Update: I called SSA again (had to try three times to get through) and finally spoke with someone helpful! You were all right - there is NO time limit for applying for survivor benefits. The 2-year limit only applies to the one-time $255 death payment. The rep told me that based on my husband's earnings, my survivor benefit would be about $2,450/month at my full retirement age of 67, or about $1,750 if I take it now at 63. My own benefit at FRA would be around $1,900. She recommended I take the reduced survivor benefit now and then switch to my own benefit at 70 when it would be about $2,350. Thank you all so much for your help! I was so worried I'd lost everything due to that misleading recording!

FYI - Since you're still working, remember the 2025 earnings limit is $22,320 if you're under full retirement age. They'll deduct $1 for every $2 you earn above that. So if you make $30,000, they'll deduct $3,840 from your annual benefit ($30,000-$22,320 = $7,680 ÷ 2 = $3,840). Make sure to factor this into your planning if you're continuing to work.

my dad worked for the railroad and his earnings record was totally different because of some special system they have. something about RRB instead of SSA? anyone know how that works with the earnings record stuff?

does this mean if i earn over the limit ($168,600 this year i think??) then the extra money doesnt help my future SS payment at all??? that seems really unfair for high earners!

Alimony and Social Security are completely separate systems that don't directly affect each other's payment amounts. However, there are a few interactions to be aware of:1. In some states, courts may consider potential Social Security benefits when determining alimony amounts2. If you receive both Social Security benefits and substantial alimony income, there could potentially be tax implications3. If you receive SSI (Supplemental Security Income), which is different from retirement benefits, then alimony could reduce those payments since SSI is needs-basedFor standard Social Security retirement benefits based on work history, alimony neither increases nor decreases your benefit amount.

Thanks everyone for all the helpful information! I finally got through to Social Security (used that Claimyr service someone mentioned - worked great). The agent confirmed what you all said - we each get our own benefits regardless of the divorce. She also showed me the difference in my benefit amounts: at 62 I'd get about $1,875 monthly, but if I wait until my FRA at 67, it jumps to around $2,650! That's a huge difference. Since my soon-to-be-ex makes less than me, she might be better off taking the spousal benefit eventually. I'm going to work a couple more years and then decide when to file. Really appreciate all the advice here - saved me a lot of confusion!

Update: I tried calling right at 8 AM today using both the main number and the tip about pressing 7. The fraud line actually told me they couldn't help and transferred me back to the main queue, but at least I got a human! After about 30 minutes on hold, I finally spoke with someone. Apparently there was an issue with my earnings record for my last employer - something about the dates not matching what they had on file. The agent was able to fix it right there on the phone and said my application should now move forward. She said I should see an update in my online account within 7-10 business days. Thank you all for the suggestions! Getting through early in the morning definitely seemed to help.

u got lucky!! i still cant get thru 😤

dont forget bout medicare IRMAA surcharges if ur over 65... big roth conversion could bump ur medicare costs up 2 yrs later

To follow up on my earlier comment, here's one more consideration: if you're planning to delay taking Required Minimum Distributions as long as possible (now age 73), remember that those RMDs could force your income into higher brackets later AND potentially increase the taxation of your Social Security benefits. So even though Roth conversions now might increase taxes temporarily, they could save you more in the long run by reducing your future RMDs. It's always a balancing act.

does anyone know if they count GROSS income or NET income after deductions for the earnings limit???

One more important point: The earnings limit applies only to earned income (wages or self-employment). It does NOT apply to investment income, pension payments, annuities, capital gains, or other government benefits. So if some of your $38,000 comes from these sources, it wouldn't count toward the earnings limit.

Something nobody mentioned - what about Medicare? Doesn't that start at 65 regardless of when you take SS? Make sure you're not confusing the two dates.

I want to thank everybody for their opinions, they were helpful. I've decided to wait the two months. Should my wife survive me, it is more important to me that she get the absolute most benefit. We do not need the money now, so I think it better to wait.

One more thing I forgot to mention!!! You should also apply for SSI for the kids seperately from your SSDI. Theres income limits but if your only on SSDI you might qualify. My grandson got approved for SSI while we were waiting for the other benefits to start and it helped ALOT with groceries and stuff.

One clarification I want to make - there's often confusion between dependency benefits on your SSDI record versus SSI for the children. These are separate programs: - Auxiliary benefits on your SSDI: Based on your work record, no income limits for you, but has relationship and dependency requirements - SSI for the children: Need-based program with strict income and resource limits, considers your income as the custodial grandparent It's worth exploring both options. And regarding the one-year support requirement, as someone mentioned, there are exceptions particularly in cases of parental abandonment, incarceration, or sudden changes in living arrangements. Document everything carefully, and don't get discouraged if you receive conflicting information from different SSA representatives - unfortunately that happens frequently with these complex cases.

To give you the most precise answer: In the year you reach FRA, the earnings test changes in the month you reach FRA. For January through March 2025, you'll be subject to the standard test (approximately $2,000/month or $25,000/year in 2025), with $1 withheld for every $2 above the limit. However, this uses a MONTHLY test in your first year claiming benefits. So if your monthly income exceeds the limit in February and March, you might not receive benefits for those months. But starting in April (your FRA month), you'll receive your full benefit regardless of earnings. And as someone else mentioned, any benefits withheld aren't permanently lost - SSA recalculates your benefit when you reach FRA to account for months benefits were withheld.

Just curious why not just wait the extra 2 months til April? Seems like it would be easier than dealing with all this withholding stuff.

anyone else notice how the ssa website is sooooo slow lately?? like it literally times out half the time i try to log in. government technology at its finest lol

UPDATE: Success! I finally got through this morning (took 3 attempts) and spoke with a very helpful agent. Turns out there was an earnings discrepancy from 2022 they needed to verify, but the letter requesting information was sent to my old address despite me updating it online. The agent processed the verification while I was on the phone and moved my application to step 3! She said I should receive my award letter within 7-10 days and my first payment will arrive as scheduled in March. Such a relief to finally know what's happening. For anyone else stuck in this situation, keep trying to call right when they open at 8am. That's when I finally got through with only a 15-minute wait.