One other consideration: if you take your benefits at 62 and continue working before your FRA, you'll be subject to the earnings test. In 2025, if you earn more than $22,750, SSA will withhold $1 in benefits for every $2 you earn above that limit. After FRA, there's no earnings test. Just something to factor into your planning if you're still working.

Just wanted to add one more important detail that might help your planning - when you do eventually switch to survivor benefits, you can do it at any time after your husband passes, not just at your FRA. If you're already past FRA when he dies, you'd get the full survivor benefit immediately. But if you're younger than FRA, you can choose to take reduced survivor benefits right away OR wait until your FRA to get the full amount. This gives you flexibility based on your financial needs at the time. Given your age difference, this timing flexibility could be really valuable for your long-term planning.

I went through this exact situation about 6 months ago and can share my experience. My online estimate showed $1,847/month at age 62, and my actual first payment was $1,821 - so pretty darn close! The small difference was because I had one final paycheck that pushed my earnings slightly higher than what was in the system when I got the estimate. The key thing I learned is that the estimates are very accurate IF your work situation stays consistent with what they're projecting. Since you mentioned your construction work is slowing down and you might stop 8 months early, I'd definitely recommend getting that more detailed calculation Jasmine mentioned. In my case, stopping work a few months early didn't hurt much because I already had my 35 highest years locked in, but everyone's situation is different. The peace of mind from knowing the real numbers was worth the extra effort.

I'm in a very similar boat - also in construction and considering filing early due to family circumstances. This thread has been incredibly helpful! One thing I wanted to add from my research is that if you do decide to file at 62, make sure you understand the earnings test limits if you plan to do any work at all. For 2024, you can earn up to $22,320 without any benefit reduction, but they'll reduce your benefits by $1 for every $2 you earn above that limit. Since construction work can be sporadic and sometimes involves good-paying short-term projects, this could be something to factor into your decision. I've been tracking my MySocialSecurity estimates for the past year and they've been very consistent, which gives me more confidence in their accuracy. Thanks to everyone who shared their real experiences - it's so much more valuable than just reading the official SSA explanations!

I just went through this process last month and ended up doing a combination approach that worked really well. I started by creating my Social Security account online to review my earnings record first (as Jace suggested - great advice!). Found one missing year from a small employer in the 90s. I then called the SSA to get that earnings issue resolved before applying. Used that Claimyr service someone mentioned - definitely worth the small fee to avoid hours on hold. The agent was super helpful and got my earnings record corrected within a week. Finally, I completed my application online once everything was clean. The whole process from start to finish took about 3 weeks, and I felt confident everything was accurate. For someone in your situation, I'd recommend checking your earnings record first online, then deciding if you need to call with questions before applying. The online application really is straightforward if you don't have any complicated issues to resolve first.

I just completed my Social Security application process two months ago and wanted to share my experience. I initially planned to apply online but got nervous about making mistakes, so I ended up scheduling an in-person appointment at my local field office. The appointment was scheduled about 5 weeks out, which wasn't as bad as I expected. The representative was incredibly thorough and caught two issues I wouldn't have noticed: some missing quarters from a part-time job in the 80s and helped me understand how my pension from my teaching job would interact with my Social Security benefits. The whole appointment took about an hour, and she walked me through every section of the application. I left feeling completely confident that everything was accurate. My benefits were approved and started exactly when expected. For someone with a "standard" situation like you described, online is probably fine. But if you have ANY doubt about your work history, pension interactions, or just want the peace of mind of having an expert review everything, the in-person route is worth the wait. You're making a decision that affects the rest of your retirement - better to get it right the first time!

I wanted to add one more important point: If you're eligible for both your own retirement benefit and the ex-spouse benefit, SSA will pay your own benefit first, and then supplement it with the ex-spouse benefit if that would result in a higher total. This is called the "deemed filing" rule. So if your own benefit at 62 would be $800, and the ex-spouse benefit would be $1000, you'd receive your $800 plus an additional $200 to reach the higher amount. It's also worth noting that claiming early permanently reduces both your own retirement benefit and the ex-spouse benefit. The reduction factors are slightly different, but both are significant at age 62.

Just wanted to share my experience as someone who went through this exact situation two years ago. My ex-husband was also on SSDI when I applied for ex-spouse benefits at 62. The process took about 6 weeks from application to first payment, and you're right that his SSDI counts the same as retirement benefits for your calculation. One thing I wish someone had told me - even though you can't contact your ex directly, SSA can tell you during your appointment approximately what your benefit would be before you commit to filing. They won't tell you his exact amount, but they can give you a good estimate of what you'd receive. This helped me decide whether to file immediately or wait. Also, definitely try visiting your local SSA office in person if the phones aren't working. I had much better luck just walking in with all my documents. They were able to answer all my questions and process my application the same day. Good luck with your decision!

As a newcomer to this community, I want to thank everyone for this incredibly thorough discussion! I'm 60 and have been dreading trying to figure out my Social Security strategy with a state pension involved, but reading through all these experiences has given me a much clearer roadmap. The most valuable insight for me is learning that pension income doesn't count toward the earnings limit - I had been assuming it did and was planning my part-time work accordingly. That opens up more possibilities for staying somewhat active in the workforce after claiming benefits. I'm also grateful for the advice about scheduling face-to-face appointments rather than battling the phone system. Like several others mentioned, I've had terrible experiences trying to reach SSA by phone, but I hadn't considered that in-person appointments might be more accessible. One question for those who've been through this process: when you met with SSA in person, did they provide written documentation of their benefit calculations and WEP impacts, or was it mostly verbal information? I want to make sure I get something in writing that I can review and share with a financial advisor if needed. The complexity of coordinating pensions, WEP, potential survivor benefits, and claiming timing is honestly overwhelming, but this community discussion has made it feel much more manageable. Thanks to everyone for sharing their knowledge and experiences!

As someone who recently navigated this exact situation, I can confirm what others have said - your state pension absolutely does NOT count toward the Social Security earnings limit. That was such a relief when I learned it! The earnings test only applies to wages from actual work or self-employment income. However, I'd strongly encourage you to dig deeper into the WEP question before making your final decision about claiming at 62. You mentioned paying into Social Security at a "reduced rate" during your government job - this might mean you were actually covered by Social Security the whole time, which would mean WEP doesn't apply to you at all. Many state employees assume they'll be hit by WEP when they actually won't be. Also, given that you're widowed, definitely explore the survivor benefit option that others mentioned. Even if your own benefit would be reduced by taking it at 62, you might be able to switch to a higher survivor benefit at your full retirement age. This "claim and switch" strategy could potentially give you income now while preserving access to a larger benefit later. The my.ssa.gov website should show you estimated benefits, but for a complex situation like yours with the pension and potential survivor benefits, I'd really recommend scheduling an in-person appointment at your local Social Security office. They can run detailed calculations and give you exact numbers to work with. Much better than trying to guess or worry about worst-case scenarios!