I feel for you - this is such a frustrating situation that affects so many people! The age 60 remarriage rule really is one of Social Security's most unfair "gotcha" provisions. One thing I'd add to the excellent advice already given: when you do get through to an SSA representative (definitely try that Claimyr service!), ask them to provide you with a written summary of your conversation and any benefit estimates they give you. The SSA is supposed to provide written confirmation of important benefit information, and having it in writing protects you if there are any discrepancies later. Also, since you're in your early 70s now, it might be worth asking about Medicare coordination and any potential impacts on your benefits. Sometimes there are small adjustments or supplemental programs that people aren't aware of. The system really failed you by not making these remarriage consequences clear upfront. At minimum, marriage licenses should come with a Social Security impact disclosure! But you're doing the right thing by getting educated now and making sure you understand all your current and future options.

I'm so sorry you're going through this difficult situation! Reading through this thread, it's clear you've gotten some excellent advice from the community. The age 60 remarriage rule is truly one of Social Security's most frustrating provisions - it catches so many people off guard because it's not widely publicized. One additional thing I'd suggest: when you do get through to an SSA representative (and yes, definitely try that Claimyr service others mentioned!), ask them to check if there are any other family members who might have benefits available on your first husband's record. Sometimes there are scenarios involving disabled adult children or other dependents that can affect the overall family benefit calculation, even if it doesn't directly help your survivor benefit situation. Also, make sure to ask about "what if" scenarios for planning purposes. For instance, understanding exactly how your benefits would be calculated if your current husband were to pass away at different points in the future, or if there are any strategies you and your husband should consider now to maximize your household's total lifetime benefits. The system really should do better at educating people about these critical age thresholds. Your story is unfortunately all too common, and I hope sharing your experience here helps other community members avoid similar surprises. Best of luck getting the answers you need!

I'm also new to this community and just got approved for SSDI after a 15-month wait. This entire thread has been incredibly helpful - I had no idea what to expect with the LTD offset situation until reading everyone's experiences here. My numbers are similar: LTD paying $4,100/month, SSDI approved for $3,200/month, with about $16,800 in backpay after attorney fees. Based on all the calculations shared here, it looks like my LTD company will take most or all of my backpay, but I'll keep getting about $900/month from LTD going forward. The biggest takeaway for me is definitely requesting that detailed written calculation BEFORE letting them take anything. It sounds like calculation errors are common enough that it's worth the extra effort to verify everything matches your policy terms. One question - for those who successfully caught calculation errors, what was the most common mistake you found? Was it usually the effective dates, gross vs net amounts, or something else? I want to know what to look out for when I review their numbers. Thanks everyone for being so generous with sharing your experiences. This thread is going to save me a lot of stress and potentially money!

I'm new to this community and currently dealing with a similar situation after recently getting approved for SSDI. This entire thread has been incredibly educational - I had no idea about the complexity of LTD/SSDI coordination until reading everyone's experiences here. Based on all the detailed advice shared, I'm planning to take a proactive approach: request the detailed written calculation from my LTD company before they process anything, verify all effective dates and payment periods, and carefully review my policy for any provisions that might help minimize the offset. What strikes me most is how many people discovered calculation errors that could have cost them significant money. It really emphasizes the importance of not just accepting whatever the LTD company initially proposes, but actually reviewing their math against your policy terms. For anyone else new to this process - this thread is a goldmine of practical advice. The key seems to be preparation, documentation, and persistence in making sure everything is calculated correctly. Even though losing most of the backpay is disappointing, at least we'll have stable monthly income going forward from both sources. Thanks to everyone who shared their experiences so openly. This community support makes a stressful process much more manageable!

This thread has been incredibly enlightening! I'm 33 and just created my SSA account for the first time last week. Seeing my estimated monthly benefit of $2,150 at FRA, I was completely unsure whether that was a realistic number for planning purposes or if inflation would make it meaningless by the time I actually retire. The explanation that SSA shows estimates in today's purchasing power is exactly what I needed to understand. Now I can compare that $2,150 directly to what I'm spending today (about $3,800/month) and see I'll need to plan for roughly a $1,650 monthly gap in current dollar terms. That's so much clearer than trying to guess what everything will be worth in 34 years! I'm definitely going to start tracking my benefit estimates annually like others suggested, and I love the Excel FV formula tip for modeling different COLA scenarios. The professional insight about keeping everything in "real dollars" for retirement planning makes perfect sense too - it explains why trying to mix current and future inflated amounts was making my initial calculations so confusing. The real-world example showing how recent COLA increases boosted actual benefits significantly above original estimates gives me confidence that Social Security provides genuine inflation protection, even if we can't predict exact amounts. Thanks to everyone for making this complex topic so much more understandable for those of us just starting our Social Security planning journey!

