Giovanni, I'm so sorry for your loss and the frustration you must be feeling about missing out on these benefits for so long. You're absolutely not alone - this happens to far too many people. One thing I want to emphasize that's been touched on but bears repeating: even though you'll face earnings test reductions now, filing for survivor benefits at 63 while working is often still the right financial move. Here's why: 1) The survivor benefit amount is based on what your husband would have received at his full retirement age, not reduced for early claiming like your own benefit would be 2) Even with earnings test withholding, you're establishing your claim and will get credit for those withheld amounts later 3) Most importantly, this allows your own retirement benefit to keep growing with delayed retirement credits until age 70 I'd also suggest asking your SSA representative to run projections showing your total lifetime benefits under different scenarios - taking survivor benefits now vs. waiting, when to potentially switch to your own benefit, etc. Having those numbers in black and white can help you make the best decision. The system really should do better at notifying people about benefits they're eligible for. Your story will hopefully help others who might be in similar situations. Best of luck with your appointment!

Giovanni, I'm so sorry for your loss and what you've been going through. Your situation really highlights how broken the notification system is - it's unconscionable that SSA doesn't proactively reach out to people about benefits they're entitled to. I wanted to add one more strategy consideration that might be relevant: since you're planning to work until at least 67, you might want to calculate whether it makes sense to delay applying for survivor benefits until you reach your full retirement age (when the earnings test disappears entirely). At that point, you'd get 100% of your survivor benefit with no earnings restrictions, and you could still let your own retirement benefit grow until 70 if that would be higher. The trade-off is losing the partial payments you'd get now (after earnings test reductions) versus waiting for full payments in a few years. Given that you've already missed 11 years, waiting another 4 years might actually maximize your lifetime benefits - especially since you're earning $85k which would significantly reduce your current payments anyway. Definitely ask your SSA rep to run the numbers both ways: applying now with earnings test vs. waiting until FRA. The math might surprise you! Also, document everything at your appointment and don't be afraid to ask for a second opinion or supervisor if anything seems unclear. You've waited this long - make sure you get it right going forward.

I'm new to this community and wanted to add my experience to this incredibly helpful discussion! I'm 60 and have been on SSDI for about 5 years now. My husband just turned 65 and is considering when to file for his retirement benefits. Like everyone else here, I was initially hopeful that I could switch to spousal benefits early since his projected benefit is significantly higher than my current SSDI payment of around $1,400/month. After reading through all these detailed responses, I now understand why I need to wait until my FRA at 67. What really drove the point home was learning about how severe those early filing penalties would be - it sounds like they would completely wipe out any advantage from the higher spousal benefit amount. One question I have for those who've been through this process: should my husband wait until his FRA at 66 and 8 months to file, or would it be okay for him to file now at 65? I'm wondering if his early filing would affect my future spousal benefit calculation when I reach 67. The timing coordination between spouses seems like another layer of complexity to navigate! Thanks to everyone for sharing such detailed, real-world experiences. This thread has been more educational than hours of trying to decode SSA materials!

As someone new to this community, I wanted to share my own experience and thank everyone for this incredibly informative discussion! I'm 57 and have been receiving SSDI for about 3 years now (getting around $1,350/month). My husband is 63 and we've been trying to figure out the optimal timing for his retirement filing. Like so many others here, I initially thought there might be a way to access spousal benefits early since his projected benefit will be much higher than my current SSDI. But after reading through all the real-world experiences shared in this thread, it's crystal clear that waiting until my FRA at 67 is the only smart financial move. Those early filing reduction penalties would essentially eliminate any advantage. What I find most valuable about this discussion is hearing from people who actually went through this process rather than trying to interpret the confusing SSA website materials. The practical tips about setting up a my Social Security account in advance, calling 3 months before FRA, and asking representatives to walk through calculations are incredibly helpful. One thing I'm still figuring out is whether my husband should file at his FRA or wait even longer to maximize delayed retirement credits. Since I have 10 more years until my FRA, we have some time to strategize, but it's good to understand all the moving pieces now. Thank you all for creating such a comprehensive resource - this thread should be required reading for anyone dealing with SSDI and spousal benefit planning!

One thing that might help with the payment timing is to set up a small emergency buffer in your checking account if possible. I learned this the hard way when I first retired - having even just $200-300 extra cushion made the transition to the Wednesday payment schedule much less stressful. Also, if you use online banking, most banks will let you schedule your bill payments to go out automatically a day or two after your SS deposit hits. Takes the guesswork out of timing everything perfectly. The first few months of retirement take some adjustment, but you'll get into a rhythm with the payment schedule pretty quickly!

