I don't think I can pay back everything! Ugh, I should have researched more before filing. I just assumed taking it at 62 was best because I needed the money then. Nobody told me about all these exceptions and special rules!

This is such valuable information! As someone new to navigating Social Security, I had no idea about the RIB/LIM rule. It's incredible that you were able to increase your monthly benefit by $1,250 just by knowing to ask about this specific provision. I'm wondering - for those of us who might face similar situations in the future, are there any resources you'd recommend for learning about these lesser-known rules? It sounds like even the SSA agents aren't always familiar with them, so it seems like we need to educate ourselves to be effective advocates. Also, congratulations on your successful claim! It must be such a relief to have that financial security, especially during what I'm sure is already a difficult time dealing with your loss.

I'm also a widow navigating this process and wanted to share what I learned from my experience. The lack of clear estimates from SSA before applying is incredibly frustrating - you're definitely not alone in feeling this way! One thing that helped me was contacting the National Organization of Social Security Claimants' Representatives (NOSSCR) to find a qualified attorney who specializes in Social Security benefits. Many offer free consultations for survivor benefits cases and can help you understand the timing implications without you having to file an application. Regarding the windexing calculation, I found that benefits estimated using the deceased spouse's earnings from 15+ years ago can be quite different from what you might expect. The indexing often results in higher benefits than simple percentage calculations would suggest, but the early claiming penalties can still significantly impact the final amount. Since you're working part-time and right at the earnings test threshold, you might also want to consider whether reducing your work hours slightly in the claiming year could help you avoid benefit reductions. Sometimes a small adjustment in income can make a meaningful difference in your net benefit. The family maximum issue that others mentioned is real - definitely get clarity on how your claiming might affect your son's DAC benefits before making any decisions.

I'm a newcomer here but went through this exact situation with my late spouse's benefits about 3 years ago. The advice about NOSSCR is spot-on - I ended up working with a Social Security disability attorney who also handled survivor benefits, and it made all the difference. One thing I learned that might help: you can actually request what's called a "hypothetical benefit calculation" from SSA if you frame it as needing the information for financial planning purposes. It's not guaranteed they'll provide it, but I had better luck when I explained I was trying to coordinate with my financial advisor for retirement planning. Also, regarding the family maximum - this was crucial in my case. When I started receiving survivor benefits, it didn't reduce my stepson's DAC benefits because we weren't hitting the maximum, but every situation is different. The attorney was able to help me understand exactly how the family maximum would apply before I filed. The windexing calculation really can result in significantly higher benefits than you might expect, especially for deaths that occurred 10+ years ago. In my case, my husband's indexed earnings were about 40% higher than his actual final year earnings due to wage growth indexing. Don't feel bad about needing professional help with this - the system is intentionally complex, and even some SSA employees don't fully understand all the nuances of survivor benefits with windexing.

I'm new to this community but wanted to reach out after reading your story, Beatrice. First, I'm so sorry for your loss - dealing with Social Security terminology while grieving sounds incredibly overwhelming. Your "windexing" mix-up actually made me feel better about my own confusion with these acronyms! I've been trying to understand WEP and GPO myself as a newcomer here, and everyone's explanations have been so helpful. The way Dallas and Melina broke down the calculations really clarifies how these provisions work. From what I'm learning from all the responses, it sounds like getting those comparative calculations from SSA will be crucial for your decision. The fact that you have both private sector work history AND a teaching pension creates multiple scenarios to evaluate - that's actually potentially good news even if the GPO reduction seems harsh at first glance. Thank you for posting this question. As someone just starting to navigate similar territory, seeing this supportive community help work through real situations like yours is invaluable. The knowledge sharing here is amazing!

Hi Beatrice, I'm so sorry for your loss. As a newcomer to this community, I've been reading through all the helpful responses here and learning so much about these confusing Social Security provisions. Your "windexing" story actually made me feel less embarrassed about my own recent call to Social Security where I asked about "spousal windfall benefits" when I meant survivor benefits! It seems like we all struggle with these acronyms at first. What I'm gathering from everyone's excellent explanations is that you're dealing with two separate provisions: - WEP might affect your own retirement benefit calculation - GPO will likely reduce your survivor benefits based on your teaching pension The community's advice to get both scenarios calculated by SSA seems really smart. Given your 12 years in private sector work, your own retirement benefit (even with potential WEP reduction) might end up being competitive with the GPO-reduced survivor benefit. Thank you for asking this question - it's helping newcomers like me understand what we might face. This community's knowledge and patience with complex situations like yours is incredible!

