I'm dealing with this exact same situation right now! My husband took early retirement at 62 about three years ago, and I'm turning 67 (my FRA) in a couple of months. I've been going back and forth trying to understand this spousal benefit calculation. Reading through all these responses has been incredibly reassuring - it sounds like there's strong consensus that I'll get 50% of his PIA (what he would have gotten at his FRA) rather than 50% of his reduced benefit. That's a significant difference for our household budget! What really struck me is how many people mentioned getting different answers from different SSA reps. That's been my experience too - I've called twice and gotten completely different explanations both times. Based on everyone's advice here, I'm planning to: 1. Call right when they open at 8am to minimize hold time 2. Be very specific about requesting "spousal benefits at my FRA" 3. Ask them to confirm they're using his PIA for the calculation 4. Get everything documented in writing The tip about potentially using a service like Claimyr to avoid the hold times is intriguing too - after my last 90-minute hold that ended in disconnection, I might look into that. Thank you all for sharing your real experiences and practical advice. It's so much more helpful than trying to decode the official SSA materials alone!

I just want to echo what everyone else has said here - you'll definitely get 50% of your husband's PIA (his full retirement age amount of $2,400), so around $1,200/month, not the reduced amount. I went through this same situation last year and it took three different phone calls to get a rep who understood the rule correctly. The most important thing I learned is to be extremely specific when you apply. Don't just say "spousal benefits" - say "spousal benefits at my full retirement age based on my husband's Primary Insurance Amount." That seems to trigger the right calculation in their system. Also, I'd strongly recommend visiting your local SSA office in person if possible, in addition to calling. I found the in-person staff were generally more knowledgeable and I could get everything documented properly. Plus no hold times! One last tip: when they give you the benefit estimate, ask them to show you exactly how they calculated it. If they say it's based on his reduced $1,850 benefit, that's wrong and you'll need to correct them. The calculation should clearly show 50% of his $2,400 PIA. You're asking all the right questions and with your own benefit being $1,050, the spousal benefit at $1,200 will definitely be the better choice. Good luck!

This whole thread has been incredibly educational! I'm in almost the exact same boat - turning 69 in late November and wanting to maximize my DRCs without waiting until 70. Based on everyone's advice here, I'm planning to apply in August for November benefits. One question I haven't seen asked yet: for those who successfully did this, did you receive any kind of interim communication between submitting your application and getting the final award letter? I'm the type who worries about things falling through the cracks, so I'm wondering if there are any status updates along the way or if you just have to wait patiently for that 6-week confirmation letter. Also, I wanted to mention for anyone else reading this thread - I found it helpful to call my local SSA office just to verify they're processing applications normally and ask about current wait times. The person I spoke with confirmed that October applications for December start dates are very common and they're well-equipped to handle that timing. Thank you to everyone who shared their experiences - this is exactly the kind of real-world information that makes all the difference when navigating this process!

This thread has been incredibly valuable! I'm in a similar situation - turning 69 in March and have been worried about the timing. Reading through everyone's experiences has really helped clarify the process. One thing I wanted to add for anyone else following this discussion: I recently discovered that you can actually estimate your benefit amount with DRCs using the calculator in your my Social Security account. It lets you input different claiming ages and shows how the DRCs affect your monthly benefit. This helped me feel more confident about my decision to claim at 69 rather than waiting until 70. For the original poster - it sounds like your October application timing for December benefits is absolutely perfect based on everyone's feedback here. I'm planning to follow the same approach and apply in December for March benefits. The consensus seems clear that the 2-3 month advance application window works well, and knowing that Social Security calculates benefits monthly (not daily) takes a lot of the pressure off getting the exact timing perfect. Thanks to everyone who shared their real experiences - this kind of practical advice is so much more helpful than trying to navigate the SSA website alone!

As someone who's been following this discussion, I wanted to add another potential solution that worked for my neighbor who had a very similar issue. She discovered that her Social Security record still had her maiden name listed as an "also known as" (AKA) name, even though she'd been married for over 10 years and all her other documents showed her married name. The SSA representative explained that when there are multiple name variations in their system, it can cause conflicts during the verification process for banking changes. Even though her primary name was correct, having the old name still active in their records was triggering security flags. The fix was to have them remove the outdated AKA name from her record entirely. Once they cleaned up her name history in their system, the direct deposit change went through without any issues. It might be worth asking them to review ALL name variations in your file, not just your current legal name. Sometimes these old entries lurk in the system and cause problems years later when you try to make changes. This is especially common for people who've changed names due to marriage, divorce, or other legal name changes. Just another angle to consider if the other suggestions don't resolve it! The more ammunition you have going into that office visit, the better.

