This is such a helpful thread! I'm in a somewhat different situation but wanted to share in case it helps others. I was married for 12 years and my ex-husband is actually older than me. He started collecting his Social Security at 62 (he's now 65), and I just turned 62 last month. I was able to file for divorced spouse benefits immediately since he was already collecting. What surprised me was how smooth the process was once I had all my documents ready. I applied online through the SSA website and it took about 4 weeks to process. My advice for anyone preparing: definitely gather all your paperwork well in advance, and if you're close to the age milestone, consider doing a practice run through the online application to see what information you'll need. One thing that wasn't clear to me initially - they asked for the exact date of my final divorce decree, not just the month and year. Make sure you have that specific date handy when you apply. Also, they wanted to know if I had received any other government benefits, so be prepared to answer questions about things like unemployment, disability, or other Social Security benefits. The increase to my monthly payment was definitely worth the effort. Good luck to everyone waiting for their ex-spouses to reach 62!

I'm going through a very similar situation and this discussion has been incredibly enlightening! My ex-husband is 3 years younger than me and won't turn 62 until early 2027. We were married for 14 years, and I've been collecting my own modest retirement benefits for about 18 months now. One thing I wanted to ask - has anyone here had experience with getting an estimate of what their divorced spouse benefit might be before actually applying? I know SSA can provide benefit estimates, but I'm not sure if they can estimate the divorced spouse benefit amount without my ex's cooperation or knowledge. It would be helpful to know roughly what increase I might expect so I can plan my finances better. Also, I've been keeping detailed records of all my interactions with SSA representatives, including names, dates, and what they told me. Given how many people here have mentioned getting different answers from different reps, I figure having a paper trail might be useful when I eventually apply. Thanks to everyone for sharing your experiences and knowledge - this thread should be bookmarked by anyone dealing with divorced spouse benefits!

As someone who just went through this process last week, I wanted to add a few more practical tips! **Before your appointment:** - Download the SS-5 form from the SSA website and fill it out beforehand. You can bring it with you to save time. - Check if your local office offers early morning appointments - I got mine at 8:30 AM and there were way fewer people. **Day of appointment:** - Arrive 15 minutes early to check in, but don't stress if you're running late - they'll still see you. - The security screening process can take a few minutes, so factor that in. **After the appointment:** - They'll give you a receipt showing your new card is being processed - keep this safe! You can use it as temporary proof while waiting for the physical card. - Sign up for a my Social Security account online if you haven't already - you can track your application status there. The whole experience was way less stressful than I expected. The hardest part really is just getting the appointment scheduled. Once you're there, the staff know exactly what they're doing and will guide you through it. You've totally got this! 🙌

Hi Julia! I went through this exact process about 6 months ago and completely understand the nerves - it's totally normal to feel anxious about making sure you have everything right! Here's what I learned from my experience: **Essential documents:** - Original Social Security card (current one) - Certified copy of your name change document (marriage certificate, court order, etc.) - Current government-issued photo ID **Pro tips that helped me:** - Call your specific SSA office beforehand to confirm their document preferences - some are pickier than others - Bring a backup form of ID if you have one (I brought both my driver's license and passport) - Organize everything in a clear folder in the order you'll need them - Fill out Form SS-5 online before your appointment to save time **What to expect:** - Plan to wait longer than your scheduled appointment time (I waited about 45 minutes past my time slot) - The actual process once called in takes about 15-20 minutes - You'll get a receipt that serves as temporary proof while waiting for your new card - New card typically arrives in 7-14 business days The staff are really used to name changes and will guide you through everything. Once I actually got to the appointment, it was much easier than I'd built up in my head! You've got this! 💪

