I'm 61 and planning to start collecting SS early next year, so this discussion has been incredibly helpful! I've been sitting on the fence about whether to touch my 401k because of all the conflicting information out there about earnings limits. Reading through everyone's experiences here makes it crystal clear - 401k withdrawals absolutely do NOT count toward the Social Security earnings test. Only actual wages from employment and self-employment income count toward that limit. It's such a relief to hear from so many people who've actually been through this process with real dollar amounts and outcomes. The tax withholding advice is invaluable too. It sounds like having 15-20% withheld upfront is the way to go based on multiple people's experiences. I'm planning to withdraw about $18,000 next year for some long-overdue home maintenance, and I'll definitely request that withholding when I make the withdrawal. One thing that really stands out is how many people mentioned getting incorrect information from various sources - even SSA representatives sometimes! It really emphasizes the value of communities like this where people share their actual real-world experiences rather than just theoretical advice. Thanks Sebastian for asking this question and thanks everyone for sharing such detailed and helpful responses. This thread should be required reading for anyone dealing with early SS and retirement account withdrawals!

I'm 65 and have been dealing with this exact situation for the past two years since I started collecting Social Security early. I can absolutely confirm what everyone else has said - 401k withdrawals do NOT count toward the earnings test at all! I've withdrawn over $40,000 from my 401k across multiple withdrawals for home repairs, medical expenses, and helping my daughter with college costs. My monthly Social Security check has remained exactly the same every single month. The only impact has been on the taxation side - more of my benefits became taxable, but that's completely separate from the earnings test. The key thing to remember is that the earnings test ONLY looks at: - W-2 wages from employment - Net earnings if you're self-employed Everything else (401k, IRA, pensions, investment income, etc.) is considered "unearned income" and doesn't count toward that $22,320 limit. Your $15,000 withdrawal for home repairs is 100% safe. Just make sure to have 20% withheld for taxes - I learned that lesson the expensive way on my first withdrawal! Your financial advisor is absolutely correct and your brother-in-law is likely confusing the earnings test with benefit taxation. Go ahead with confidence - your monthly SS benefits won't be affected at all!

This thread has been absolutely fantastic! As a newcomer to this community, I'm impressed by the depth of knowledge everyone has shared about Social Security benefits and ex-spousal claiming rules. I wanted to add one more resource that might be helpful for people in similar situations. The AARP website has some really good articles about Social Security strategies for divorced individuals, including flowcharts that help you work through the decision trees based on your specific circumstances (remarriage status, filing ages, etc.). Also, I've noticed several people mentioning the difficulty of getting through to SSA on the phone. Another option that some people don't know about is that many local libraries and senior centers offer free AARP tax preparation services during tax season, and those volunteers are often very knowledgeable about Social Security rules too. They can't make official determinations like SSA can, but they're great for helping you understand your options before you call. Ana, your situation really illustrates how important it is to understand not just your own benefits, but how various life events (like remarriage) affect eligibility for different types of benefits. Thanks for sharing your story - I'm sure it's going to help many others who find themselves in similar situations!

This has been such an incredibly helpful and comprehensive discussion! As someone who's new to this community and just starting to think seriously about Social Security planning, I'm amazed at how much I've learned from everyone's contributions. What started as Ana's specific question about her ex-spouse has turned into a masterclass on Social Security rules, ex-spousal benefits, remarriage implications, and filing strategies. The collective knowledge shared here - from former SSA employees to people who've navigated these situations personally - is invaluable. A few key takeaways that really stood out to me: - SSA doesn't automatically check or notify people about potential benefit increases - Remarriage completely changes ex-spousal benefit eligibility - Early filing creates permanent reductions through "deemed filing" rules - There are so many interconnected factors beyond just your own earnings record I'm particularly grateful for all the practical tips about contacting SSA, the resource recommendations, and the real-world examples everyone shared. This is exactly the kind of community-driven knowledge sharing that helps people make informed decisions about such important financial matters. Ana, I hope you'll follow up after your SSA consultation - even though your original question is resolved, I'm sure there will be insights about your own filing strategy that could benefit others. Thanks for starting such a valuable discussion!

