btw if you do go to the ssa office bring EVERYTHING with you - birth certificate, ss card, photo id, tax returns, everything!!! they always ask for something you dont have

One additional tip - you can actually apply online at ssa.gov which can be much more convenient than going to an office. The online application is available 24/7 and you can save your progress if you need to gather additional information. I applied online for my benefits and it was pretty straightforward. You'll still need to have your documents ready to reference while filling it out, but you won't have to physically bring copies unless they specifically request them later. Just make sure you have a my Social Security account set up first, as that makes the whole process smoother.

As a newcomer here, I wanted to add my voice to the chorus confirming that the SSA rep gave you completely wrong information! I'm actually going through a very similar situation right now - I'm 67 and lost my wife last year. I successfully filed for survivor benefits 3 months ago using exactly the strategy you're planning. The key thing that worked for me was being incredibly explicit about what I wanted. I literally said "I am filing ONLY for survivor benefits today. I do NOT want to apply for my own retirement benefits. I understand these are two separate applications and I will file for my own retirement benefits at age 70." I also found it helpful to mention that I was aware of the 2015 law changes but understood those only affected spousal benefits, not survivor benefits. This seemed to signal to the agent that I had done my research. Don't let them discourage you - your strategy is absolutely correct and will save you thousands of dollars over your lifetime compared to taking both benefits now. Just be prepared to politely but firmly correct any misinformation they give you during the call!

As a newcomer to this community, I wanted to share my perspective since I just helped my sister navigate this exact situation last month. The SSA representative you spoke with is definitely wrong - restricted applications for survivor benefits absolutely still exist and are completely legal. My sister is 65 and was widowed two years ago. She had the same plan as you: take survivor benefits now and switch to her own larger benefit at 70. When she first called SSA, the initial rep told her the same thing - that "restricted applications don't exist anymore." This is a common misconception among frontline staff who confuse the 2015 changes to spousal benefits with survivor benefits. Here's what worked for her: She called back and specifically said "I need to file a restricted application for widow's benefits only. I am NOT filing for my own retirement benefits at this time." When the second rep seemed uncertain, she asked to speak with a technical expert who immediately understood what she needed. The key is being very direct about what you want and not backing down if they seem confused. Your strategy is not only legal but financially smart - don't let misinformed staff derail your plan! Document everything during your call and get the agent's name and extension. If needed, don't hesitate to ask for a supervisor. You've got this! Stay confident in your research because you're absolutely right.

I just wanted to jump in as someone who's currently navigating this exact same situation! I'm turning 70 in December and have been stressing about that same delayed increase showing up in the SSA calculator. Reading through all these experiences has been such a relief - it's clear this timing quirk is completely normal and not something we need to worry about optimizing around. What really helped me understand it was the explanation about delayed retirement credits from the final year getting batch-processed in January. It's basically just an administrative delay, not an actual loss of benefits. I was overthinking it and wondering if I should wait until March to apply, but now I realize that would actually cost me money since credits stop accumulating at 70. I'm planning to apply next month and specify December 2025 as my start date. It's amazing how much stress can be relieved just by understanding that this confusion is universal - literally everyone seems to go through the same thing when approaching 70! Thanks to everyone who shared their experiences here. This thread has been incredibly valuable for understanding how the system actually works versus what the online calculator seems to suggest.

I'm so grateful I found this discussion! As someone who's about to turn 70 next year, I've been losing sleep over this exact same timing confusion with the SSA calculator. Reading through everyone's experiences here has been incredibly reassuring - it's clear that delayed increase showing up months later is just a normal quirk of how their system processes final delayed retirement credits. What really helped me understand it was learning that the January recalculation is actually a regulatory requirement to ensure accuracy, not some computer glitch or mistake on my part. I was overthinking this whole thing and wondering if I needed to time my application perfectly, but now I realize it's just about understanding their administrative process. Based on all the advice here, I'm planning to apply about 6-8 weeks before my 70th birthday and specify my birthday month as the start date. It's such a relief to know that the "delay" is purely administrative and that I won't lose any money - I'll get every penny I've earned, just with that quirky timing that seems to stress out literally everyone who goes through this process. Thanks to everyone who shared their real-world experiences. This community is amazing for getting practical insights that the official SSA materials just don't explain clearly enough!

I'm so grateful for this incredibly informative thread! I'm 62 and have been agonizing over whether to claim early while still working. Like so many others here, I had completely misunderstood how the earnings test works and thought any income over the annual limit would just wipe out benefits for the entire year. Learning about the grace year rule is absolutely revolutionary for my planning. The fact that SSA only looks at monthly earnings AFTER you retire in that first year makes early claiming so much more viable than I ever realized. I've been putting off this decision for months because I thought I'd essentially be throwing money away. What really bothers me is how poorly this rule is communicated. I've read through multiple SSA publications and even attended a Social Security seminar at my local library, and nobody ever mentioned this first-year exception. It seems like such crucial information for anyone considering early retirement while working. @Gemma Andrews - thank you especially for those practical tips about documentation and getting written confirmation. As someone who's never dealt with SSA before, I would never have thought to ask for a letter confirming they'll apply the monthly test. That advice alone could save me major headaches if there are system errors later. This community has provided more valuable, real-world guidance in one thread than I've gotten from hours of research elsewhere. Thank you all for sharing your experiences and knowledge!

As a newcomer to this community, I'm amazed by how helpful this discussion has been! I'm 64 and was completely overwhelmed trying to understand Social Security while still working part-time. The grace year rule is totally new information to me - I've been avoiding early claiming because I thought ANY earnings over the limit would eliminate benefits for the whole year. Reading that SSA only looks at post-retirement monthly earnings in that first year is incredibly reassuring and opens up possibilities I never considered. What's really striking is how many experienced members here were also unaware of this rule initially. It really shows how poorly SSA communicates these provisions. I've spent weeks reading their website and publications, and somehow this crucial information was never clearly explained. @Gemma Andrews - your documentation tips are invaluable, especially about getting written confirmation from SSA that they'll apply the monthly test. As someone who's never dealt with SSA before, I would never have thought to ask for that kind of protection. Thank you all for sharing such practical, real-world guidance. This thread has been more helpful than hours of trying to navigate official resources alone!

As a newcomer here, I want to say how helpful this discussion has been! I'm in a similar situation with my spouse and had no idea about the survivor benefit rules. One question I have after reading through all the responses: Is there a specific timeframe after a spouse passes away that the surviving spouse needs to apply for survivor benefits? I'm wondering if there's any risk of missing a deadline or if the switch to survivor benefits can happen automatically. Also, does the surviving spouse need to be receiving their own Social Security benefits already to be eligible for survivor benefits, or can someone who never claimed their own benefits still get survivor benefits?

Welcome to the community, Savannah! You've asked excellent questions that many people don't think about until they need to. To build on CyberNinja's response, I'd add a few important points: You actually have up to 2 years from the month your spouse dies to apply for survivor benefits without losing any back payments (not just 6 months). The 6-month rule applies to other types of benefits. Also, survivor benefits can start as early as age 60 (or age 50 if you're disabled), though they'll be reduced if claimed before your full retirement age. One strategy some widows use is to claim survivor benefits early if they're higher than their own projected benefit, then switch to their own benefit at age 70 if it would be higher due to delayed retirement credits. The opposite can also work - claim your own reduced benefit early, then switch to full survivor benefits later. The key is understanding which benefit would be higher at different ages and planning accordingly.