This has been such a helpful discussion! I'm 44 and have been avoiding looking at my SSA projections because I was worried they'd be either unrealistically low or I wouldn't understand how to interpret them properly. Reading through everyone's experiences here has given me the confidence to finally dig into my account. The key insight that SSA shows everything in today's purchasing power is brilliant - it means I can actually do meaningful planning by comparing those estimates directly to my current expenses. No more trying to guess what inflation will do to both sides of the equation over the next 23 years! I'm particularly excited to try the Excel FV formula approach that Love 2 Fly and Carmen shared for modeling different inflation scenarios. And QuantumQuasar's idea about tracking estimates over time in a spreadsheet seems like such a simple but powerful way to understand how projections evolve as you approach retirement. The real-world example from StarSeeker showing how COLA adjustments led to benefits 18% higher than originally estimated really drives home that Social Security provides genuine inflation protection, even if we can't predict exact amounts. That makes it feel like a much more reliable foundation for retirement planning than I initially thought. Thanks to everyone for sharing such practical, actionable advice - this thread should definitely be bookmarked for anyone trying to understand Social Security planning!

I'm 60 and this entire discussion has been incredibly valuable for my own planning! What strikes me most is how the survivor benefit protection really changes the risk calculation for early claiming. I've been paralyzed by the decision because I was thinking about it as "all or nothing" - but realizing that my early claiming decision only affects MY benefits and spousal benefits, not survivor benefits, makes it feel much more manageable. The practical experiences shared here are so much more helpful than the SSA website. Mei's point about the SSA rep being able to show actual numbers on their system is particularly interesting - I might need to brave the office visit to get those concrete figures rather than relying on estimates. One thing I'm still trying to wrap my head around is the interplay between all these factors: early claiming reduction, potential spousal benefits, Medicare gap coverage, tax implications, and earnings test if I continue working. It seems like the $500 investment in a Social Security specialist that several people mentioned might be the best way to see how all these pieces fit together for my specific situation. Thanks to everyone for sharing your real experiences - this thread has been more educational than months of trying to research this on my own!

I'm 59 and have been researching this same decision for months! This thread has been incredibly enlightening - thank you to everyone who shared their real experiences. What really stands out to me is how the survivor benefit protection fundamentally changes the risk profile of claiming early. I've been stuck in analysis paralysis because I was viewing this as a binary choice with permanent consequences across all benefit types. But understanding that survivor benefits operate completely independently from your own retirement claiming decision is a game-changer. It means claiming early affects your personal benefits and potential spousal benefits, but preserves the full survivor benefit strategy. The practical insights here are invaluable - from StarSeeker's actual experience switching to full survivor benefits after claiming early, to Mei's recent filing experience with the SSA showing concrete numbers, to the recommendations about finding a specialized consultant. I'm definitely going to look into the $500 specialist consultation that several people mentioned, especially given all the variables like Medicare gaps, tax implications, and earnings tests that need to be coordinated. One question for those who have filed recently - did you find any significant differences between SSA offices in terms of knowledge and helpfulness? I'm in a rural area and wondering if it's worth traveling to a larger office for more experienced representatives. This discussion has transformed my understanding of this decision. Thank you all for sharing your knowledge and experiences!

This thread has been absolutely incredible - I can't believe how much practical wisdom everyone has shared! As someone who's been putting off dealing with SSA because of all the horror stories about their phone system, reading through all these strategies has given me the confidence to actually tackle my retirement planning. I love how this community has essentially created the ultimate SSA phone system survival guide that's way more useful than anything official. The combination of insider knowledge (thanks to Sasha's sister!), technical explanations from IT folks like Lara, and creative workarounds like the Spanish line suggestion shows what we can accomplish when we help each other navigate broken government systems. I'm going to try the Tuesday morning approach with a landline, armed with my mySocialSecurity account info and a list of specific questions prepared in advance. Having multiple backup strategies (TTY line, congressional rep, local office visit) makes this feel doable instead of impossible. Really appreciate everyone taking the time to share what they learned through trial and error. You've turned what could have been months of frustration into an actionable plan. This is exactly what online communities should be - people helping people solve real problems together!

This entire thread has been absolutely amazing! I just wanted to say thank you to everyone who shared their experiences and workarounds. As someone who's been struggling with the SSA phone system for weeks trying to get help with my survivor benefits application, I was starting to lose hope completely. Reading through all these strategies - from the timing tips (Tuesday-Thursday mornings) to the technical workarounds (2-1-0 sequence, using landlines) to the creative alternatives (Spanish line, TTY options) - has completely changed my approach. Instead of just randomly calling and getting frustrated, I now have a real battle plan. I'm particularly grateful for the technical explanations about why these methods work. Understanding that the "silent treatment" triggers timeout protocols and that WiFi calling can interfere with touch-tone recognition makes these feel like legitimate strategies rather than just desperate measures. I tried the Tuesday morning landline approach yesterday using several techniques mentioned here, and I actually got through after about 45 minutes! The representative was incredibly helpful with my survivor benefits questions and even walked me through some scenarios I hadn't considered. This community has created something more valuable than any official government resource. You've turned shared frustration into collective problem-solving, and that's exactly what we need when dealing with these broken systems. Thank you all for taking the time to help fellow citizens navigate this bureaucratic maze!