This discussion has been incredibly thorough and helpful! As someone who's been researching Social Security timing for months, I finally feel like I understand the key principle: it's your elected benefit START month that determines your amount, not when you apply or when processing is completed. I'm 66 and turning 67 (my FRA) in September 2025. Based on all the excellent advice here, I'm planning to apply in June but select September as my benefit start date. The 3-month buffer seems to be the sweet spot for ensuring everything processes smoothly without affecting the benefit calculation. A few things that really stood out to me from this thread: - The online application shows exact dollar amounts for your selected start month (huge relief!) - You can make changes before benefits actually begin if needed - SSA sends both immediate online confirmation AND a follow-up letter - Checking your earnings record thoroughly beforehand is crucial One additional resource I'll mention: my local library has been hosting free Social Security workshops with AARP volunteers. They walk through the application process step-by-step and answer questions about timing, earnings limits, and benefit calculations. It might be worth checking if your library offers something similar - the combination of this thread's real-world experiences plus an in-person workshop has really boosted my confidence about navigating this process. Thanks to everyone who shared their experiences and expertise. This kind of peer-to-peer knowledge sharing is invaluable for major life decisions like retirement timing!

This has been such a fantastic resource! I'm 66 and planning to file at my FRA in July 2025, and like so many others here, I was really confused about the timing mechanics. Reading through everyone's real experiences has made it crystal clear that the benefit start date is what matters for the calculation, not the application date. I love how this thread evolved from the original question into such a comprehensive guide covering everything from earnings record checks to coordination with other retirement benefits. The practical tips about the 3-month application buffer, the confirmation process, and even resources like library workshops have been incredibly valuable. One thing that really struck me is how consistent everyone's advice has been despite coming from different backgrounds - federal employees, private sector retirees, recent applicants, and people still in the planning phase. That consistency gives me a lot of confidence that this approach is solid. I'm planning to apply in April for a July start date, and I feel so much more prepared now thanks to all the shared experiences here. Special thanks to the original poster for asking such an important question - this thread is going to help a lot of people navigate their retirement timing decisions with much less stress and confusion!

Thank you so much for sharing this incredibly detailed explanation! As someone new to this community, I'm both grateful for the clarity you've provided and deeply frustrated by how unnecessarily complex Social Security has made these calculations. Your experience really highlights a major problem - families with disabled adult children are essentially being punished by a system that should be supporting them. The fact that you had to go through a Congressional inquiry just to get a straight answer is unacceptable. I've been reading through all these responses and it's clear that SSA's regular customer service is completely inadequate for handling these complex situations. What really bothers me is how this Family Maximum Benefit rule creates what amounts to a "disability penalty" for families. Instead of recognizing that families caring for disabled children often need more support, the system actually reduces their benefits. It's backwards and cruel. I'm planning to bookmark your post and share it with others who might be facing similar situations. The specific calculation breakdown you provided - showing how they subtract YOUR benefit from the FMB before splitting - is information that should be readily available but clearly isn't. Thank you for doing the legwork to get these answers and then taking the time to educate the rest of us. This community seems to provide better guidance than the actual government agency!

As a newcomer to this community, I'm absolutely floored by the complexity of what you've uncovered here. Thank you for sharing such a detailed breakdown of your Congressional inquiry results - this is exactly the kind of real-world information that families need but can never seem to get from SSA directly. The calculation you've outlined is genuinely shocking to me. The idea that they subtract YOUR retirement benefit from the Family Maximum before splitting the remainder between you and your DAC essentially creates a built-in penalty for families with disabled children. It's like the system is designed to reduce support for the very families who often need it most. What really troubles me is how you had to fight for months and ultimately involve your Representative just to get a clear explanation of your own benefits. The fact that SSA's regular customer service couldn't provide this information (or worse, provided incorrect information) suggests there's a serious training or communication problem within the agency. I'm bookmarking this post to share with others who might be in similar situations. Your persistence in getting to the bottom of this and then taking the time to educate the rest of us is incredibly valuable. It's unfortunate that this community has to serve as a better resource than the official government agency, but I'm grateful for members like you who are willing to share their hard-won knowledge. This really opens my eyes to how many "hidden" rules there might be in Social Security that families are completely unaware of until they're directly impacted.

