Based on the discussion so far, here's a clear strategy for your situation: 1. Apply for your own retirement benefits now at 65 (understanding you'll receive about 93.3% of your full benefit due to early filing) 2. Gather your documentation for survivor benefits (death certificate, marriage certificate, his SSN) 3. At your Full Retirement Age (66+4 months), check with SSA to determine if the survivor benefit would be higher than your current retirement benefit 4. If survivor benefits would be higher, apply to switch at that time This approach ensures you don't delay current income while potentially maximizing your lifetime benefit. The fact that your husband worked in non-covered employment makes the calculation more complex (due to potential GPO/WEP adjustments), but this strategy gives you the best of both worlds.

When you apply for retirement benefits, the SSA will ask if you've ever been married and if any spouse has died. Be honest about this, but you can explain that you want to apply for your own benefits now and potentially survivor benefits later. They'll make a note in your record. Just be clear about your intention, and they'll process your retirement claim without waiting for the survivor documentation.

my mom has alzheimers and its been 2 years that im her payee. get ready for paperwork!! they send the form every year and u have to show where the money went. keep reciepts for big purchases they might ask for proof

Here's a step-by-step process for becoming your mother's representative payee: 1. Call SSA at 1-800-772-1213 to schedule an appointment (or use their online appointment scheduler) 2. Complete Form SSA-11 (Representative Payee Application) 3. Gather supporting documents: your ID, your mother's ID, her Social Security card, and any medical documentation about her condition 4. Attend the interview (with your mother if possible) 5. If approved, SSA will begin sending her benefits to you, typically via direct deposit After approval, you'll need to: - Keep detailed records of how benefits are spent - Complete the annual Representative Payee Report - Notify SSA of any changes in either your or your mother's circumstances - Maintain a separate account for her benefits if possible This process specifically applies to Social Security benefits management.

My sister jst went thru all this last year - the SS people told her she shud wait till FRA (her full retirement age) to file for anything bcuz then she'd get the maximum. The rules are super complicated tho, they change all the time + every situation is different. Best thing is to actually talk to SS directly about YOUR specific case. Might have to wait on hold forever but its worth it.

Thank you all so much for the helpful information! I've learned so much from this discussion. Based on everything shared, I think I'm going to: 1. Schedule an appointment with SSA to get exact benefit calculations for different scenarios 2. Consider that my ex won't even be eligible to file for 7+ years (when he's 62+) 3. Remember that remarriage would eliminate spousal benefits but not survivor benefits 4. Factor in the WEP/GPO phase-out timeline for my pension The timing elements are particularly important - I hadn't fully considered the age gap between me and my ex. Even if I stay single, I can't get spousal benefits until he files, which is years away. It's a lot to consider, but I feel much better informed now. I appreciate everyone sharing their experiences and knowledge!

Just to add some important information that hasn't been mentioned yet: when you apply, make sure you specifically ask for the "Restricted Application for Divorced Spouse Benefits" form if that's what you want. Sometimes the representatives don't automatically offer this option. Also, when calculating the benefit amounts, remember that your ex's PIA is what he would receive at his FRA (probably 66+some months for his age cohort), NOT what he will receive at 70 with delayed retirement credits. The 50% spousal benefit (or reduced amount if you claim early) is based on his PIA amount, not his age-70 increased amount. Even with those clarifications, I would strongly recommend getting a benefits calculation directly from SSA for your specific situation, as everyone's earnings history creates unique scenarios.

To clear up some confusion about restricted applications: 1. For most people born after January 1, 1954, restricted applications are no longer available due to the deemed filing rules established in the 2015 Bipartisan Budget Act. 2. There is no special "Restricted Application for Divorced Spouse Benefits" form anymore - when you apply for any retirement benefits before FRA now, you're automatically deemed to have applied for all benefits you're eligible for. 3. The confusion stems from transitional rules that applied to people born before January 2, 1954, who could still use restricted application strategies. But those individuals are all past FRA now (70+ in 2024). For the original poster turning 62 in 2025, deemed filing rules apply. When she files, SSA will calculate both her own retirement benefit and her divorced spouse's benefit (both reduced for early filing), and pay whichever is higher - not both.

