Smart choice waiting until FRA! I made the same decision last year and it was absolutely the right call. The peace of mind alone was worth it - no tracking earnings, no worrying about overpayments, no confusing letters from SSA. One tip for when you do apply in August: even though there are no earnings limits after FRA, SSA will still ask about your work plans on the application. Just be honest about continuing to work through October. They need this info for tax purposes and Medicare coordination, but it won't affect your benefits at all. Also, don't forget that your benefits will be subject to federal income tax if your combined income (including work earnings) exceeds certain thresholds. Might want to discuss tax withholding options with SSA when you apply, especially since you'll have work income through October.

Just want to add another perspective as someone who went through this decision process. I was in almost the exact same situation - turning FRA in July 2024 and debating whether to start benefits early while working part-time. I ended up starting benefits 3 months before my FRA, and honestly, it worked out fine for me. The key was being VERY conservative with my earnings estimates and staying well below the higher earnings limit ($56,520 in 2024 for those reaching FRA that year). I earned about $35,000 in those first 7 months and had no issues with benefit withholding. That said, I completely understand why you're choosing to wait until FRA - the peace of mind factor is huge! The earnings test rules are genuinely confusing even when you think you understand them. Plus, you'll avoid the permanent reduction factor that applies to early benefits. One thing I'd suggest: even though you're waiting until August, go ahead and create your my Social Security account online NOW if you haven't already. This will make the application process much smoother when the time comes, and you can use the benefit calculators to see exactly what your full benefit amount will be.

I'm getting so confused by all the different rules! Let me see if I understand correctly: 1. My husband can apply for spousal benefits based on my SSDI 2. He'll get either that OR his own benefit (whichever is higher) 3. If he claims at 63, he gets a reduced amount 4. If he's earning too much, they'll take some back So is there ANY advantage to him claiming early? Or should he just wait until his Full Retirement Age? His health isn't great either, so we're worried about waiting too long...

Hey Sean! I went through something similar with my parents a few years ago. One thing that really helped us was creating a simple spreadsheet to compare the scenarios: 1. What he'd get claiming his own benefit at 63 (reduced) 2. What he'd get claiming spousal benefit at 63 (35% of your PIA) 3. What he'd get waiting until his FRA for either option We plugged in his estimated earnings from part-time work and factored in the earnings test deductions. It made the decision much clearer when we could see the actual dollar amounts side by side. Also, since you mentioned his health concerns - that's definitely a factor to consider. The "break-even" analysis is important, but peace of mind and having income now can be worth the reduction if you're worried about future health issues. Have you been able to find out what your actual PIA is? That's the key number you need to calculate the spousal benefit amounts. It should be on your SSDI award letter or your my Social Security account.

I'm 65 and just went through this exact situation last year as a freelance photographer. Here's what I learned the hard way: SSA does distinguish between "employee" work and "self-employment" work, and the rules are definitely stricter for us self-employed folks. What saved me was creating a simple tracking system: I use a basic calendar app where I log start/stop times daily, plus a separate spreadsheet for income tracking. Every Sunday I total up my weekly hours and make sure I'm on track to stay under 40 hours for the month. The "substantial services" rule is real - I had a friend who got caught working 50+ hours even though his income was low, and SSA still considered it substantial work. They don't just look at your tax return; they can request detailed work logs during an audit. One tip: if you have months where you anticipate needing more hours, try to balance it with lighter months. I do more work in fall/winter and take it easier in summer to average out. Just make sure you document everything meticulously. The peace of mind is worth the extra paperwork!

I'm 62 and considering starting SS benefits early while continuing some freelance consulting work. Reading through all these responses has been incredibly eye-opening - I had no idea about the "substantial services" test for self-employed people! The distinction between W-2 employees (who only need to worry about earnings) versus self-employed folks (who have to track both earnings AND hours) is something I wish SSA made clearer on their website. It sounds like keeping detailed records from day one is absolutely critical. A few questions for those who've been navigating this successfully: 1. Do any of you use specific time-tracking software, or are simple spreadsheets sufficient? 2. When you say "skilled work" gets more scrutiny - does that apply to all professional services, or mainly management/supervisory roles? 3. Has anyone dealt with seasonal work patterns where some months are much busier than others? I'm leaning toward waiting until my FRA now after reading about all the potential complications, but if I do start early, I'll definitely keep it well under 35 hours/month to be safe. Thank you all for sharing your experiences - this thread has been more helpful than three calls to SSA!

