Just wanted to add my experience from applying about 3 months ago! One thing that really helped me was setting up a "Social Security application folder" on my computer desktop where I saved screenshots of all the key info I needed - employment dates, bank account details, etc. That way I could just alt-tab between the application and my notes without having to dig through physical papers. Also, if you're married and planning to apply for spousal benefits, double-check whether you want to apply for your own benefits, spousal benefits, or both. The application will walk you through this, but it's helpful to understand the basics beforehand. Sometimes you're eligible for both and they'll pay you the higher amount. One small thing - the application asks about any workers' compensation or other disability payments you've received. Even if it was years ago, have those approximate dates ready if applicable. The whole process really has gotten much smoother than it used to be. I was done in about 35 minutes and got my determination letter in just over 2 weeks. Much easier than I was expecting based on all the horror stories I'd heard! You're smart to prepare ahead of time - that's really the key to making it go smoothly.

As someone who recently helped my elderly father through this process, I wanted to share a few things that made a big difference for us: First, if you're close to your full retirement age, consider whether you want to start benefits immediately or delay them. Each year you delay past full retirement age (up to age 70), your monthly benefit increases by about 8%. The application will ask about your preferred start date. Second, have your tax information handy - not necessarily to upload, but they may ask about your income from last year, especially if you're still working. This helps them calculate any potential reductions in benefits. One thing that really helped was doing a practice run on the SSA website's benefit calculator first. It gave us a good sense of what to expect and helped identify any potential issues with his earnings record before starting the actual application. Also, if you run into any technical issues or need to speak with someone, I found that calling right at 8 AM when they open gives you the best chance of shorter wait times. The afternoons are brutal. The whole process took about 50 minutes for us, but having everything organized beforehand made it much less stressful. Good luck with your application!

I'm new to this community but wanted to share something that might help with your situation. My mother went through almost the exact same thing two years ago - her husband had claimed at 62, passed away at 68, and she was worried about getting reduced benefits. The SSA office initially told her she'd get his reduced amount, but after we pushed back and asked to speak with a supervisor, they corrected it. She ended up getting his full PIA, not the reduced benefit he was receiving. One thing that really helped us was bringing a printed copy of the SSA publication "Survivors Benefits" (Publication No. 05-10084) to the appointment. It clearly states the rules about survivor benefits not being reduced due to the deceased spouse's early claiming. Sometimes having the official documentation helps ensure you get the correct information. You can download it from the SSA website before your appointment. Also, I'd echo what others have said about comparing your own age-70 benefit. My mom's career was similar to yours (teacher for 30+ years) and she was shocked to discover her own benefit with delayed credits was actually $150 higher than the survivor benefit. Don't assume the survivor benefit is better - those years of waiting until 70 really pay off!

I'm so sorry for your loss, Anastasia. This thread has been incredibly educational - I had no idea that survivor benefits worked differently from regular retirement benefits in terms of early filing penalties. Reading through everyone's experiences and advice, it sounds like you're in a really good position having waited until 70. One thing I wanted to add that I don't think anyone has mentioned yet: if you do decide to go with your own retirement benefit instead of the survivor benefit, you can always switch to survivor benefits later if your circumstances change or if there are any cost-of-living adjustments that might make the survivor benefit more attractive in the future. The choice you make now isn't necessarily permanent for life. Also, I'd recommend creating a my Social Security account online if you haven't already - you can see your benefit estimates there and it might save you some time when you do speak with a representative since you'll have a better idea of your numbers going in. Good luck with your decision, and thank you to everyone who shared their knowledge in this thread!

I just want to add one more important consideration that I learned the hard way - make sure you understand exactly when your survivor benefits will start if you apply at 67. There can be a delay between when you file and when you receive your first payment, and the timing matters for your strategy. Also, keep detailed records of everything! When I was navigating this process after my spouse passed, having documentation of all my conversations with SSA representatives was incredibly helpful. Different reps sometimes gave slightly different information, so being able to reference previous conversations helped me stay consistent with my plan. Your strategy sounds exactly right based on what you've described. The fact that you're still working and have a solid earnings record puts you in a great position to maximize this approach. Just make sure to file for the survivor benefits a few months before you turn 67 so there are no delays in getting that income stream started while you wait for your own benefit to grow.

