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Let me offer some clarity here based on current SSA rules. There are TWO different situations being discussed: 1. SPOUSAL BENEFITS while you're both alive: Your wife's spousal benefit will be based on your PIA (full retirement age amount) regardless of when you claim. So claiming early won't reduce her spousal benefit as long as SHE claims at her FRA. 2. SURVIVOR BENEFITS if you pass away: If you claim early and take a reduced benefit, and then pass away, your wife's survivor benefit would generally be based on your actual (reduced) benefit amount. This is why many financial advisors recommend that the higher-earning spouse delay claiming as long as possible, especially if there's a significant age gap or health concerns.
Thank you, this is the clearest explanation I've seen. So for our planning, I need to weigh my need for income now against the potential long-term impact on survivor benefits if I pass away before my wife. The spousal benefit while I'm alive won't be affected by my early claiming, but survivor benefits would be. That gives me something to think about.
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what medical condition do u have? my brother got approved for back problems but my friend with fibromyalga keeps getting denied
I have severe rheumatoid arthritis that's affected my hands, feet, and spine, plus some heart complications from the medications. Some days I can barely grip a coffee cup or walk to the mailbox. I've had three surgeries in the last year.
that sounds serious, you should get approved. make sure u have all the medical records and test results. my friend didnt have enough proof and thats why she kept getting denied
One more important point: if your SSDI is approved, when you reach full retirement age (67), your benefit won't convert back to reduced retirement benefits. You'll continue receiving the full PIA amount. This is a significant advantage of qualifying for SSDI after taking early retirement. Also, the 5-month waiting period for SSDI may not apply to you since you're already receiving retirement benefits, but this depends on your established onset date. Make sure you understand how all this affects Medicare eligibility too.
That's great to know! I already have Medicare Part A from turning 65, but I've been paying for Part B out of my reduced benefit. Would anything change with my Medicare if I get approved for SSDI?
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wait a sec... what about if the person who files early dies first? does that mess things up for the surviving spouse?
No, if the lower-earning spouse who filed early dies first, it actually doesn't impact the higher-earning spouse's benefits at all. Since the survivor would only be entitled to the higher of the two benefit amounts, the higher earner would just continue receiving their own benefit. This is another reason the strategy often makes mathematical sense.
Thank you all for these responses - they've been incredibly helpful. I'm going to hold off on filing for now and do more research into the spousal benefit implications and tax situation. I think we need to run some actual numbers and maybe consult with a financial advisor who specializes in Social Security strategies. It seems like the standard advice isn't necessarily wrong, but there are all these little gotchas around Medicare premiums, tax implications, and spousal benefits that could make a big difference for our specific situation. I appreciate everyone sharing their experiences!
That's a wise approach. Each couple's optimal filing strategy depends on their unique circumstances, including health status, other income sources, life expectancy, and immediate financial needs. A specialist can help model various scenarios based on your specific situation.
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Why bother with all this complicated math??? Just enjoy life and take the money when you can get it! No one knows how long we have anyway. My neighbor waited until 70 to maximize his SS benefit and then dropped dead 3 months later. All that waiting for nothing!
That's actually one of my biggest fears - waiting and then not living long enough to benefit from the higher amount. With my family history, I'm leaning toward taking it at 62, even with the reduction. I just want to make sure I understand all the implications of working part-time with it.
One often overlooked aspect of taking SS early while working part-time is the effect on Medicare premiums later. If your combined income (SS benefits + work income + other income) exceeds certain thresholds, you could pay higher Medicare Part B and D premiums when you enroll at 65. This is called IRMAA (Income-Related Monthly Adjustment Amount). It's based on your tax return from two years prior, so work income at 63-64 could affect your Medicare costs at 65-66. Worth factoring into your calculations!
Wow, I hadn't even considered the Medicare premium angle. That's definitely something I need to research more before making my decision. This is getting more complicated than I thought!
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My husband and I both retired at 58. We did the math and figured out that even though our SS would be a bit lower, the extra years of freedom were worth more to us than the money! No regrets 7 years later! Life is short - if you can afford to retire earlier, DO IT! The extra money doesn't help if you're too old to enjoy it.
That's a good perspective too! I'm fortunate to have other retirement savings, so maybe the SS reduction wouldn't be as impactful for me. Definitely something to consider - quality of life matters too!
I'm confused about something... I thought SS only counts your last 10 years of work? Is that completely wrong?
Yes, that's incorrect. Social Security benefits are calculated using your highest 35 years of earnings (adjusted for inflation), not your last 10 years. You might be thinking of the requirement that you need 40 credits (typically earned over 10 years) to be eligible for retirement benefits. But that's only about eligibility, not the benefit amount calculation. Or possibly you're thinking of disability benefits, which do have a "recency of work" test that looks at your work history in the 10 years before you became disabled.
