some income while waiting for the appeal makes the most sense for my situation. I appreciate the explanation about how they'll adjust the benefits if I win my appeal later. One less thing to worry about!