As a newcomer to this community, I want to say how incredibly helpful this entire discussion has been! I'm 59 and facing a very similar situation - I've been receiving survivor benefits for 18 months and recently got engaged. Before finding this thread, I was completely unaware of the age 60 rule and was planning our wedding for this spring. Now I realize I need to wait just a few more months to protect my financial security. What strikes me most is how this critical information isn't more widely known. My friends who gave me conflicting advice clearly didn't understand the nuances, and I wonder how many people make costly mistakes simply because they don't know about resources like this community. I'm especially grateful for the practical tips shared here - the early morning SSA calling strategy, keeping detailed records, getting everything in writing, and the spreadsheet approach for comparing scenarios. These are exactly the kind of real-world insights you can't get from reading dry government websites. One thing I'm curious about that I haven't seen mentioned - does anyone know if there are any tax implications to consider when switching between survivor and spousal benefits? I imagine the amounts might be different enough to potentially affect tax brackets, but I'm not sure if the benefits are taxed the same way regardless of type. Thank you all for creating such a supportive and informative space for navigating these complex decisions!

As someone who works with Social Security beneficiaries regularly, I want to emphasize how important it is to get personalized advice for your specific situation. While the general rule about age 60 and remarriage is well-established, there can be nuances based on your exact benefit amounts, ages, and circumstances. One thing I'd add that hasn't been mentioned much is the potential impact on Medicare premiums (IRMAA) if your new household income is significantly higher after marriage. High earners pay income-related monthly adjustment amounts for Medicare Part B and Part D, and this is based on modified adjusted gross income from two years prior. So even if your Social Security benefits aren't affected, your Medicare costs could change. Also, for anyone reading this thread in the future - these rules can and do change with new legislation, so always verify current rules with SSA directly. What's accurate today might not be in a few years. The Social Security 2100 Act and other proposed reforms could potentially modify some of these remarriage provisions. I really appreciate how supportive this community is in helping people navigate these complex decisions. The real-world experiences shared here are invaluable for folks facing these difficult choices between love and financial security.

As a newcomer to this community, I wanted to add my perspective after reading through this incredibly helpful discussion. I'm in a similar situation to Oliver - turning 70 in late 2025 and have been anxious about the earnings calculation timing. What strikes me most from everyone's experiences is how variable the process can be depending on which SSA representative you get and how well-prepared you are with documentation. The success stories all seem to have one thing in common: people who brought comprehensive documentation to their initial appointment and asked for it to be noted in their file. I'm planning to create a small folder with: my final 2025 paystub, any quarterly estimated tax payment records (since I do some consulting), a summary sheet showing my expected 2025 total earnings, and even a simple letter explaining that I'm providing this documentation to ensure my 2025 earnings are included in my benefit calculation. Maybe it's overkill, but after reading about some of the challenges people faced, I'd rather be over-prepared than deal with months of follow-up calls. The consensus here seems clear: file in January 2026 as planned, don't delay for tax season, and trust the automatic recomputation process while being proactive about documentation. This thread has been more valuable than any official SSA resource I've found - thank you all for sharing your real experiences!

As a newcomer to this community, I wanted to share some additional insights that might be helpful for Oliver and others in similar situations. I work as a retirement planning consultant and have helped many clients navigate this exact scenario over the years. One thing I always recommend is to also request a copy of your complete earnings record (Form SSA-7050) during your appointment, not just the summary you can see online. This detailed record shows exactly which years are being counted in your top 35 calculation and can help you verify that your 2025 earnings are properly included when the recomputation happens. Also, if you're married, consider the timing impact on spousal benefits. Since you're filing at 70, your spouse's potential survivor benefit will be based on your maximum benefit amount, so ensuring that 2025 earnings are included could have long-term implications beyond just your own monthly payment. Finally, I'd suggest setting up a my Social Security account online if you haven't already. This will allow you to monitor any changes to your benefit amount and catch the automatic recomputation when it happens, rather than waiting to notice it in your bank account. The advice everyone has shared here is spot-on - file in January 2026, bring documentation, and trust the process while staying vigilant about follow-up.

Anyone else notice the Medicare Part B premium went up again?? That ate up almost half of my COLA increase! Every year they give with one hand and take with the other. My actual increase after the Medicare premium went up was only $32.

I'm in the same boat - still waiting for my COLA letter! My friend who lives across town got hers 10 days ago, but nothing in my mailbox yet. I called the post office thinking it might be a mail delivery issue, but they said SSA mail is usually pretty reliable. It's frustrating not knowing the exact amount for budgeting purposes, especially with all the end-of-year financial planning we need to do. At least it sounds like this is normal based on everyone's experiences here. I'll try that 2.5% calculation method someone mentioned and keep checking my online account in December.