This entire thread has been absolutely incredible! As someone who's been lurking in this community for a while but never posted, I finally had to jump in because this discussion covers so many important aspects that I wish I had known when I started my own journey with Social Security and contract work. I'm 62 and was considering claiming early benefits while doing some part-time consulting in IT security. Reading through everyone's experiences has completely changed my approach. The strategic timing considerations, the importance of detailed record-keeping, and especially the substantial services test that Collins Angel mentioned - these are all things that could have seriously impacted my planning if I hadn't learned about them here. A few key takeaways that really stood out to me: - The quarterly check-in system Marilyn suggested for tracking earnings - Using retirement account contributions to reduce net self-employment income (brilliant strategy from Butch!) - The importance of milestone payments for project-based work - Being proactive with SSA communication rather than reactive I'm definitely going to use Claimyr when I need to contact SSA - the consistent positive reviews from multiple people here make it seem like a no-brainer investment. Thank you to everyone who shared their real-world experiences and expertise. This is exactly why community forums like this are so valuable - you get insights and practical advice that you simply can't find in official government publications. I feel so much more prepared now to make informed decisions about my own situation!

This has been such an educational thread! As someone who's been on the fence about claiming Social Security early while potentially doing some freelance consulting work, reading through all these experiences has been incredibly valuable. I'm particularly struck by how complex the timing and record-keeping requirements are - it's so much more than just "stay under the earnings limit." The substantial services test, the difference between when income is earned vs. received, the quarterly check-ins to track progress, keeping separate business accounts - there are so many moving pieces to manage properly. The Claimyr service keeps getting mentioned with such positive reviews that I'm definitely going to try it when I need to contact SSA. And the strategic approaches people have shared - like using retirement contributions to reduce net earnings and structuring milestone payments for projects - are brilliant ways to maximize income while managing the earnings test. One question I have: for those who've been through this process, how far in advance do you typically plan your consulting work calendar? It seems like having a good projection of annual earnings early in the year is crucial for making the right decisions about benefit timing and project scheduling. Thanks to everyone who's shared their real-world experiences here. This community is amazing for getting practical insights you just can't find in the official SSA materials!

One more thing to consider - if you're planning to work for several more years, you might want to check your annual Social Security Statement online at ssa.gov to see your complete earnings history. This will help you identify which years had the lowest earnings that could potentially be replaced by your current $84,000 salary. The SSA uses your highest 35 years of earnings (indexed for inflation) to calculate your benefit, so you can get a sense of whether your current work will meaningfully impact those calculations. Also, keep in mind that only earnings up to the Social Security wage base count each year - for 2025 that's $176,100, so your full $84,000 will count toward potential benefit increases.

Great question! I'm in a similar situation - turned 67 last year and kept working. The good news is that your benefits can definitely increase through the AERO process others mentioned. What I found helpful was creating a my Social Security account online and downloading my full earnings history to see which years might get replaced. In my case, I had some really low earning years in the early 90s when I was starting out, so my current salary of $75k is definitely going to boost those calculations. One tip: if you do call SSA (and I'd recommend trying that Claimyr service someone mentioned to avoid the hold times), ask them specifically about your "bend points" - that's the technical term for how they calculate your benefit increases. The rep I finally reached was really helpful in explaining how much my specific situation might improve. Also don't forget to factor in the tax implications like others said - but even with that, any increase is still extra money in your pocket!

I'm new to this community but wanted to share my recent experience since it's so similar to yours! I just went through this exact situation about 6 months ago when I retired at 67. Had a massive vacation payout (almost 300 hours!) and was terrified it would mess up my Social Security benefits. Like everyone else has confirmed, since you're past your Full Retirement Age, you have absolutely nothing to worry about regarding benefit reductions. The SSA doesn't care how much you earn once you've reached FRA - that earnings test is completely off the table for you. The one thing I wish I had prepared better for was the tax impact. That big lump sum pushed me into a higher tax bracket for the year and made a larger portion of my SS benefits taxable. Definitely recommend talking to a tax professional before the end of the year to see if there are any strategies to minimize the impact. But as far as your monthly Social Security payments go, you're golden! Congratulations on reaching this milestone - retirement is wonderful!

This is such great information for anyone approaching retirement! I'm still a few years away from my FRA, but I've been wondering about this exact scenario since I have quite a bit of vacation time saved up too. It's really helpful to see all the different perspectives and real experiences people have shared here. The key takeaway seems to be that once you reach your Full Retirement Age, the earnings test disappears completely - but the tax implications are definitely something to plan for. Thanks to everyone who shared their stories and advice. This community is incredibly valuable for navigating these retirement questions!