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btw if ur turning 66+10 in 2025 we must be about the same age! im Aug 1958, whats ur birth year?
I'm October 1958! Trying to figure all this out as I get closer to retirement. It's definitely more complicated than I expected.
WAIT I just remembered something important that happened to me! Make ABSOLUTELY SURE that when you apply for retirement benefits (you can do it up to 4 months before your FRA date), you clearly indicate you want benefits to START at your FRA. If you're not clear, they might accidentally start your benefits early and you'll get a reduced amount FOREVER! I know someone this happened to and they've been fighting for months to get it fixed!!!!
Oh wow, thanks for the warning! I definitely don't want to accidentally start early and lose money for the rest of my life. I'll make sure to be super clear about the start date when I apply.
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I think its great that the GPO is finally going away. My mom lost out on so many benefits because of that unfair rule. She worked for the school system for 35 years and got almost nothing from dads SS when he passed away, even though he worked and paid in his whole life!
That's exactly why this change was needed! So many public servants were effectively penalized twice - once with often lower government pensions compared to private sector, and then again by being denied Social Security benefits their spouses earned. My sister feels like she's been waiting forever for this fix.
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Has anyone tried calling the SSA directly about this? When I had a similar question last year I spent DAYS trying to get through to someone. Kept getting disconnected or waiting for hours. So frustrating!
I had the same experience trying to call about my SSDI review. After multiple disconnections and hours on hold, I finally used Claimyr.com to get through. They connect you with SSA without the wait time. Saved me hours of frustration. There's a video showing how it works at https://youtu.be/Z-BRbJw3puU. Much easier than the regular SSA phone system.
I've never heard of that service before! Will definitely check it out. Anything's better than listening to that hold music for 3 hours just to get disconnected right when they finally answer 😫
I think everyone is overlooking something important here - the earnings limit is different in the year you reach Full Retirement Age! Isn't there a higher limit that applies for the months in the year you reach FRA?
You're confusing two different scenarios. The higher earnings limit (which is $59,520 for 2024) only applies in the calendar year you actually reach your FRA, and only for the months before your FRA month. Since the original poster won't reach their FRA (67) until 2027, they'll be subject to the regular under-FRA limit for all of 2025. The monthly grace year provision is what applies in their situation.
Oh I see! Thanks for clearing that up. So the higher limit would only apply in 2027 for them. I misunderstood how that worked.
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One other suggestion based on my experience - request a Social Security Statement by mail or print one from your online account. It gives a clearer breakdown of your estimated benefits at different ages than just using the calculator. When I was planning my retirement, I found that my benefit estimate at FRA (66+2 months for me) was about $2,850 if I continued working until then at my current salary. When I modeled stopping work at 60, it dropped to about $2,650. For me, that $200/month difference wasn't worth working an extra 6+ years at a stressful job. Everyone's numbers will be different, of course, but doing this calculation helped me make my decision.
Thank you for sharing your specific numbers - that's really helpful context. A $200 difference doesn't seem huge considering the quality of life improvement from retiring earlier. I'll definitely get a detailed statement and run the numbers both ways. My gut feeling is that I'd rather have more time than a slightly larger benefit, but I want to make sure the difference isn't dramatic in my case.
Does anyone know if you can start Medicare at 65 even if you're not taking SS yet? I'm so confused about how all these programs work together!
Yes, you can (and generally should) sign up for Medicare at 65 regardless of when you start Social Security benefits. The two programs have different enrollment ages and rules. If you're not receiving Social Security benefits when you turn 65, you need to actively sign up for Medicare during your Initial Enrollment Period (starts 3 months before your 65th birthday month and ends 3 months after). If you miss this window, you might face late enrollment penalties. You can enroll online at Medicare.gov or through SSA.gov, or by visiting or calling your local Social Security office.
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After reading all your helpful responses, I have a follow-up question. Do I need to notify SSA in advance about my work plans? My company is offering a severance package if I leave in September, but there's a small chance I might need to work through October. Would that change anything with my benefits calculation?
Yes, you should definitely notify SSA about your work plans when you apply for benefits. If you end up working longer than expected, you should update them right away. Working through October instead of stopping in September wouldn't change anything in your situation since your total earnings would still be well below the $59,520 limit for your FRA year. Just make sure to report any changes to your work schedule or earnings to avoid any surprises later.
my cousin told me the SSA website has a calculator for this stuff but i couldn't find it lol
Your cousin is right! There is an earnings test calculator on the SSA website. Here's how to find it: 1. Go to ssa.gov 2. Search for "How Work Affects Your Benefits" 3. Look for the "Retirement Earnings Test Calculator" link It lets you enter your expected earnings and age to see if you'll be affected by the earnings limit.
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One thing no one mentioned - if you're close to Medicare age, this combined income calculation also affects your Medicare Part B and D premiums through IRMAA (Income-Related Monthly Adjustment Amount). If your income is high enough, you could pay significantly more for Medicare coverage.
Oh wow, I hadn't even thought about Medicare premium impacts! I'm turning 65 next year so this is definitely something I need to look into. Does anyone know the income thresholds for the IRMAA increases?
