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I've been working with SS recipients for 15+ years, and here's something important to consider: you need to calculate whether your survivor benefit would actually be higher than your own benefit at 66. Since you mentioned you were always the higher earner, it's possible your own benefit already exceeds the survivor benefit you'd receive based on your husband's shorter work history. Ask the SSA representative to give you a specific DOLLAR AMOUNT for both options: 1. Your survivor benefit at your FRA 2. Your own retirement benefit at your FRA Only if #1 is higher OR if you want some income while waiting until 70 should you pursue this strategy. Otherwise, it might make more sense to just file for your own benefits.
That's excellent advice. I hadn't thought about the possibility that my own benefit might already be higher than the survivor benefit. I'll definitely ask for specific dollar amounts for both scenarios.
my mom went thru something similar and she hired a financial advisor who specializes in SS to help her... maybe thats an option? it cost like $300 but saved her thousands in the long run because the SSA people kept telling her different things every time she called!! i mean you'll get decent advice here but a professional might be worth it for such a big decision
That's not a bad idea at all! Do you know what type of professional your mom used? Was it a financial advisor or someone who specifically specializes in Social Security?
it was a financial planner who specialized in retirement and SS benefits. she found him through her bank actually. he knew all these rules that the regular SSA people seemed confused about.
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Definitely try to get that 20th year if you can! And remember that WEP only applies to the retirement benefit based on your own record. If you're eligible for spousal benefits or survivor benefits based on someone else's record, those aren't affected by WEP (though they might be affected by GPO - Government Pension Offset - which is different).
i thought SS retirement estimates already factor in WEP???? mine does i think, it says something about 'modified formula used' on my statement
@casual_commenter - No, the Social Security Statement estimates do NOT automatically factor in WEP. The statement explicitly says this in the fine print. The only way to get an accurate WEP calculation is to contact SSA directly. Online estimates don't have access to information about non-covered pensions, which is necessary to calculate WEP.
I just checked my statement again and you're right - there's a note that says the estimate doesn't account for WEP or GPO. I completely missed that before. I'll definitely work to get that 20th year of substantial earnings and then try to get an accurate calculation. Thank you all for the helpful information!
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My mom just went through this. Make sure you take your marriage license with you when you go to Social Security. Thats what they wanted to see the most.
Thanks for the tip! Did your mom have to schedule an appointment or was she able to just walk in?
She had to make an appointment and waited like 3 weeks to get in. But it might be different where you live.
Just to add to my earlier comment - be prepared for some confusion when you call or visit SSA. I had to explain several times that I was applying for ex-spouse survivor benefits. The first representative didn't seem familiar with the rules and almost turned me away! I had to politely ask to speak with a technical expert who confirmed I was eligible. So if someone tries to tell you that you don't qualify, don't give up - ask to speak with a supervisor or someone who specializes in survivor benefits for divorced spouses. The difference in my monthly amount was nearly $800, which adds up to over $9,500 per year!
This is really good to know - I'll be sure to be persistent if I run into any confusion. I've printed out the information from the SSA website about divorced spouse survivor benefits just in case I need to refer to it. Thank you again for all your help!
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wait can u claim on a ex spouse if their remarried????
Yes, your ex-spouse's current marital status has absolutely no impact on your ability to claim divorced spouse benefits. As long as YOU are currently unmarried and your marriage lasted at least 10 years, you can claim on their record (assuming you meet the other eligibility criteria).
Thank you everyone for the helpful information! Just to make sure I understand correctly: 1. My ex's age doesn't matter for my benefit amount 2. MY age when I file is what matters - 62 for reduced or my FRA for full 50% 3. SSA will give me whichever is higher - my own benefit or the divorced spouse benefit 4. I need to watch out for the earnings limit if I'm working I think I'll wait until my FRA to avoid the reduction, unless my financial situation changes. I appreciate all the advice!
You've got it exactly right. One final tip - even though you're planning to wait until FRA, I'd recommend contacting SSA about 3 months before you plan to file just to make sure you have all the documentation you'll need. You'll typically need your divorce decree, marriage certificate, and possibly birth certificate.
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I called SSA this morning and finally got through after trying for days! The agent explained that my benefit is actually a combination of my own small retirement benefit plus a spousal supplement that brings the total to $1,200. The math works out exactly as you all explained! She said my own benefit at 62 was calculated at $320 (reduced from my PIA of about $500), and then they added a reduced spousal supplement of $880 to reach $1,200 total. The full spousal benefit would have been around $1,950 if I'd waited until my FRA. I'm kicking myself a bit for not waiting, but at the time we really needed the income. At least now I understand how they calculated it. Thank you all so much for your help!
Glad you got it figured out! Don't beat yourself up about claiming early - sometimes the immediate need for income outweighs the long-term increase. Plus, you'd need to live quite a few years past your FRA to break even on the money you're collecting now. Financial decisions aren't just about math but about what works for your particular situation at a specific time.
Has anyone noticed that the SSA calculators online are TERRIBLE at explaining spousal benefits? They focus almost entirely on retirement benefits based on your own record. Their website barely mentions that spousal benefits don't increase past FRA! I spent HOURS researching this when helping my mother with her benefits. The most important details are buried in footnotes or completely missing!
