im confused - i thought you HAD to file for spousal benefits??? my neighbor gets a spousal benefit from her husband's record but she had to specifically ask for it when she went to the ss office

Thank you everyone for the helpful responses! I feel much better now understanding that my decision to file at my FRA won't negatively impact my husband's future benefits. I'll definitely check my earnings record as suggested and make sure everything is accurate before I submit my application. I appreciate all of your insights and personal experiences!

btw when my mom applied she needed marriage certificate divorce papers death certificate and proof of her pension amount. took like 3 months to process everything

One additional point worth mentioning: If your mother is getting misinformation at her local office, she can request to speak with a Technical Expert who specializes in survivor benefits and the GPO. Not all SSA representatives are equally familiar with these provisions. Also, remind her that even if she's only eligible for a small monthly amount after the GPO reduction, it's still worth applying. These benefits include annual cost-of-living adjustments (COLAs), which can add up over time.

Maybe this is a stupid question but why not just apply for SSI if SSDI isnt gonna work out? At least youd get something AND medicaid which helps with all the cancer treatment costs. Thats what my cousin did when he couldnt get SSDI cuz he hadnt worked in years.

Just wanted to add - make sure you tell SSA about ALL of your medical conditions, not just the cancer. If your disability claim goes back to 2012, they need to know everything that contributed to your inability to work back then. Many successful disability claims involve multiple conditions that combined make working impossible.

my grandma has been getting SS for 30 years and she always gets it on the 3rd of the month no matter what day of the week it is. i think the people saying its based on birthday are wrong, its just the same day every month

I checked the calendar on the SSA website and you all are right - my payment date is tied to my birthday on the 24th, so I get paid on the 4th Wednesday. I guess I just never made the connection before. This will make budgeting so much easier now that I understand how it works! Thanks everyone for clearing this up.

Another important factor to consider: when calculating whether this strategy makes financial sense, look at your son's potential benefit amount and multiply by how many months he'll receive it (from your age 62 until he turns 18, or 19 if still in high school). Then compare that total to the lifetime reduction in your own benefit. Break-even point is typically around age 80-82 for most people who take benefits at 62 vs. waiting until FRA. But with the child benefits in the mix AND the suspension strategy, your personal break-even point could be quite different. It's worth doing the actual math based on your specific benefit amounts.

my mom did this!!! she took ss early so i could get benefits for college and she said it was totally worth it even tho her benefit is lower. said she'd do it again in a heartbeat. she never did that suspension thing tho. didn't know that was even possible!!

when i finally got my benefits approved they backpaid me for the 2 months i was waiting so dont worry even if it takes time they'll pay you from your start date!!!!

Update: I finally called SSA today and got through after about an hour on hold. The agent confirmed my application looks good and is just waiting for processing closer to January. She said everything appears to be in order and I don't need to provide any additional documents at this time. Thanks everyone for your help and reassurance!

did u check if u qualify for spousal benefits? might get more that way depending on what ur spouse earned

To answer your question about seeing which 35 years SSA uses: Unfortunately, the my Social Security portal doesn't show exactly which years they're using in the calculation. They take your highest 35 years after indexing them for inflation (older earnings get adjusted upward). Regarding your divorce situation: You can claim on your ex-spouse's record if you were married 10+ years and haven't remarried. You'd get 50% of their FRA benefit amount if that's higher than your own benefit. With similar earnings histories, your own benefit is likely higher, but it's worth checking with SSA. And yes, the delayed retirement credit is 8% per year after FRA until age 70, so waiting from 66+6mo to 70 would give you about a 28% larger monthly benefit for life.

Just wanted to share that i know several couples who just had commitment ceremonies but never legally married to avoid this exact problem. its not fair but sometimes you gotta do what you gotta do. the govt shouldnt be in our personal business anyway!

One important thing to check: has your fiancé been on SSDI for at least 24 months? If so, he should qualify for Medicare regardless of Medicaid status. Medicare Part B + Part D + a Medicare Supplement plan, while not free like Medicaid, can provide good coverage. If he has low income (not counting your income before marriage), he might also qualify for Extra Help with Medicare prescription costs. For the most accurate information, I'd recommend: 1. Contacting your state's Health Insurance Assistance Program (SHIP) for free unbiased Medicare/Medicaid counseling 2. Speaking with a benefits planner at a local Center for Independent Living 3. Getting specifics from your state's Medicaid office about how marriage would affect his particular type of Medicaid coverage Every state handles their Medicaid programs differently, especially for disabled individuals, so general advice online won't be as helpful as state-specific guidance.

quick question thats related - does anyone know if u have to pay FICA taxes on social security income? i just realized ive never checked this on my tax returns

Thank you everyone for the thoughtful responses! Based on your advice, I'm leaning toward delaying until 70 while continuing to max out my 457(b) contributions and drawing from my brokerage accounts as needed. Given my family history of longevity and current good health, the guaranteed 24% increase seems worth waiting for. I'll schedule a meeting with my financial advisor to map out a year-by-year withdrawal strategy that minimizes taxes during this bridge period. Really appreciate all the insights!

wait Im confused dont u get penalized for working while collecting SS??? or is that only if ur under FRA??

Thanks everyone for the insights! Based on what you've all shared and checking my earnings record, I think I'll see modest increases of maybe $25-35 monthly for each additional year I work. Not huge, but combined with preserving my savings longer, it might make sense for me to work at least another year or two. Really appreciate all the input!