I'm glad to see you're getting some solid advice here! As someone who works with international benefit cases, I wanted to add a few practical tips for when the time comes: 1. Make sure your wife keeps her Mexican passport current - she'll need it for identity verification when applying for survivor benefits at the US Embassy. 2. Consider setting up a US bank account that offers good international wire transfer services now, rather than waiting. Some Mexican banks have partnerships with US banks that make transfers easier and cheaper. 3. Keep all your Social Security earnings records organized and accessible. The embassy will need documentation of your work history when processing her application. 4. If she does decide to give up her green card eventually, she should do it formally through USCIS rather than just staying away - this creates a clear paper trail that can actually help with benefit processing later. The totalization agreement really does make this much simpler than it used to be. Your 35+ years of contributions definitely put you in a strong position to provide for her future security.

Great question about banking! For US-Mexico transfers, I've had good experiences with Bank of America and Wells Fargo - they both have partnerships with Mexican banks that reduce transfer fees. BBVA is another option since they operate in both countries. For documentation, yes - keep those annual Social Security statements (Form SSA-1099), but also consider requesting a complete earnings record from SSA using Form SSA-7050-F4. This gives you a year-by-year breakdown of your covered earnings, which can be helpful if there are any discrepancies when your wife applies for benefits. One more tip: if your wife plans to maintain her green card, she should file US tax returns even while living primarily in Mexico. This helps establish her continuing ties to the US and can be useful documentation for both immigration and Social Security purposes. The foreign earned income exclusion can help minimize any US tax liability on her Mexican income. The fact that you're planning this out now really shows you care about her future security - that's wonderful to see!

As a newcomer to this community and the Social Security benefits system, this thread has been absolutely crucial for my understanding! I'm 63 and just started collecting early retirement benefits a few months ago while working part-time. Like so many others here, I had zero awareness that PTO payouts would count toward the earnings limit - this is the kind of vital information that really needs to be communicated more clearly when you first apply for benefits. The tracking systems and proactive approaches everyone has shared are game-changing. I'm definitely implementing the spreadsheet method with quarterly reviews that multiple members have recommended. What strikes me most is how experienced members emphasize getting ahead of these issues rather than reacting after the fact. The advice about discussing timing flexibility with HR is something I never would have considered, but it makes complete sense that employers might accommodate requests when you explain the Social Security benefit implications. I'm planning to schedule a thorough discussion with my HR department about all forms of compensation throughout the year - bonuses, merit increases, policy changes, anything that could impact my annual earnings calculation. It's frustrating that managing this system requires such careful monitoring on our part, but I'm incredibly grateful for this community where people share their hard-earned knowledge to help newcomers avoid potentially costly mistakes. This single thread has likely saved me from a significant oversight!

As a newcomer to both this community and Social Security benefits, this discussion has been incredibly educational! I'm 64 and just started collecting early retirement benefits while still working part-time. Reading about the PTO payout situation really caught my attention because my company is also undergoing policy changes that could affect accumulated time off. Like many others here, I had no idea that vacation payouts would count toward the earnings limit - this definitely wasn't clearly explained during my benefits application process. The systematic tracking approaches everyone has shared are invaluable, especially the spreadsheet method with quarterly check-ins. I'm particularly interested in the advice about talking to HR regarding payment timing flexibility. It never occurred to me that companies might be willing to adjust payout schedules when you explain the Social Security implications. I'm planning to have a proactive conversation with my HR department about any upcoming compensation changes or policy modifications that could impact my annual earnings calculation. The emphasis on being conservative and building in buffers rather than cutting it close to the $22,320 limit makes a lot of sense given all the potential unexpected payments that can come up. Thanks to everyone for sharing their real-world experiences - this community is helping newcomers like me navigate what feels like a minefield of regulations and avoid potentially expensive mistakes!

I'm so sorry for your loss, Peyton. As a newcomer to this community, I wanted to chime in because I recently helped my aunt navigate a very similar situation when she applied for widow's benefits at age 61. The consensus here is absolutely correct - you WILL receive the COLA increase starting with your January 2025 payment, even though you're a new beneficiary. The $1,874 estimate they provided likely doesn't include the 2025 COLA since it won't be announced until October 2024. What really helped my aunt was keeping a simple folder with all her SSA correspondence and creating a timeline of important dates: her application date, when the COLA would be announced (mid-October), when to call for an updated estimate (November), and when her first payment should arrive (January). This helped reduce her anxiety about the whole process. One additional tip from our experience - when you do call in November for that updated estimate, ask them to walk you through exactly how they calculated your benefit amount. My aunt found it really helpful to understand the 71.5% reduction factor for taking widow's benefits at 60, and it gave her confidence that everything was calculated correctly. You're asking all the right questions and planning ahead beautifully. The community here has given you excellent advice, and I hope everything goes smoothly with your application!