As someone who just went through this process last year, I wanted to add that you can actually check your exact payment date in advance by creating a my Social Security account online at ssa.gov. Once you're signed up for benefits, it shows your specific payment schedule for the entire year. This was super helpful for me because I could plan out my budget months in advance and coordinate with my bank about automatic bill pay timing. Also, if there's ever a federal holiday that falls on your normal payment Wednesday, they typically pay the day before - but the online account will show you those adjusted dates too. The my Social Security portal is really underutilized but has tons of useful info once you get it set up!

I'm so sorry for your loss, Ravi. Dealing with Social Security paperwork while grieving is incredibly difficult, but you're asking all the right questions. Yes, both your mother and stepmother can absolutely receive survivor benefits from your father's record. This is one of those situations where Social Security actually works in favor of families - multiple survivors can collect without reducing each other's benefits. Here's what you need to know: - Your mom qualifies as a divorced spouse (15-year marriage exceeds the 10-year minimum, and she never remarried) - Your stepmom qualifies as the surviving widow (married at time of death) - Both must apply separately using Form SSA-10 - Each will need: death certificate, their marriage certificate, and your mom will also need the divorce decree Important timing consideration: Your mom at 67 can get 100% of the survivor benefit, but your stepmom at 62 would only get about 81% if she claims now. If your stepmom can wait until her full retirement age (around 66-67), she'd get the full amount. Before applying, both should check their own benefit estimates on my.ssa.gov to make sure survivor benefits would actually be higher than their own retirement benefits. The process can be frustrating with phone wait times, but don't give up. Your father worked hard for these benefits, and both women are entitled to them. Take care of yourself during this difficult time.

I'm deeply sorry for your loss, Ravi. Losing a parent is never easy, and having to navigate Social Security benefits during such a difficult time adds extra stress to an already overwhelming situation. The great news is that both your mother and stepmother can absolutely receive survivor benefits from your father's record simultaneously. This is actually one of the more family-friendly aspects of Social Security - multiple qualified survivors can draw benefits without reducing what the others receive. Your situation breaks down like this: - Your mom qualifies for divorced spouse survivor benefits (married 15 years, which exceeds the 10-year requirement, and never remarried) - Your stepmother qualifies as the surviving widow (married to your father at the time of his death) Both will need to apply separately using Form SSA-10 and provide the necessary documentation: death certificate, their respective marriage certificates, and your mom will also need the divorce decree. One crucial point about timing: your mom at 67 can receive the full 100% survivor benefit, but your stepmother at 62 would only receive about 81% if she claims immediately. If your stepmother can afford to wait until closer to her full retirement age (66-67), she'd get significantly more. Before either applies, I'd strongly recommend they both check their own estimated benefits on my.ssa.gov to ensure the survivor benefits would actually be higher than their own retirement benefits - SSA pays whichever is higher, but not both. Your father earned these benefits through years of hard work, and both women are absolutely entitled to them. Take care of yourself during this process.

Great question about spousal benefits! I went through something very similar with my husband. When he filed at his full retirement age, I was already collecting my own reduced benefit from filing early. The SSA automatically calculated my spousal benefit and sent me a letter about 2 months later with the increase. One thing I'd add that others haven't mentioned - make sure to review your annual Social Security statements once this kicks in. They should show both your own benefit and the spousal supplement clearly. Also, if your wife is still working part-time and earning income, keep in mind the earnings test might still apply to her benefits until she reaches her full retirement age, which could temporarily reduce the spousal portion. The process was pretty smooth for us overall, but I definitely recommend keeping copies of all correspondence from SSA during this transition period. Good luck with your retirement filing!

For 2025, the earnings test limit is $23,400 annually (or $1,950 monthly) for beneficiaries under their full retirement age. If your wife earns more than this from her part-time work, they'll reduce her benefits by $1 for every $2 over the limit. This applies to both her own retirement benefit AND any spousal benefit increase she receives. However, these aren't permanent reductions - once she reaches her full retirement age, SSA will recalculate and give her credit for any months benefits were withheld due to earnings. Given that she's working 15 hours a week in retail, you'll want to estimate her annual earnings and factor this into your planning. The SSA website has a good earnings test calculator, or you can discuss the specifics when you file your application.