I'm so sorry you're going through this nightmare! I just joined this community after dealing with the exact same SSA website crashes for my own retirement application. Reading through everyone's experiences here has been both reassuring (knowing it's not just me) and infuriating (seeing how many people are affected by this broken system). Like so many others have mentioned, I had success with the 8 AM calling strategy - got through in about 50 minutes and the representative was super understanding about the website issues. She mentioned they're getting hundreds of calls daily about these crashes and walked me through the entire application over the phone in about 25 minutes. One tip that helped me prepare: I had all my documents scanned and saved on my computer beforehand, so when the rep asked for information from my W-2s or other paperwork, I could quickly pull it up rather than scrambling around looking for physical copies. Made the whole phone process much smoother. It's absolutely ridiculous that we need workarounds just to access benefits we've been paying into for decades, but at least the phone route is reliable. Don't give up - you'll get through this! The 8 AM timing really does seem to make a huge difference in wait times.

I'm so sorry you're dealing with this incredibly frustrating situation! As a newcomer to this community, I've been reading through everyone's experiences and it's clear the SSA website is having major widespread issues right now. You're definitely not alone - so many people are reporting the exact same problem where the site works fine for account access but crashes when trying to submit retirement applications. Based on all the success stories shared here, I'd highly recommend trying the 8 AM calling strategy. Most people are getting through in 45-60 minutes when calling right at opening time, and the representatives seem understanding about the website issues. Make sure to have all your husband's documents organized beforehand so you can complete everything in one call. Also, don't stress too much about the exact timing - several knowledgeable members here have explained that benefits are paid based on the month you apply, not the specific day. Since your husband just reached his FRA, you have the whole month to file without losing any benefits. It's absolutely ridiculous that we need workarounds just to access benefits we've been paying into for decades, but at least there are proven solutions. You'll get through this - hang in there!

This thread has been incredibly helpful! I'm currently helping my 78-year-old mother with her retirement benefits inquiry and we've been stuck in the same phone maze for weeks. What strikes me most is how much institutional knowledge exists in this community that SSA doesn't provide anywhere officially. I'm definitely going to try the online appointment scheduler first - the tip about specifying "Claims Specialist" and mentioning it's a retirement issue seems crucial. I also love the suggestion about calling right at 7 AM with the claim number ready. It's honestly disgraceful that accessing basic information about benefits we've paid into requires this level of strategy and community crowdsourcing, but I'm grateful for everyone who shared their hard-won experience here. Planning to try multiple approaches and will update with results. For anyone else reading this feeling defeated - don't give up! This thread proves there are ways through the system, even when it feels impossible.

I'm so glad I found this thread! I've been lurking in government service communities trying to figure out how to navigate SSA's phone system for my own situation. Reading through everyone's experiences has been both validating (I'm not crazy - the system really is broken!) and incredibly informative. The range of solutions you've all discovered is amazing - from the online appointment scheduler to early morning calls to advocacy organizations I never knew existed. What really stands out to me is how much problem-solving power exists in communities like this compared to official government resources. I'm bookmarking this entire conversation as my SSA survival guide. For anyone else who finds this thread in the future: you're not alone in this frustration, and there ARE ways through the maze. Thanks to everyone who took the time to share their hard-won knowledge instead of just keeping it to themselves!

Wow, this thread has been incredibly educational! I'm 61 and was considering claiming early next year, but I had no idea about the complexity around the earnings test. The Box 3 vs Box 1 distinction is huge - like the original poster mentioned, that could be thousands of dollars difference depending on your pre-tax deductions. I'm especially interested in what @Savannah Glover mentioned about the timing strategy. If I understand correctly, you could potentially work full-time for the first half of the year, then claim benefits in July and only work part-time for the remainder? That seems like it could be a great way to maximize income during the transition to retirement. Has anyone here actually used that mid-year claiming strategy? I'd love to hear about real experiences with how SSA calculated the earnings for a partial year. Also wondering if there are any gotchas or complications with that approach that aren't obvious.

This has been such an informative discussion! I'm 63 and have been collecting SS for about 8 months now while working part-time. I can confirm everything said here about Box 3 being what they use - learned this the hard way when I got nervous about going over and called SSA multiple times to verify. One thing I'd add for anyone considering the earnings limit strategy: keep very detailed records of your paystubs and any 1099s throughout the year. I created a simple Excel sheet with columns for pay period, gross pay, and Box 3 SS wages, plus a running total. This has been invaluable for making decisions about whether to pick up extra shifts or decline overtime. Also, if you're married and your spouse is also working, make sure you understand that the earnings test applies individually - your spouse's income doesn't count toward YOUR earnings limit (though it may affect other aspects of your benefits). I was initially worried about our combined household income but learned it's calculated separately for each person claiming benefits. The peace of mind from tracking this carefully has been worth the extra effort. Better to be overly cautious than deal with an overpayment situation later!