Welcome to the community, Peyton! I'm sorry for your loss and can understand how overwhelming all the Social Security details can feel during an already difficult time. Everyone here has given you excellent advice about the COLA - yes, you'll definitely receive it starting with your January payment, and the $1,874 estimate probably doesn't include it yet since the 2025 COLA won't be announced until October. As a newcomer who recently went through something similar with my grandmother's survivor benefits, I wanted to add one small tip: when you call SSA for that updated estimate in November, consider asking them to send you a written confirmation of the new amount via mail. Sometimes it's helpful to have that documentation for your records, especially when you're dealing with so many moving pieces during this transition. The community here is fantastic for navigating these Social Security questions, and it sounds like you're being very proactive about planning ahead. That's going to serve you well throughout this process. Best wishes with everything!

As someone who works in benefits administration, I wanted to add a few practical tips for your application process. First, when you apply online in March/April, make sure to save your confirmation number and print out your receipt page - you'll want this for your records and any future correspondence with SSA. Second, about two weeks after you submit your application, you should receive a letter acknowledging receipt. If you don't get this letter, definitely follow up because it means something may have gone wrong with your submission. Third, approximately 4-6 weeks before your first payment date (so around late June/early July), you should receive your official award letter that shows your exact monthly benefit amount and confirms your payment schedule. This letter is important for tax planning and Medicare coordination. Finally, I'd recommend setting up text or email alerts with your bank for deposits, especially for that first payment in August. Sometimes people worry when they don't see the payment immediately and end up calling SSA unnecessarily. With your July 15th birthday, that payment should hit your account on Wednesday, August 20th, 2025. You've made an excellent financial decision waiting until 70 - those delayed retirement credits are truly the best guaranteed return available today!

This thread has been incredibly informative! As someone approaching 70 myself (turning 70 in October 2025), I've been researching this exact same question about timing. It's so helpful to see real experiences from people who've actually gone through the process. One thing I wanted to add that might be useful - I recently attended a Social Security workshop at our local senior center, and the presenter emphasized the importance of having all your documentation ready before you start the online application. They recommended gathering your birth certificate, W-2s from the last few years, military discharge papers (if applicable), and your most recent tax return before beginning the process. The presenter also mentioned that if you've ever had your name changed (through marriage, divorce, etc.), having those legal documents ready can prevent delays in processing. Since we've all waited this long to maximize our benefits, the last thing we'd want is a paperwork delay holding up that first payment! Thanks to everyone for sharing their experiences - this community is such a valuable resource for navigating these important decisions. The peace of mind from reading about successful applications and knowing what to expect is priceless!

I'm dealing with a very similar situation and your post really resonates with me! I'm 64 and have been on early retirement benefits for about two years. Like you, I work part-time (at a local bookstore) and got caught off guard this year when some unexpected overtime during our holiday rush pushed me over the earnings limit. What I've learned from my research and talking to others here is that your FRA year (2026) will definitely be more manageable. You'll get that higher earnings limit (likely around $59,000-60,000) that only applies to your January-July earnings, and the penalty rate drops from $1-for-$2 to $1-for-$3 if you do go over. Plus once you hit FRA in July, you're completely free from earnings limits forever! For your current $1,240 overage, they'll probably withhold around $620 from your early 2026 benefits, but you should get advance notice. One thing I'm planning to do differently next year is have a conversation with my manager about getting advance notice of busy periods so I can make informed decisions about extra shifts. The tracking spreadsheet idea that others mentioned sounds really smart too. I'm going to start monitoring my earnings monthly instead of just hoping I stay under the annual limit. It's frustrating to navigate these rules, but we're both so close to FRA when all this stress goes away permanently. Hang in there!

I'm also approaching my FRA next year (turning 67 in August 2026) and have been dealing with similar earnings limit stress! What really helped me prepare was calling SSA in October to get specific information about my situation. They confirmed that for 2026, the earnings limit for the months before FRA will be around $59,520, and crucially, they only count earnings from January through July (the month before I reach FRA). One thing I learned that might help you: if you're concerned about going over the limit again next year during your busy spring season, you can actually request that SSA temporarily suspend your benefits for specific months when you know you'll be earning more. This gives you more control than having them surprise you with withholdings later. Also, make sure you understand both the annual AND monthly tests for your FRA year. Even if your total January-July earnings are under $59,520, if you earn more than about $4,960 in any single month before FRA, they might still withhold benefits for that specific month. The good news is that July 2026 will be here before you know it, and then you can work unlimited hours without any penalties! I'm counting down the days myself. All these calculations and stress will finally be behind us.