I'm so sorry for your loss, Kristin. I went through this process about a year ago when my husband passed away, and I want to share what worked for me to hopefully make this easier for you. You're right to be hesitant about sitting in the SSA office for hours - I felt the same way. The good news is that while you can't complete the entire survivor benefits application online, you absolutely can schedule your appointment online through ssa.gov, which saves you from the phone hold nightmare that others have mentioned. Here's what I learned: Most offices now offer phone appointments for survivor benefits, which was perfect for me since I wasn't ready to handle crowded public spaces while grieving. During my phone appointment, the representative walked me through everything I needed and arranged for me to mail in certified copies of my documents (which they returned to me). A few things that helped me prepare: - I gathered all documents beforehand (death certificate, marriage certificate, both SSNs, my birth certificate, his last W-2, and bank info) - I scheduled the appointment for a Tuesday morning, which the rep said tends to be less hectic - I had my daughter with me during the phone call to help me stay focused - grief brain is real The whole process from appointment to first payment took about 3 weeks. At 58, you'll get reduced benefits, but sometimes that's still the right choice depending on your financial needs. Take care of yourself through this process. You don't have to handle everything at once.

I'm so sorry for your loss, Kristin. I went through this exact process about 6 months ago when my husband passed away. The information everyone has shared here is excellent - you definitely cannot complete the full survivor benefits application online, but you can schedule your appointment online which saves so much frustration. I wanted to add one thing that really helped me: when you call or schedule online, specifically ask if you can have a "bereavement specialist" handle your case. Many SSA offices have representatives who are specially trained to work with people who have lost spouses. They tend to be more patient, understanding, and knowledgeable about the specific documents and processes involved in survivor benefits. Also, don't worry if you need to reschedule your appointment - life is unpredictable when you're grieving, and SSA is generally accommodating about this. I had to reschedule mine twice because I just wasn't emotionally ready, and they were completely understanding. One last practical tip: if you decide to do a phone appointment, make sure you're in a quiet space with good cell reception and have a pen and paper ready. They'll give you confirmation numbers and next steps that you'll want to write down, but it's hard to focus when you're emotional. You're stronger than you know, and you'll get through this process. Take it at your own pace.

I went through this exact same situation about 18 months ago! The confusion is totally understandable because even the SSA reps seem to get mixed up about this rule sometimes. Here's what I learned after way too many phone calls and finally getting it sorted out: You will receive 50% of your husband's Primary Insurance Amount (PIA) - which is the $2,400 he would have gotten at his FRA, NOT the reduced $1,850 he's actually receiving. So yes, you should get around $1,200/month. The key is that YOUR age when you claim determines any reductions to the spousal benefit, not when your husband claimed his benefits. Since you're claiming at your FRA (67), you get the full spousal benefit without any reduction. A couple of practical tips from my experience: - When you apply, be very clear that you want spousal benefits based on your husband's record - Ask them to confirm they're using his PIA (full retirement age amount) for the calculation - If possible, try to get the calculation details in writing or ask for a written estimate before your benefits start The $150+ difference per month between $925 and $1,200 really adds up over time, so it's definitely worth making sure they get this right! Good luck with your application.

I'm new to this community but dealing with a very similar situation! My husband also claimed at 62 and I'm approaching my FRA. Reading through all these responses has been incredibly helpful - it's reassuring to see so many people confirming that the spousal benefit is calculated on the PIA (full retirement age amount) rather than the reduced benefit. What really stands out to me from everyone's experiences is how inconsistent the information from SSA reps can be. It sounds like persistence and documentation are absolutely critical. I'm planning to follow the advice here about calling early in the morning, being very specific about requesting spousal benefits at my FRA, and getting everything in writing. The practical tips about asking them to confirm they're using the PIA for calculations and requesting written estimates are gold. It's clear that many of you had to advocate for yourselves to get the correct information and calculations. Thank you all for sharing your real experiences - it's so much more valuable than trying to decipher the official SSA publications alone!

As a newcomer to this community, I've found this discussion incredibly helpful! I'm 65 and approaching my own Social Security decision, and like everyone else here, I've been getting that persistent "January is best" advice without any clear explanation of why. What really stands out to me from reading all these responses is how this myth gets perpetuated because it sounds official and authoritative, but it's really only relevant in specific circumstances. The breakdown of when January timing actually matters (earnings test considerations, complex family benefits, tax planning preferences) versus when it's just unnecessary delay has been so clarifying. I particularly appreciated @Paolo Moretti's story about his sister and the payment delay - that's such a practical consideration that gets overlooked when people focus on the supposed "optimization" of starting in January. And @Oliver Weber's point about missing out on months of benefits you're entitled to really drives home why generic advice can be counterproductive. As someone who will be fully retired at FRA with straightforward benefits, I now feel confident that I can file when it's convenient for me rather than waiting for some mythical perfect month. This thread has been exactly the kind of real-world guidance that's impossible to find elsewhere - thanks to everyone for sharing both the technical explanations and personal experiences!

