WAIT A MINUTE - are you getting YOUR OWN Social Security now? Because if you're not, you should consider filing for JUST Medicare at 65 but WAITING to file for Social Security!!! Every month you wait past FRA adds to your benefit amount! Don't leave that money on the table!!!

Since we've confirmed you don't qualify for ex-spouse survivor benefits due to the 7-year marriage duration, let me offer some constructive advice for maximizing your own Social Security: 1. If you can wait until 70 to claim, your benefit will be 132% of your FRA amount 2. Make sure SSA has all your correct earnings history - check your earnings record online through your my Social Security account 3. If you're still working, even part-time, higher earnings now could potentially increase your benefit calculation 4. Consider whether filing a restricted application might benefit you if you were born before January 2, 1954 These strategies can help compensate for not qualifying for ex-spouse benefits. The 10-year marriage rule is indeed strictly enforced for divorced spouse benefits with essentially no exceptions for marriages that ended in divorce.

I waited FOREVER to get my first payment when I applied at 67 last summer. The online system is a mess. I finally called my congressman's office and they have a special liaison who helps with SS problems. Payment arrived two weeks later. Just saying, that's an option if it drags on too long.

Just checking in - any updates? Has your payment arrived yet?

One thing nobody's mentioned: check with your state about Medicaid if you have it as a Medicare supplement. Work earnings might affect that before your SSDI. Also ask your employer if they offer health insurance - might be cheaper than Medicare premiums if you're working part-time.

I went back to work after 2 years on disability (not nursing, office work). The most important thing is DOCUMENT EVERYTHING!! Write down every call to SSA with date, time, who you spoke to, and what they said. I got conflicting info from 3 different SSA reps and the only way I protected myself was showing I'd followed the guidance I was given. Good luck!

For anyone struggling to reach SSA by phone, I've had several clients use a service called Claimyr that helps get through to a Social Security representative much faster. Basically it navigates the phone system for you and calls you back when a representative is on the line. You can check it out at claimyr.com and they have a video demo showing how it works: https://youtu.be/Z-BRbJw3puU It's especially helpful when you need specific answers about your personal situation like calculating benefit scenarios or understanding how stopping work would affect your specific benefit amount.

Going back to your original questions: 1) If you stop working now, your SS benefit will be based on your highest 35 years of earnings. With 33 years of work history, you'd add 2 years of zeros to your calculation. This will lower your benefit some, but probably not drastically. 2) You can create a my Social Security account and use the retirement calculator to see exactly how different scenarios would affect your benefit amount. 3) When you file for benefits, you'll automatically receive either your own retirement benefit OR the spousal benefit (up to 50% of your husband's PIA), whichever is higher. 4) If your husband passes away, you'd be eligible for survivor benefits equal to 100% of his benefit amount (including any delayed retirement credits if he waited past FRA to claim). You absolutely can receive benefits based on your own record if that amount is higher than the spousal benefit. Your work history counts!

I had a question about your sister's situation - since she's 63, is she getting reduced benefits by claiming before her FRA? I'm trying to decide whether to take my spousal benefits at 62 or wait until my full retirement age at 67 to get the full 50%. Did your sister consider waiting?

Thank you for sharing this success story! I've been so discouraged lately with my own SSA issues. This gives me hope. Did you need to involve a lawyer at any point in the process? I'm wondering if I should hire one for my case.

The REAL QUESTION is how they're going to pay for this!!! Repealing GPO/WEP would cost billions and SS is already headed for trouble. They'll probably just increase the debt more or raise taxes on everyone. Nothing is free - we'll all end up paying for it one way or another.

I just went through all this with my financial advisor last week. Here's what she told me (I'm also a former teacher with pension): 1) The current GPO reduces spousal/widow benefits by 2/3 of your government pension 2) Most pending legislation would phase out GPO over 5 years (20% reduction each year) 3) For spouses, there's NO benefit to waiting beyond FRA - you get 50% of your spouse's PIA at FRA 4) For survivor benefits (after spouse dies), there IS benefit to waiting up to age 70 5) Keep good records of your pension and SS communications Her advice was to wait until FRA to avoid the early filing reduction. In your case at 65.5, it's only about a 6% reduction, so if you need the money now and GPO is repealed, it might be worth taking slightly reduced benefits.

All this FRA and earning limit stuff is why I just waited until I fully stopped working to claim SS!!! The rules are IMPOSSIBLE to understand and I was terrified of messing up and owing them money later. SSA is the WORST at explaining their own rules clearly!!! 😡😡😡

My sister just went through this! Very important - make sure you tell Social Security your EXACT planned retirement date when you apply. She told them she'd work until June but then decided to quit in February, and didn't notify them. They kept withholding benefits based on her original income estimate and it took months to fix. Just keep SSA updated on any changes to your work plans!

One more important consideration: if your child qualifies for benefits on your record, they would receive up to 50% of your PIA (your full retirement age amount) even if you file early. However, there's something called the "family maximum" that limits the total amount your family can receive on your record (typically 150-180% of your PIA). So, maximizing your own benefit could potentially increase what your child receives too. Regarding working while collecting: I'd recommend sitting down and calculating exactly how much you plan to earn after claiming benefits. If it's significantly over the earnings limit, it might make sense to wait until your FRA to avoid the penalty.

I KNOW YOU DON'T WANT TO HEAR THIS but waiting until 70 would give you 24% MORE than filing at 67 (your FRA). That's a PERMANENT increase for life! I filed at 67 and now at 75 I'm watching my friend who waited collect WAY MORE every month. It's hard to work longer but the math doesn't lie.

anyone else notice how the SSA website NEVER works right?? they expect seniors to figure out this garbage system when half the links dont work and nothing is clearly labeled. my dad is 72 and theres NO WAY he could navigate this mess without help. and they wonder why the offices are always packed!!

Update: I was able to get through to SSA this morning! Called right at 8am using the "check application status" option as suggested. Only waited about 10 minutes. The representative was very helpful and deleted my expired application. She said I can start a new one immediately, which I just did. Thanks everyone for your help!

To answer your question about how long our DAC application took - it was about 4 months total. But what really helped speed things up was having an appointment at our local SSA office rather than just trying to do everything by phone or online. The SSA worker at our in-person appointment was able to look at our documentation right there and tell us what else we needed. I'd recommend scheduling an appointment for your husband's retirement application and bringing all your son's documentation with you at the same time to discuss the DAC application process while you're there.

One more important point: Make sure your husband understands that by filing for his retirement, he's potentially triggering several benefits (his retirement, your son's DAC, and your CIC). He should consider whether filing at his current age maximizes your family's total benefits. Sometimes it's better for the higher-earning spouse to delay filing until 70 to maximize survivor benefits later, but with a disabled adult child in the picture, filing earlier could make sense to get DAC benefits started. This is why many families in your situation consult with a financial advisor who specializes in Social Security planning for special needs situations.