One more thing to keep in mind - if you're planning to continue working until 67 while collecting survivor benefits, make sure you understand how the earnings test works. Since you'll be at your FRA when you start collecting survivor benefits, your earnings won't reduce those benefits. But it's worth double-checking this with SSA since the rules can be tricky. Also, I'd recommend getting everything in writing when you speak with SSA representatives. You can request written confirmation of your benefit estimates and the timing for switching from survivor benefits to your own retirement benefit at 70. This creates a paper trail in case there are any questions or discrepancies later. Your approach is definitely one of the smartest strategies for maximizing lifetime Social Security income as a widow. The key is just making sure all the numbers work in your favor before you commit to the plan. It sounds like you're doing all the right research!

As someone who's been researching SSDI eligibility while dealing with my own chronic condition, I want to thank everyone who contributed their knowledge and experience to this thread. The misinformation and fear-mongering around disability benefits is really harmful to people who are already struggling. I've learned so much from reading the perspectives of the former SSA examiner, disability advocates, and people who've successfully gone through this process. The key insight that keeps coming up is that SSA evaluates your ability to perform "substantial gainful activity" consistently - not whether you can do any recreational activities with extensive accommodations. For anyone else reading this who might be in a similar situation: it sounds like the worst thing you can do is let fear drive you to complete isolation or dishonesty in your application. The accommodations, recovery time, and intermittent nature of any activities you can manage actually demonstrate your functional limitations rather than your capabilities. Keep taking care of your mental health while you navigate this process - you'll need all the resilience you can get. And definitely start that symptom journal that multiple people recommended. It seems like thorough documentation of your actual limitations is your best strategy for a successful claim.

As someone new to this community and currently preparing my SSDI application, I want to express how incredibly helpful this entire discussion has been. The fear and anxiety around potentially "disqualifying" activities has been consuming me for weeks, but reading all these professional perspectives and real experiences has completely shifted my understanding. The key insight that really clicked for me is that SSA evaluates your capacity for sustained work performance, not whether you attempt any activities at all. Your biking situation - requiring specialized equipment, medical preparations, recovery time, and being impossible on bad days - actually paints a clear picture of someone managing significant limitations, not someone who's work-ready. What strikes me most is how the professionals and people with successful SSDI experience all emphasize the same thing: be honest about EVERYTHING, including your coping mechanisms. The extensive accommodations you need just to bike occasionally would never be feasible in any work environment. I'm definitely implementing the symptom journal suggestion from this thread - documenting not just pain levels but preparation time, recovery needs, and days when activities aren't possible at all. This approach of showing HOW your condition affects everything you try to do seems much more strategic than trying to hide your attempts at maintaining mental health. Thank you to everyone who shared their expertise here, especially the former SSA examiner and disability advocates. You've helped transform what felt like an impossible choice between benefits and quality of life into a clearer understanding of how to document my actual limitations honestly.

I'm so glad I found this thread! I'm in almost the exact same situation - turning 67 in a few months and have been procrastinating on my retirement application because the whole process seemed so overwhelming. Reading everyone's detailed experiences with successfully using the save feature has been incredibly reassuring. The advice about doing a weekend "preview run" to see what questions are coming up is genius - I never would have thought of that but it's such a smart way to reduce anxiety. And I love the idea of taking screenshots as you go and creating that organized document with all your key info beforehand. One thing I'm curious about - for those who had to call SSA with questions, did you find it helpful to have your partially completed application in front of you when you called? I'm thinking it might be easier to reference specific sections or questions rather than trying to describe them from memory. Thanks to everyone for making this seem so much more manageable than I initially thought! This community is such a valuable resource.

I'm so grateful for all the detailed advice in this thread! I'm turning 66 next month and have been anxious about starting my retirement application online for weeks. Reading everyone's experiences has been incredibly helpful and reassuring. The save feature sounds like exactly what I need - I tend to be a perfectionist and knowing I can pause to double-check information or gather documents without losing my progress is such a relief. I'm definitely going to follow the advice about doing a weekend preview run first, then taking time during the week to organize all my documents before doing the real application. One quick question - when you save and get the re-entry number, does the system send you any reminders if you don't come back to complete it for a while? I'm worried I might get distracted by other things and forget to finish it within that 6-month window. Also, has anyone tried accessing their saved application from a different computer or device, or does it need to be the same one? Thanks again to everyone for sharing such practical and encouraging advice. This community has turned what felt like an insurmountable task into something that actually seems doable!