I WENT THROUGH THIS EXACT THING!!! The SSA incorrectly told me I qualified when my ex died, then 6 months later said I didn't because we were only married 9 years and 10 months!!! They made me pay back ALL THE MONEY with interest! Your friend needs to be 100% sure before applying. The 10-year rule is strict and they count to the exact day. If they were married 8 years there's no way she qualifies as a surviving divorced spouse.

I need to correct my earlier response. I confused the 9-month duration requirement for current spouses with the requirement for divorced spouses. For divorced spouse survivor benefits, the 10-year marriage duration does apply. I apologize for the confusion. Your friend should still contact SSA directly to discuss her options, but based on an 8-year marriage, she likely won't qualify for survivor benefits on her ex's record.

APPLY ASAP!! The SSA is deliberately understaffed and they WILL lose your paperwork or claim they never received something! My retirement was delayed by almost 5 months because they claimed I never sent my birth certificate (I DID - with tracking!) Then they told me I had to reapply from scratch! THE WHOLE SYSTEM IS DESIGNED TO DENY BENEFITS WE PAID FOR OUR WHOLE LIVES!!!

For your April benefits (since your birthday is March 12th), applying now is perfect timing. For documents, they usually just need to see the originals if you apply in person, or uploads/copies if applying online. They'll notify you if they need anything else. Also, an important tip: Create your "my Social Security" account online before applying if you haven't already. This lets you track your application status and eventually view/manage your benefits. It's much easier to set this up before you're in the middle of the application process.

Just adding that if you can't find your marriage certificate, you can sometimes get help from funeral homes too. When my husband passed they helped me get copies of our marriage certificate and his death certificate as part of their services. might be worth asking if you used a funeral home.

One last thing - when you do apply for survivor benefits, bring both your marriage certificate AND your husband's death certificate to your appointment. If you're applying online, you'll need to upload both. Sometimes they also want to see your birth certificate to verify your age, so have that ready too.

just wanted to add that if u do go over the limit at some point, they don't immediately reduce your check. they usually do it later after they process your tax return info. so don't panic if u go over and dont see a change right away. my brothers check got reduced almost a year after he went over the limit!

One final point about the monthly test versus annual test: After your first year on benefits, Social Security will automatically switch you to the annual test. You don't need to contact them for this change. So in 2025, they'll use the monthly test, and in 2026, they'll automatically use the annual test. For 2025, as long as you stay under $1,840 in January, you should be fine. For the rest of 2025, if you've fully retired, you won't have any earnings to worry about anyway. But if you do any part-time work later in 2025, you'll need to stay under the monthly limit for any month you work.

The callback system is supposed to hold your place in line, but honestly, I think they don't prioritize callbacks. I waited on hold for 1.5 hours yesterday before giving up, and today I tried the callback option. Still waiting after 4 hours!!! The whole system is BROKEN. They need to hire more people instead of making these stupid tech "solutions" that don't work!!

My wife used to work for SSA (retired last year). She says the callback system was implemented because of severe understaffing. They're trying, but there are literally hundreds of calls in queue at any given time at most offices. If you need to check on a disability application, try calling the national SSDI number instead of your local office - sometimes they can help faster.

I had a somewhat similar situation involving my sister's ex who moved to Costa Rica. When he passed away in 2022, we only found out through a mutual friend. The Costa Rican death certificate had to go through an authentication process called an "apostille" before SSA would accept it. Then there was another 2-month delay while they verified their marriage records. The most frustrating part was that we had to keep calling back because different SSA representatives gave conflicting information about what documents were needed. I spent so many hours on hold only to be disconnected or transferred to someone who couldn't help. My advice is to document EVERYTHING, keep multiple copies of all paperwork, and be extremely persistent. The survivor benefits were substantial though, so it was worth the effort.

One thing nobody's mentioned - if your ex is receiving Social Security payments in Thailand, the SSA requires proof of life periodically. They send questionnaires that must be completed to continue receiving benefits. If he doesn't respond, they investigate. This might eventually lead to discovering his death. Also, if he's a US citizen, the State Department should be notified of his death by Thai authorities. This doesn't always happen efficiently, but it's another potential notification channel. The bottom line is there's no guarantee the SSA will learn of his death promptly, so being proactive is your best approach.