I'm surprised no one has mentioned the potential tax implications. While annuity income doesn't count toward the earnings limit, it can still affect how much of your Social Security benefits are taxable. If your combined income (adjusted gross income + nontaxable interest + half of your Social Security benefits) exceeds certain thresholds, up to 85% of your benefits may be subject to income tax. So while your benefits won't be reduced due to the annuity, you might end up paying more in taxes depending on your overall income situation.

BTW, once you reach your FRA in 2 months, this whole question becomes moot anyway - the earnings test completely disappears at FRA! So even if you do get a part-time job later, you can earn whatever you want without SS reductions.

The WHOLE SYSTEM is designed to CONFUSE people! They DELIBERATELY use terms like WEP and GPO instead of plain language so people don't understand what they're losing!! I lost nearly $800/month because of this GPO nonsense after working 25 years for the county. They're STEALING our hard-earned benefits!! And you can NEVER get anyone on the phone to explain ANYTHING!!

Just to add one more important point - you might want to compare what you'd get from your own retirement benefit (potentially reduced by WEP if your teaching wasn't covered by Social Security) versus your survivor benefit (reduced by GPO). In some cases, your own benefit might actually be higher, especially if you wait until your Full Retirement Age or later to claim it. Rules get complicated with the interplay between these provisions, which is why getting professional advice can be helpful. When I finally spoke with SSA, they ran both calculations for me, which was extremely helpful in my decision-making.

Is anyone else getting annoyed that we even NEED callbacks? My dad never had to deal with this nonsense. He just walked into the SS office and got help right away. Now they're always "at capacity" and the phone lines are jammed. I've been trying to sort out an issue with my survivors benefits for THREE MONTHS!!!

To answer your question directly: SSA callbacks typically appear as "Unknown," "No Caller ID," or occasionally "US Government" depending on which office is calling you and what phone system they're using. Important details to know: 1. They will identify themselves immediately when you answer 2. They usually attempt 2-3 callbacks if you miss them 3. They will leave a voicemail identifying themselves as SSA 4. Callback times range from 30 minutes to next business day If you miss their callback, you'll need to start the process over. I recommend temporarily changing your phone settings to ensure unknown calls aren't automatically rejected. Also, when they call, they'll need to verify your identity before discussing your case, so have your Social Security number and other identifying information ready.

my sister inlaw said u should aply now even if u get nothng because if ur husband passes away the widows benfit has difrent rules than spousal and the WEP or GPO (i get them confused) doesnt hit widows as hard

One option nobody has mentioned: If you have 32 quarters of coverage, you only need 8 more to qualify for Social Security retirement benefits on your own record. You could work part-time earning at least $1,640 per quarter for 8 quarters to get those remaining credits, then you'd qualify for your own benefit. It might still be reduced by the Windfall Elimination Provision (WEP), but sometimes that works out better than dealing with GPO on spousal benefits. That said, definitely apply for spousal benefits now. If you're eligible for even a small amount, you want to start receiving it. And if you're not eligible now, having the application on file could matter for backdating purposes if circumstances change.

Thank you all for the helpful responses! This is much clearer now. I'm going to gather my documents (birth certificate, divorce decrees, etc.) and try to reach SSA. I'll definitely check out that Claimyr service since calling SSA directly has been so frustrating. One last question - once I start receiving benefits from one ex-spouse, if the other ex gets a big raise or promotion years later, can I switch to claiming on their record instead? Or am I locked into my initial choice?

oh and dont forget bout taxes! up to 85% of SS can be taxable if ur other income is high enuf. caught me by surprise first year

One important thing to consider in your situation - if you stop withholding but still end up owing taxes, you may be subject to an underpayment penalty if you don't pay enough throughout the year. Generally, you need to pay at least 90% of your current year tax or 100% of last year's tax (whichever is smaller) to avoid the penalty. This is another good reason to consult with a tax professional before making changes.

My sister had a similar situation last year and she ended up using the online tax withholding estimator tool on the IRS website to figure out exactly how much she needed withheld. Have you tried that? It asks about all your income sources and helps calculate what you should withhold.

After dealing with my own situation, here's my practical advice: wait until your Full Retirement Age if you can. The earnings test is just the first complication - there's also the tax implications (up to 85% of SS benefits can be taxable depending on your income) plus the administrative headache if they need to recover overpayments. If you absolutely need the money now, then it might be worth claiming despite the reductions. But if you can hold out another 3-4 years until your FRA, you'll save yourself a lot of paperwork and potentially get more money overall.

my neighbor tried doing what ur talking about and ended up owing ssa money at the end of the year!!! be careful cuz they don't always explain everything up front!!

To answer your specific questions accurately: 1. Retroactivity for spousal benefits is limited to 6 months prior to your application month, not 12 months, per POMS GN 00204.030. This applies even with WEP/GPO considerations. 2. For tax purposes, you can elect to have retroactive benefits attributed to the years they should have been paid (using the "back-payments election") rather than counting them all as current year income. This might help with your tax situation. 3. IRMAA determination will use your modified adjusted gross income from 2 years prior. SSA reports lump-sum payments to IRS, which can push you into a higher IRMAA bracket. 4. You can request relief from higher IRMAA using Form SSA-44 if you've experienced a qualifying life-changing event that reduced your income. 5. The WEP/GPO calculation will be done automatically by SSA based on your pension information, but it's critical to verify their calculation is correct when you receive your award letter.

When I was dealing with my WEP/GPO situation and couldn't get through to SSA on the phone, I tried Claimyr (claimyr.com) and they got me connected to a rep in about 10 minutes. Worth checking out if you're stuck in phone limbo - their video shows how it works: https://youtu.be/Z-BRbJw3puU. The SSA rep I spoke with was really helpful and explained that the 6-month retroactivity is standard for spousal benefits, and walked me through how to handle the tax implications of the lump sum payment.

my neighbor had same issue and got it fixed but it was a huge headache and they only gave her like 6 months of backpay even tho she shoulda been getting the higher amount for years. good luck dealing with the ssa lol

One additional point that hasn't been mentioned: When your mother transitions to survivor benefits after your father passes away (I know that's not pleasant to think about, but it's important for planning), she would become eligible for up to 100% of his benefit amount, not just the 50% spousal benefit. This is particularly relevant given your father's health concerns. For the current situation, I recommend taking these specific steps: 1. Gather their Social Security statements showing exact benefit amounts 2. Locate their marriage certificate 3. Find documentation showing when each began receiving benefits 4. Contact SSA with a specific request for a "spousal benefit recalculation" 5. Be prepared to complete form SSA-795 (Statement of Claimant) explaining when you discovered this potential oversight If you encounter resistance about receiving more than 6 months of retroactive benefits, ask specifically about "administrative finality" exceptions, which can sometimes extend this period in cases where SSA may have made an error.

The SSA is COMPLETELY OVERWHELMED right now!!! I worked 30+ years in benefits admin and I've never seen it this bad. Here's what happens: when someone dies, funeral homes are supposed to notify SSA through their electronic system. But then SSA has to match that to their records and manually stop payments. With staffing shortages, this can take MONTHS now instead of days. You MUST keep calling until you get confirmation that they've processed the death certificate and stopped payments. And DOCUMENT EVERYTHING!!

Thank you everyone for the helpful advice. I'm going to try calling again tomorrow and will not give up until I get a confirmation number. I'll also make sure my brother-in-law knows not to touch any of those funds. I really appreciate all your experiences and suggestions during this difficult time.