This thread has been absolutely incredible to read! As someone new to this community and dealing with Social Security for the first time, I had no idea how many technical pitfalls could exist with something as seemingly straightforward as changing direct deposit information. @Victoria Charity - you now have what amounts to a complete masterclass in SSA troubleshooting! The combination of specific forms to request (SSA-1199), technical terms to use (NUMIDENT records, diary entries, prenote verification), and escalation strategies (Congressional inquiry, state advocacy offices) should give you every tool possible to get this resolved. What really stands out to me is how this community has essentially reverse-engineered solutions to problems that SSA's official guidance doesn't even acknowledge exist. Things like fraud prevention flags, name variation conflicts, and the disconnect between their online portal and payment processing systems - you'd never learn about these from their website. @Alex Geyman - your 8-month situation is absolutely unacceptable and really shows why the emergency payment processing and Congressional inquiry options are so crucial. No one should have to go without benefits due to system errors for that long. The banking industry perspective from @Ava Williams about routing number formatting and the advocacy experience from @Mia Alvarez about Congressional intervention add such valuable professional insights to all the personal experiences shared here. I'm bookmarking this entire discussion as a reference guide. Thank you everyone for creating such a comprehensive resource for navigating these frustrating SSA system issues!

As someone who's completely new to SSA benefits and government online systems, this entire discussion has been absolutely invaluable! I'm just starting the process of setting up my account and had no idea about the Login.gov vs SSA profile being two separate systems that require independent management. The fact that updating your email in one doesn't automatically update the other seems like such a fundamental flaw in the user experience - this should definitely be explained with clear warnings during the setup process. I can't believe how many people have run into this exact same issue! It really shows how much the SSA needs to improve their user guidance and documentation. I'm so grateful for communities like this where people take the time to share their real experiences and solutions. @Zara Khan, thank you especially for following up with confirmation that the dual-system update actually worked - that kind of follow-through is incredibly helpful for those of us trying to learn from your experience. This thread has definitely prepared me to handle my own account setup much more confidently!

This thread has been absolutely essential for me as someone who just got approved for SSA benefits and is setting up my online account for the first time! I had no clue that Login.gov and SSA profiles were two completely separate systems that don't sync automatically - this seems like such crucial information that should be front and center on the SSA website. The fact that so many experienced users are running into this email update issue really highlights how confusing the current system is. I'm planning to set up my direct deposit and contact information this week, and thanks to everyone's detailed explanations here, I now know to update both Login.gov AND my SSA profile separately if I ever need to change my email. @Zara Khan, thank you so much for sharing your experience and then coming back to confirm the solution worked - that follow-up is incredibly valuable! This is exactly the kind of community support that makes navigating government systems less intimidating for newcomers like me.

I'm 44 and have been on SSDI for about a year due to a traumatic brain injury from a car accident. Reading through all these experiences has been incredibly helpful and honestly pretty emotional - it's given me hope that maybe returning to work isn't as impossible as I thought. The cognitive effects of my TBI make it really hard to concentrate for long periods, and I have memory issues that come and go. I used to be a software engineer, but I know I can't go back to that level of complexity right now. The idea that I could start with just a few hours a week through Ticket to Work and gradually build up sounds perfect for my situation. What really struck me is how many people mentioned remote work options and flexible schedules. That would be huge for me since I also have some physical limitations and fatigue issues. Has anyone here worked with Employment Networks that have specific experience with brain injuries? I'm worried about finding counselors who understand that cognitive disabilities can be just as limiting as physical ones, but in ways that aren't always obvious. Also, the Medicare continuation for 8.5 years is amazing - I had no idea about that benefit! My medical expenses are still pretty high with ongoing therapies, so knowing I'd keep that coverage even if I could eventually work full-time takes away a lot of my anxiety about trying. Thank you everyone for sharing your stories. This thread has been more informative than anything my doctors or case workers have told me about returning to work options.

I'm 39 and have been on SSDI for about 8 months due to chronic fatigue syndrome and fibromyalgia. This entire discussion has been incredibly enlightening! I had no idea the Ticket to Work program offered so many protections and flexible options. Like many others here, I've been terrified to even consider working again because I thought it would be an all-or-nothing situation where I'd immediately lose my benefits and healthcare. Learning about the 9-month trial work period where you keep full benefits regardless of earnings is huge for me - it would let me test whether I can handle even part-time work without the fear of losing everything if my symptoms flare up. The Medicare continuation for 8.5 years is also amazing news since my condition requires ongoing treatment and medications that are quite expensive. I'm particularly interested in remote work opportunities since leaving the house on bad days can be nearly impossible, and it sounds like Employment Networks are really supportive of flexible arrangements. For anyone else with chronic fatigue or fibromyalgia - have you found certain types of work that are more manageable with these conditions? I used to work in graphic design, but the long hours at a computer became impossible. I'm wondering if there are other creative or administrative roles that might be more sustainable with unpredictable energy levels. Thank you to everyone who's shared their experiences here. Reading real stories from people who've successfully navigated this process gives me hope that maybe I could have some kind of work life again, even if it looks different than before.