I'm so sorry for your loss, Mei. This thread has been incredibly helpful - I'm learning so much about Social Security rules I never knew existed! The RIB-LIM explanation finally makes sense of why your benefit amount was lower than expected. One thing I wanted to add that might help others in similar situations: when you do speak with SSA, ask them to mail you a copy of the "Notice of Award" that shows the step-by-step calculation. This is different from your regular award letter and breaks down each component of how they arrived at your benefit amount. It should clearly show if RIB-LIM was applied. Also, I've found that calling SSA first thing in the morning (right when they open at 7 AM) often results in shorter wait times than calling later in the day. If you're still having trouble getting through by phone, that timing might help before you try the Claimyr service or schedule an in-person appointment. Your strategy to wait until 70 for your own retirement benefit is really smart - those delayed retirement credits are valuable! Even though this initial amount was confusing, it sounds like you're making all the right financial decisions during a very difficult time.

I'm so sorry for your loss, Mei. This has been such an educational thread about the RIB-LIM rule! As someone who's also navigating Social Security benefits as a widow, I wanted to share another tip that helped me. When you do get through to SSA, ask them to explain the "deemed filing" rules too. Since you're 64 and taking survivors benefits, you want to make sure they didn't accidentally deem you to have filed for your own retirement benefit as well (which would prevent it from growing until 70). This is a separate issue from RIB-LIM, but it's another one of those complex rules that can trip people up. Also, if you have any of your husband's old Social Security statements, bring those to your appointment. They can help verify that his earnings history was recorded correctly, which affects the PIA calculation that RIB-LIM is applied to. You're doing everything right by taking survivors benefits now and planning to switch at 70. Even with the RIB-LIM reduction, this strategy will maximize your lifetime benefits. Hang in there - dealing with SSA is frustrating under the best of circumstances, but you're asking all the right questions!

As a newcomer to this community, I want to say how incredibly helpful this entire discussion has been! I'm 59 and facing a very similar situation - I've been receiving survivor benefits for 18 months and recently got engaged. Before finding this thread, I was completely unaware of the age 60 rule and was planning our wedding for this spring. Now I realize I need to wait just a few more months to protect my financial security. What strikes me most is how this critical information isn't more widely known. My friends who gave me conflicting advice clearly didn't understand the nuances, and I wonder how many people make costly mistakes simply because they don't know about resources like this community. I'm especially grateful for the practical tips shared here - the early morning SSA calling strategy, keeping detailed records, getting everything in writing, and the spreadsheet approach for comparing scenarios. These are exactly the kind of real-world insights you can't get from reading dry government websites. One thing I'm curious about that I haven't seen mentioned - does anyone know if there are any tax implications to consider when switching between survivor and spousal benefits? I imagine the amounts might be different enough to potentially affect tax brackets, but I'm not sure if the benefits are taxed the same way regardless of type. Thank you all for creating such a supportive and informative space for navigating these complex decisions!

As someone who works with Social Security beneficiaries regularly, I want to emphasize how important it is to get personalized advice for your specific situation. While the general rule about age 60 and remarriage is well-established, there can be nuances based on your exact benefit amounts, ages, and circumstances. One thing I'd add that hasn't been mentioned much is the potential impact on Medicare premiums (IRMAA) if your new household income is significantly higher after marriage. High earners pay income-related monthly adjustment amounts for Medicare Part B and Part D, and this is based on modified adjusted gross income from two years prior. So even if your Social Security benefits aren't affected, your Medicare costs could change. Also, for anyone reading this thread in the future - these rules can and do change with new legislation, so always verify current rules with SSA directly. What's accurate today might not be in a few years. The Social Security 2100 Act and other proposed reforms could potentially modify some of these remarriage provisions. I really appreciate how supportive this community is in helping people navigate these complex decisions. The real-world experiences shared here are invaluable for folks facing these difficult choices between love and financial security.