Thank you all for your helpful responses! I've learned a lot and understand the situation much better now. It looks like I'll continue receiving my current SSDI benefit since it's higher than the spousal benefit I'd be eligible for. I'm going to try the Claimyr service to get through to SSA to confirm everything and make sure there's nothing else I need to know about how my benefits will change when I reach my own FRA. I appreciate everyone taking the time to share your knowledge and experiences!

Just wanted to add one important point that might help others reading this thread - when you're on SSDI and your spouse files for retirement benefits, the SSA is supposed to automatically check if you're eligible for additional spousal benefits. However, this doesn't always happen seamlessly, so it's worth calling to confirm they've done this evaluation. Also, if your husband delays his retirement past his FRA to get delayed retirement credits (which increase his benefit by 8% per year until age 70), this doesn't affect your potential spousal benefit calculation since that's based on his Primary Insurance Amount at FRA, not his actual increased benefit amount. Good luck getting through to SSA - the wait times have been terrible lately!

One more important acronym to know is AERO - Automatic Earnings Recomputation Operation. This is when Social Security automatically recalculates your benefit amount to include recent earnings that might increase your benefit. It happens every year, and you don't need to request it. Also, MBR (Master Beneficiary Record) is your official record in the SSA system that contains all your benefit information. If you ever hear a representative mention checking your MBR, that's what they're referring to.

This is such a helpful thread! I'm in a similar situation - approaching retirement and feeling completely lost with all the terminology. One thing that really helped me was printing out all these acronym explanations and keeping them in a folder with my other SS documents. I'd also add DRC (Delayed Retirement Credits) to the list - that's the extra money you get if you wait past your FRA to claim benefits. You earn about 8% more per year for each year you delay up to age 70. And for anyone else struggling with the SSA website verification like @Finley mentioned, I had the same issue but found that calling early in the morning (right at 7 AM when they open) helped me get through faster to get it sorted out. The wait times are usually shorter then. Thanks everyone for making this so much clearer!

Thank you all for the great information! I'm relieved to hear the recalculation happens automatically. After reading your responses, I checked my Social Security statement online and noticed I had a couple of years early in my career with very low earnings, so these new higher-earning years should definitely help boost my benefit. I've marked my calendar for October 2026 (after I plan to fully retire) to make sure I see the final adjustment. Such a relief not having to navigate the SSA phone system to request this! For those suggesting I monitor my earnings record - definitely good advice. I'll make a habit of checking my mySocialSecurity account annually to verify everything's recorded correctly.

This is such valuable information! I'm in a similar situation - just turned 67 and still working, but I wasn't sure how the recalculation process worked. Reading through everyone's responses, it's clear that the AERO process is automatic, which is a huge relief. One thing I'd add for anyone else in this situation: if you're planning to work several more years past FRA like the original poster, it might be worth running some projections to see the potential impact. The SSA website has benefit calculators that can help estimate how additional high-earning years might affect your monthly payment. Also, don't forget about the delayed retirement credits if you haven't started collecting yet - those stop at age 70, but the earnings recalculations through AERO continue for as long as you keep working and earning. It's nice to know there are multiple ways your benefits can potentially increase even after reaching FRA!

Thank you everyone for all this helpful information! I called the SSA again today and finally got through to someone who confirmed what most of you said - I need to wait until my full retirement age before switching to spousal benefits. She explained that taking spousal benefits early would mean a permanent reduction, and right now my SSDI is actually the better option anyway. I'm going to stick with my SSDI until I reach 67, and then I'll make sure to contact them about 3 months before my birthday to apply for the spousal benefit. The representative said they'll pay me my own retirement benefit (which converts automatically from SSDI) plus an additional amount to reach 50% of my husband's PIA. Really appreciate everyone sharing their experiences and knowledge!

Great to see you got the official confirmation! As someone who went through a similar situation a few years ago, I can tell you that waiting until FRA is definitely the right choice. I was also tempted to switch early because my spouse's benefit looked so much better, but the early filing penalties would have eaten up most of the advantage. When I finally made the switch at 67, the process was pretty straightforward - just make sure you have all your documentation ready when you call. The SSA rep was right about the timing too - calling 3 months ahead gives them plenty of time to process everything so there's no gap in payments. You'll be glad you waited!

btw dont feel bad my dad fell for a simillar scam last year... these scammers are GOOD at what they do. they know exactly what to say to scare seniors. they stay on the phone so the person cant call family to check. and they create fake urgency so people dont think straight. its not your moms fault!!!

I'm so sorry your mom went through this - these scams are absolutely heartbreaking and unfortunately very common. A few additional thoughts that might help: 1. Contact the fraud departments at Nordstrom Rack and Lowe's directly with the gift card numbers. While recovery is rare, some retailers can flag suspicious activity patterns and occasionally freeze unused balances. 2. Consider having your mom sign up for AARP's fraud prevention alerts or similar services - they send warnings about current scam tactics targeting seniors. 3. If the direct deposit change doesn't process in time, you can also ask SSA to temporarily stop direct deposit and issue a paper check to her new address instead. This might be faster than waiting for the bank routing to update. 4. Document everything with timestamps - police report numbers, SSA confirmation numbers, bank representative names. This creates a paper trail that's crucial if any other issues arise. The most important thing is that your mom is safe and you're taking action quickly. These scammers rely on shame and secrecy to keep victims from getting help, so you're already doing exactly the right thing by reaching out and taking immediate steps.