For 2025, the IRMAA thresholds for Medicare Part B and D start at $103,000 for single filers. Based on your income estimates (SS + FERS + 401k), you'll be below that threshold so you should pay the standard premium. But it's good to be aware of this for future planning, especially if you decide to take larger 401k distributions later.
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I don't think this is correct advice. Your sister can't just "pause" her benefits whenever she wants. Once you start collecting, you're locked in. At least that's what happened with my brother-in-law. He tried to pause his at 67 and they told him it was impossible.
There's actually a specific process called "voluntary suspension" that is available, but ONLY if you've already reached your Full Retirement Age (FRA). You can suspend retirement benefits after FRA and restart them later (they'll grow by 8% annually until age 70). Your brother-in-law might have been trying to suspend before reaching his FRA, which isn't allowed. Or perhaps the SSA representative he spoke with was misinformed (unfortunately this happens). The relevant section of SSA's POMS manual is GN 02409.100 if anyone needs to reference it when speaking with an agent.
Oh wow, I had no idea! My brother-in-law should definitely call them back then because he was definitely past his FRA. Thanks for clarifying and even providing the manual reference. This system is so complicated.
I just wanted to thank everyone for their helpful responses. My sister and I talked it over, and based on your advice, she's decided to wait the extra 4 months until she reaches her FRA before filing for her own benefits. That way, she'll have maximum flexibility if her ex-husband passes away. I'm also going to help her document everything (their marriage certificate, divorce decree, etc.) so she has it ready if she needs to file for survivor benefits. This whole situation is emotionally difficult, but having a clear financial plan helps reduce some of the stress.
That's a wise decision. Waiting those 4 months until FRA gives her much more flexibility. Another tip: when she eventually contacts SSA about this, she should specifically ask about the "voluntary suspension" option and the switch to survivor benefits. Sometimes the frontline representatives aren't familiar with these strategies, so she might need to ask to speak with a technical expert if she encounters resistance. Wishing your sister and family all the best during this difficult time.
Smart plan! And yes get ALL the paperwork together now. When I had to deal with survivior benefits they wanted marriage certificate, death certificate, proof of age, and tax returns. Having it all ready saved me so much hassle. Social Security can be confusing but they actually have lots of good options for survivior situations.
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After reading through this thread again, I realized I need to correct something in my earlier response. The provision about disabled spouses collecting as early as 50 only applies to surviving spouses (widows/widowers) whose partners have passed away. Since you're still living, your wife wouldn't qualify under that provision. As the expert correctly pointed out, for your situation, your wife would generally need to wait until age 62 to collect spousal benefits once you start receiving your retirement benefits. The only exception would be if she were caring for your child who is under 16 or disabled. I apologize for my error and the confusion it may have caused.
Thanks for clarifying. We don't have young children at home, so that exception wouldn't apply to us. Looks like we'll need to figure out how to manage until she turns 62 in 10 years. I appreciate everyone's help in understanding these complicated rules.
has she tried applying for disability again? sometimes ppl get denied first time but approved when they appeal. my sister got denied twice but then got a lawyer and won her case!!
She applied for SSI (not SSDI) and was denied because of our assets, not because they didn't believe she was disabled. From what I understand, that's not something you can really appeal - either you meet the resource limits or you don't. Maybe we should talk to a Social Security attorney though to make sure we've explored all options.
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Has anyone mentioned the COLA adjustments? If you wait until FRA you get 4 more years of COLA increases built into your base benefit. With inflation these days that's not nothing!
You're absolutely right about the COLA adjustments. The past few years have seen substantial COLA increases (5.9% in 2022, 8.7% in 2023, 3.2% in 2024). These adjustments compound over time when built into your base benefit amount. It's another factor that typically favors waiting if you can afford to do so.
Another perspective: Once you file for your own retirement benefit, you're generally locked into that choice (minus the one-time do-over option within 12 months if you repay all benefits). Have you considered taking just a portion of your retirement accounts now to bridge the gap until FRA? This would preserve your Social Security benefit amount while still giving you some additional money to work with.
That's an interesting alternative I hadn't considered. We do have some funds we could tap without penalties. I'll add this option to our list to evaluate - might be a good middle ground approach.
LunarLegend
My sister lost her ex last year too. She got about $450 extra a month by switching to his benefit. The way they calculate it is weird though... something about your FRA and his FRA and when you both started collecting. My sister was already 73 when she applied so it was pretty simple but I think there's reductions if you're under FRA.
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StardustSeeker
Thank you all for the helpful replies. I used the Claimyr service this morning and it worked - got through to an agent in about 15 minutes! The agent told me based on our benefit amounts I'm likely eligible for about $820 additional per month. I have an in-person appointment next Tuesday to bring in my documents and finalize everything. They also confirmed they use the application date for benefits, not the date of death, so I'm glad I didn't wait longer!
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Oliver Becker
•That's excellent news! $820 extra per month is significant - that's nearly $10,000 per year. Make sure to bring original documents if possible, or certified copies. Regular photocopies usually aren't accepted for this type of application. Good luck with your appointment!
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LunarLegend
•congrats! happy it worked out for you
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