So true. The Social Security Handbook is over 700 pages long with thousands of rules. Even many SSA employees don't understand all the nuances around spousal benefits, especially after the law changes in 2015 that eliminated some filing strategies. Always good to double-check your benefit calculations and ask specifically for a breakdown of how they arrived at your amount.
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my mom did this exact thing. got half of dads benefit for 4 years then switched to her own at 70. worked great but that was back in 2019 so rules might be different now idk
Social Security reduced benefits at 62 and part-time income limits - 2025 figures
I'm getting closer to retirement age (currently 58) and trying to figure out my Social Security strategy. If I claim at 62 instead of waiting until my full retirement age, roughly how much of a reduction would I see in my monthly benefit? I've heard it's around 30% less, but wanted to confirm. Also, I'm planning to work part-time after claiming early - what's the maximum I can earn in 2025 before they start reducing my benefits? Does anyone know if they count just wages or all types of income toward that limit? I've been trying the calculators on ssa.gov but getting confused with all the different numbers. Any help from those who've already navigated this would be great!
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my cousin took SS at 62 and he said its better to have the money now cause who knows if youll live long enuf to break even if you wait!! plus he invests some of it so it grows anyway
The break-even point for claiming at 62 vs. FRA is typically around age 78-80. If you believe you'll live beyond that age, waiting generally provides more lifetime benefits. Family health history and personal health conditions should factor into this decision. While investing early benefits seems logical, remember that guaranteed 8% annual increases for delayed claiming between FRA and 70 are difficult to match with investments, especially on a risk-adjusted basis.
One often overlooked strategy: If you claim early at 62 but then find you don't need the money or want to return to substantial work, you can use the "withdrawal of application" option within 12 months of claiming. You'll need to repay benefits received, but it essentially gives you a do-over. Alternatively, once you reach FRA, you can voluntarily suspend benefits until age 70 to earn delayed retirement credits on what you're eligible for at FRA (though not making up for the early claiming reduction). For the earnings limit, remember it only applies until you reach FRA. After that, you can earn unlimited amounts without benefit reductions.
I hadn't heard about either of those options! That withdrawal of application could be a good safety net if my circumstances change. Thank you for this information.
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Something else to consider - if you think you might be able to get higher-paying work in the next year or so, remember that your SS benefit is based on your highest 35 years of earnings (adjusted for inflation). If you're currently replacing a zero or low-earning year in your calculation, even one year of solid earnings could increase your benefit permanently. Also - if money is really tight right now but you want to avoid claiming early, have you considered a small 401k/IRA withdrawal to bridge the gap? Since you're over 59.5, there's no early withdrawal penalty. Might be worth comparing the long-term impact of reduced SS benefits versus a bit more from retirement accounts.
This is what I was gonna say!! My financial advisor told me that taking some 401k money might be better than taking SS early if you think you'll live past 80ish. It's all about the math and your health/family history.
I just want to say how CRAZY it is that you have THREE DEGREES and can't find work!!! Age discrimination is so real and nobody talks about it enough. My husband has been dealing with the same thing - he's 62 with an MBA and 30 years experience but nobody will hire him. They never say it's because of age but we all know that's what it is. The whole system is broken!!
so true. my friend is 59 and has been looking for 2 yrs. gets interviews but never gets hired. meanwhile kids right out of college with no experience get jobs right away. not fair at all.
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have u guys considered a commitment ceremony instead of legal marriage? thats what my neighbors did to keep there benefits.
We've discussed that possibility. It doesn't feel great to have financial concerns dictate whether we can legally marry, but it's definitely an option we're considering if the benefit loss would be substantial.
Since there seems to be some confusion in this thread, I want to add that the SSA website has a section specifically addressing remarriage and benefits: https://www.ssa.gov/benefits/survivors/ifyou.html Since both parties are over FRA (Full Retirement Age), you should both run a benefit calculation to determine: 1. What you'd each receive on your own work records 2. What you currently receive on others' records 3. What spousal benefits you might be eligible for on each other's records after marriage Only then can you make an informed decision about the financial implications of marriage. While some benefits may change, it's not necessarily a loss in all cases.
My sister went to SSA for this exact reason and they told her if she married her boyfriend they'd BOTH lose their current benefits and have to switch to their own much lower benefit amounts. The SSA calculator showed they'd lose over $10k a year combined!
Connor O'Neill
my sis went thru this exact thing! she got MORE from her ex who made way more $$ than her 2nd husband!! she had to fill out a special form i think it was SSA-10 for survivor benefits. she said to make sure to tell them about BOTH marriages cuz they don't always put 2+2 together on their own!!
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Keisha Williams
•this is so important!!!!! the SSA people dont know what there doing half the time. you have to tell them EVERYTHING or they mess it up
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Miguel Silva
One final important point: You mentioned you're 58 now. If your current husband passes away while you're still under age 60, and you decide to claim survivor benefits from either husband, be aware that remarrying before age 60 would make you ineligible for survivor benefits from either previous husband. However, if you wait until after age 60 to remarry, you preserve your right to survivor benefits from previous marriages. Just something to keep in mind for future planning.
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Ava Garcia
•Thank you so much for this additional information. I hadn't even considered the remarriage factor if my current husband passes away first. This is exactly why I wanted to understand all the rules now rather than trying to figure it out during a difficult time. I truly appreciate everyone's help!
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