Has anyone here dealt with what happens when one parent is retired and the other isn't yet? My husband is 64 and filing for his benefits next year, and we have a DAC son. I'm only 58. Can our son get DAC benefits on my husband's record now and then switch to mine later if my record would give him a higher payment? Or is he stuck with whichever parent files first?

Thank you all for the incredibly helpful information! I just wanted to update that I spoke with a technical expert at SSA yesterday (finally!) and got some specific numbers. My PIA (full retirement age amount) would be about $2,650, so my reduced age-62 benefit will be around $1,850 as I mentioned. The family maximum in my case will be about $4,550. So with my benefit at $1,850 and two DAC benefits that would normally be $1,325 each (50% of my PIA), we'd exceed the family maximum. This means my benefit stays at $1,850, and my children will split the remaining $2,700 from the family maximum, giving them each about $1,350 per month. I've started gathering all the documentation, including medical records from when they were teenagers showing disability onset before 22. Both of my children already receive SSI, so we'll need to be careful about that transition as many of you mentioned. I really appreciate all your help navigating this complicated process!

THEY'VE BEEN TEASING US WITH THIS BILL FOR OVER A DECADE!!! Don't get your hopes up. This is just another empty promise from politicians who don't actually care about retired federal workers. I'll believe it when I see the money in my account!!!

To determine exactly how much your benefit would increase without WEP, look at your Social Security statement (available on mySocialSecurity). Find the section that shows your projected benefit WITHOUT the WEP reduction. The difference between that amount and what you're currently receiving would be your increase if HR 82 passes. For FERS employees who worked at USPS after 1984, WEP typically only applies if you also had substantial non-SS-covered employment or if you were switched from CSRS to FERS mid-career.

Going back to the original question - here's a simple example to make it crystal clear: Let's say your gross SS benefit is $2,000/month and Medicare Part B premium is $170/month. Your net check is $1,830. If COLA is 3%, the increase is calculated on the $2,000, giving you a $60 increase (to $2,060). If Medicare then increases by $15 (to $185), your new net check would be $1,875 ($2,060 - $185). So even though you got a full 3% COLA ($60), your actual check only increased by $45 because of the Medicare premium increase. This is why many beneficiaries feel like they don't get the full COLA - other costs are rising simultaneously.

Just wanted to add that you can also check your exact COLA calculation by looking at your Social Security Statement online at ssa.gov/myaccount. It shows your benefit history and how each year's COLA was applied to your base amount. This helped me understand exactly how much my gross benefit increased versus what my net payment became after Medicare and other deductions. It's really helpful for budget planning since you can see the pattern of how COLA and Medicare premium changes have affected your payments over time.

One more tip - if you're able to get an in-person appointment, make a list of ALL your questions beforehand. I thought I'd covered everything during my appointment about spousal benefits, but realized after I left that I forgot to ask about taxation of benefits. Had to start the whole process over again!

Another option that worked for me recently - try using the SSA's "Contact Us" form on their website to request a callback. I filled it out explaining my situation (similar to yours with early retirement questions) and they actually called me back within 3 business days. The representative was able to answer most of my questions over the phone and scheduled a follow-up appointment for the more complex stuff. It's not advertised much but it's worth trying alongside the other suggestions here. The form is under "Help" on the ssa.gov homepage.

One thing to add that might help with your planning - you can actually see how your benefit estimate changes by using the retirement estimator on ssa.gov and plugging in different retirement ages. It will show you the projected benefit at 62, full retirement age (67), and 70. While it won't show you exactly which years are being used in the calculation, it does factor in the assumption that you'll keep earning at your current level until the retirement age you select. This can give you a clearer picture of how much those extra working years might benefit you financially.

Just wanted to add something important that hasn't been mentioned yet - if you had any years where you earned above the Social Security wage base (the maximum amount subject to SS taxes), those years might be more valuable than you think. For example, in 2023 the wage base was $160,200. If you earned more than that in any year, only the wage base amount counts for SS purposes, but it still gets the full inflation indexing when they calculate your benefit. So a year where you earned $160,200 in 2023 might actually be worth more in the calculation than a year where you earned $180,000 but the excess didn't count for SS. Just something to keep in mind when estimating which of your years will make the top 35!