I'm so sorry to hear about this situation with your mother's benefits. This is unfortunately incredibly common - I work as a social worker with seniors and see families discover missed survivor benefits all the time, sometimes years after the fact. A few additional things to consider for your appointment preparation: 1. If your mother has any hearing difficulties or gets overwhelmed easily in official settings, mention this upfront as it could support the "good cause" argument for late filing. 2. Consider bringing a trusted family member or friend as a witness to the appointment - having someone else hear the same information can be helpful if you need to reference the conversation later. 3. Ask specifically about "deemed filing" - sometimes when someone applies for survivor benefits, SSA can treat it as if they applied for all benefits they might be eligible for, which could potentially help with timing. 4. If your father had any periods where he delayed filing for his own Social Security (past his full retirement age), this could actually increase the survivor benefit amount your mother is entitled to, so mention his filing history if you know it. The fact that you're being so proactive and thorough in preparing for this appointment gives me hope that you'll get a positive outcome. Your mother is lucky to have such a dedicated advocate. Wishing you both the best of luck on Tuesday!

I'm a retired SSA employee and wanted to add something that might help with your Tuesday appointment. When you establish that protective filing date tomorrow, ask the representative to make a notation in your mother's record about the specific circumstances - that she was never informed about survivor benefits and continued receiving only her own benefit for three years. Also, bring documentation of your mother's current monthly expenses if you have it (utility bills, medical costs, etc.). While not required, showing the financial hardship caused by the delayed benefits can sometimes help with good cause determinations. One thing many people don't know is that survivor benefits can sometimes be higher than 100% of the deceased spouse's benefit if the deceased spouse had delayed retirement credits. Since your father was working past full retirement age, this could mean your mother is entitled to even more than his $2,850 monthly amount. Don't get discouraged if the first person you speak with seems unsure about the good cause provisions - ask to speak with a claims specialist or supervisor. The rules around late filing exceptions can be complex, and not all front-line staff are familiar with every provision. Your thorough preparation and advocacy will make a huge difference. Good luck on Tuesday!

This thread has been incredibly helpful! I'm in a similar boat - 62 and considering survivor benefits while still working part-time. The monthly vs annual earnings test distinction for the first year is something I had NO idea about. One question for those who've been through this - do they count gross earnings or net earnings toward the $23,400/$1,950 limits? And does this include things like tips or just W-2 wages? I work at a restaurant and get both hourly pay and tips, so I want to make sure I'm tracking the right numbers. Also, has anyone had success using the SSA's online earnings reporting tool, or is it better to call? Based on what I'm reading here about their phone system, I'm not optimistic about either option!

Just wanted to jump in as someone who's currently navigating this exact situation! I'm 63 and started survivor benefits last year while working part-time at a bookstore. The monthly vs annual earnings test in the first year is REAL and it's confusing as heck. What I learned the hard way: SSA uses the "grace year" rule, which means in your first year of benefits, if you stay under $1,950 in ANY individual month, you get full benefits for that month regardless of your annual total. This actually worked in my favor during the holidays when I picked up extra shifts but kept other months light. My advice: Set up a simple spreadsheet tracking your monthly gross earnings (include EVERYTHING - wages, tips, overtime, bonuses). I set my personal monthly limit at $1,900 to give myself a buffer. Better to be conservative than deal with overpayment notices! Also, don't stress too much about the year you reach FRA - once you hit that magic month in March 2026, the earnings test disappears completely and you can work as much as you want without any benefit reductions. That light at the end of the tunnel kept me sane during all the careful hour-tracking last year!