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dont forget taxes tho. if ur making more money your ss benefits might get taxed more when u retire! something to think about
Good point about taxation. However, the taxation of Social Security benefits is based on your combined income during retirement (including half of SS benefits + other income sources), not on how much you earned during your working years. Higher lifetime earnings do mean higher benefits, which could push you into the range where benefits are partially taxable if you have other substantial income in retirement.
Has anybody else noticed their estimated benefit on the SS statement change a lot from year to year even when nothing major changed in income? Mine jumps around and makes me nervous about planning.
This typically happens because the SSA regularly updates the national average wage index and inflation factors used in benefit calculations. Also, their estimates make assumptions about your future earnings that may change from year to year. For accurate planning, it's best to download your earnings history and use their detailed calculator where you can input exact future earnings.
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its probly that 1 time $70 covid payment they promised like 2 years ago lol better late than never right? social security is so slow
There hasn't been any authorized "$70 COVID payment" from Social Security. You might be thinking of the various Economic Impact Payments from 2020-2021, but those were significantly larger amounts and wouldn't be coming from Social Security directly. Please be careful about spreading misinformation - it can cause confusion for people already trying to navigate a complex system.
UPDATE: I finally got through to Social Security after trying all day! The $70 was indeed a retroactive adjustment. They explained that when my husband turned 66 last month (his FRA), they recalculated his benefit and found a small earnings record that hadn't been properly credited. The $70 represents the difference for February and March. A letter explaining this should arrive within 2 weeks. Thanks everyone for your help and suggestions!
Glad you got an answer! This is exactly the type of scenario I mentioned - SSA routinely reviews earnings records at key points like reaching Full Retirement Age. It's always a relief to confirm these unexpected payments are legitimate. Make sure to keep that letter when it arrives for your records.
good to hear! thx for updating us
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I'm still confused - what about self-employment income? Does that count differently? And what about pension payments from previous employers? Sorry for the questions but this is all so complicated!
Self-employment earnings do count, but SSA looks at net profit, not gross revenue. Pension payments, interest, dividends, and capital gains DON'T count toward the earnings test - only wages and self-employment income count. So if your only income is a pension, the earnings limit doesn't apply to you at all.
Thank you all for the great information! To summarize what I've learned: 1) My 403B contributions DO count toward the earnings limit, 2) I might benefit from the monthly limit in my first year, 3) I need to carefully track my earnings to avoid an overpayment. I'm going to call SSA to confirm all this and maybe try that Claimyr service since I haven't been able to get through on my own. Really appreciate everyone's help!
Sounds like you have a good plan. One more tip: consider having extra taxes withheld from your SS benefits if you're continuing to work. Many people don't realize their benefits can become partially taxable when combined with other income. Good luck with everything!
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so wait i'm confused. does this mean if i turn 67 in april i can start getting my ss on april 1st and it counts the same as waiting till april 30th? thats a whole month of extra money!
Yes, that's correct. Social Security benefits are calculated based on your age in months, not days. So you're considered the same age for the entire month of your birthday. This means you can file to start benefits in your birthday month and receive the same amount as if you waited until the end of that month.
my friend just did this and she said make sure u know exactly how much ur supposed to get because they made a mistake on her amount and she had to fight with them for months to fix it. print out ur earning record from the website before u apply that helped her prove they calculated wrong
This is excellent advice. Before applying, create a my Social Security account at ssa.gov if you haven't already and review your earnings record. If there are any errors, it's much easier to correct them before you apply. You can also use the benefit calculator in your account to estimate your benefit amount, which gives you a reference point to check against the amount you're awarded.
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Jamal Thompson
my brother in law had almost the same situation and what nobody told him was that some states have agreements with SSA that exempt certain employees from WEP. worth checking if your state job might be exempt!
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StarSurfer
•Really? I had no idea some state jobs might be exempt! I worked for the Department of Education in our state. I'll definitely ask about possible exemptions when I talk to SSA. Thanks for the tip!
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Liam O'Connor
You need to get your Social Security Statement and also your pension statement, then use the WEP calculator on the SSA website. Don't trust what the regular benefit estimate shows! Here's what affects your WEP reduction: 1. How many years you paid into Social Security with "substantial earnings" 2. Whether your pension is from work where you paid SS taxes 3. When you plan to start taking benefits Last tip: If you haven't retired yet, sometimes working an extra year or two in Social Security-covered employment can significantly reduce the WEP penalty. Worth considering if you're close to another threshold year.
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StarSurfer
•That's a great suggestion about working longer in covered employment. I haven't officially retired yet, so maybe I should look into getting a part-time job that pays into Social Security for a year or two after I leave my state job. Might be worth it to boost my benefits for the long term.
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