As a newcomer to this community, I wanted to jump in and thank everyone for this incredibly thorough discussion! I'm 66 and will be reaching my FRA in a few months, and like so many others here, I've been getting the "January is best" advice from multiple well-meaning sources who couldn't really explain the reasoning behind it. This thread has been absolutely invaluable in breaking down the myth versus reality of Social Security timing. What I find most helpful is seeing the clear distinction between situations where January timing might actually matter (still working with earnings test concerns, complex family benefits, specific tax planning needs) versus situations where it's just unnecessary delay that costs you months of benefits you're already entitled to. The personal experiences shared here have been particularly enlightening - from @Paolo Moretti's sister learning about the payment delay the hard way, to @Darcy Moore's confirmation that filing in June worked out perfectly fine, to @Natasha Romanova's regret about missing 4 months of payments by following generic January advice. These real-world outcomes are so much more valuable than theoretical recommendations. Since I'll be fully retired with straightforward benefits and no complex coordination needs, I now feel confident about filing at my FRA rather than waiting for some mythical "perfect" January timing. This community has been exactly what I needed to cut through the confusion and focus on what actually matters for my individual situation!

This is such great advice from everyone! I'm in a similar situation (retiring in August 2025) and was really worried about the timing. Reading through all these responses has cleared up so much confusion. One quick question for those who've been through this - after you applied online, how long did it typically take to hear back from SSA with confirmation that everything was processed correctly? I know Ethan mentioned planning to apply in April for July benefits, but I'm wondering if there's usually enough time to fix any issues that might come up during those 3 months. Also, has anyone here had experience with the automatic recalculation that happens after you stop working? I'm curious how long that takes and whether they notify you when your benefit amount gets adjusted for those final months of earnings. Thanks for sharing all your experiences - it's so helpful to hear from people who've actually navigated this process!

This thread has been incredibly helpful! As someone who's been researching this exact scenario for months, I'm relieved to see so many people confirm that applying 3-4 months early while still working is the right approach. One thing I'd add from my research - when you apply online, there's actually a "remarks" section where you can add notes about your situation. I plan to write something like "Currently employed through June 30, 2025. Request benefits to begin July 2025 upon retirement." This gives SSA additional context about your timeline and intentions. Also, for anyone worried about the earnings calculation - I called SSA last month (waited 2+ hours!) and the representative confirmed that they routinely handle applications from people who are still working. It's completely normal and won't cause any delays or complications as long as you're clear about your intended benefit start date. The key is just being very explicit about when you want benefits to begin. SSA processes thousands of these applications every month from people in similar situations!

I'm new to this community and just discovered this incredibly detailed discussion while searching for help with the exact same issue! My husband and I have been caregivers for our adult son with developmental disabilities through our state's waiver program for about 4 years. We've had the difficulty of care exemption the entire time, and our tax preparer always told us we were "completely covered" by the exemption. After reading through everyone's experiences here, I'm now realizing we may have completely missed the self-employment tax requirement. What's really eye-opening is seeing how widespread this problem is - it's clearly not just individual families making mistakes, but a systematic failure to communicate these critical tax distinctions when families enter waiver programs. I'm going to immediately request our Social Security earnings statements and schedule an urgent meeting with our tax preparer. Based on what I've learned here, we should be able to amend all 4 years if needed, which is a relief compared to families who've discovered this much later. Thank you to everyone who has shared such detailed experiences and practical advice about the amendment process, Schedule SE, and Form SSA-7008. This thread should honestly be required reading for every family entering a disability waiver program. The fact that so many of us are learning about this years later shows there's a serious need for better upfront education about these tax implications. I'll definitely keep you all updated on what we discover!

Welcome to the community, Omar! Your situation at 4 years is actually quite fortunate timing-wise - you're discovering this early enough to potentially correct all affected years through amendments if needed. I'm also relatively new here but have been closely following this discussion as my family navigates a very similar challenge. What really stands out from your post is how your tax preparer told you that you were "completely covered" by the exemption - this seems to be such a common response from preparers who don't fully understand that the difficulty of care exemption only applies to income tax, not Social Security/self-employment taxes. It's a critical distinction that apparently isn't well understood even among tax professionals. When you meet with your tax preparer, I'd definitely recommend bringing up the key points from this thread about IRS Notice 2014-7 and how it creates an income tax exemption but doesn't exempt families from FICA/self-employment tax obligations. You might also want to consider getting a second opinion from a tax professional who specializes in disability-related situations - several community members have had success getting referrals from their local disability advocacy organizations. The fact that you can potentially recover all 4 years puts you in a much better position than many families here who discovered this issue much later. Definitely start with requesting those Social Security earnings statements to see what's actually been recorded - that will give you the clearest picture of whether corrections are needed. Keep us posted on what you find out!