This has been such an informative thread! As someone who's been lurking here trying to figure out my own SS strategy, I wanted to thank everyone for sharing their real experiences - both the successes and the mistakes. Emma, it sounds like you're making a really smart decision to wait and explore other options. The math that Lucas and Grace laid out really drives home how much the early claiming penalty can cost over a lifetime. And Ezra's suggestion about remote work is brilliant - I hadn't thought about how retail management skills would translate to bookkeeping or virtual assistant roles. For anyone else reading this thread in a similar situation, one thing I'd add: don't forget to factor in cost-of-living increases when you're doing your breakeven calculations. SS benefits get annual COLA adjustments, so that higher base amount you get by waiting will compound over time with those increases. Also, if you're considering part-time work to bridge the gap, remember that earning some income (even part-time) can actually boost your SS calculation if it's higher than one of your lower-earning years in their 35-year average. Every little bit helps when you're trying to optimize your retirement income!

This has been such a valuable discussion! As someone who works in Social Security disability advocacy, I see a lot of families struggling with these exact decisions. One additional consideration that hasn't been mentioned yet: if you have any health issues that might qualify you for Social Security Disability Insurance (SSDI), that could be another path to explore while you're between 62 and your FRA. SSDI benefits aren't reduced for early claiming like retirement benefits are, and if you're approved, those benefits would automatically convert to unreduced retirement benefits when you reach your FRA. Given that you mentioned being laid off and having trouble finding work, it might be worth evaluating if any health conditions (physical or mental, including depression/anxiety from job loss) could qualify you for disability benefits. Even if it seems like a long shot, a consultation with a disability attorney or advocate might be worthwhile - most work on contingency so there's no upfront cost. This obviously isn't the right path for everyone, but it's another option to consider as you explore alternatives to early retirement claiming. The fact that you're taking time to research all your options before making this permanent decision shows great financial wisdom!

I'm a retired teacher dealing with a very similar WEP/GPO situation, and I want to echo what several others have said about requesting a detailed recalculation. After reading through all these responses, I'm realizing there are some key points that might help you: First, since your husband passed away 6 years ago and hadn't started collecting yet, the survivor benefit calculation would be based on 100% of what he would have received at his Full Retirement Age - not what he was actually receiving (which was nothing). This could be significantly higher than what you compared against initially. Second, those dual-contribution years from 1970-1977 are definitely worth documenting thoroughly. While they won't eliminate the GPO, they might help reduce your WEP penalty on your own benefit, which could affect which option is ultimately better for you. The GPO formula is harsh - it reduces survivor benefits by 2/3 of your government pension - but as Natasha pointed out, there might still be something left after that reduction. With 6 years of COLAs applied to both benefits, the math could have shifted in your favor. Don't let the SSA office give you different answers every time. Insist on speaking with someone who specializes in WEP/GPO cases, and ask them to show you the specific calculations in writing. You've earned these benefits through decades of service and contributions - make sure you're getting everything you're entitled to receive.

I'm a retired teacher who went through a similar WEP/GPO situation last year, and I want to share some specific steps that helped me navigate this process successfully. First, when requesting your recalculation, use the exact phrase "dual eligibility analysis for WEP and GPO provisions" - this signals to the SSA representative that you understand the complexity and need someone knowledgeable. I learned this from a benefits counselor at my local senior center. Second, create a simple timeline document showing: - Years 1970-1977: paid into both teacher retirement AND Social Security - All other years of Social Security contributions from non-teaching jobs - Your husband's complete work history and estimated earnings Third, ask specifically for Form SSA-7004 (Request for Social Security Statement) for your deceased husband if you don't already have it. This shows his complete earnings record and helps verify the survivor benefit calculation. The key breakthrough for me came when I found a SSA representative who walked me through the "modified benefit formula" that applies when you have those dual-contribution years. Even though it didn't eliminate the GPO, it did reduce my WEP penalty enough that switching to survivor benefits became worthwhile. Don't give up! The system is complicated, but with persistence and the right documentation, you might find there's more available than initially calculated.

I just had my SSA callback experience yesterday and wanted to share! It showed up as "PRIVATE NUMBER" on my Samsung Galaxy, which was different from what others mentioned. They called back exactly 2 hours and 15 minutes after I requested it. The rep was super professional and started with "Good afternoon, this is Jennifer from the Social Security Administration returning your call." She had to verify my identity with the usual questions - SSN, DOB, address, and mother's maiden name - which took about 2 minutes. One thing I didn't see mentioned here is that they asked me to confirm the specific reason I requested the callback before proceeding, so make sure you remember exactly what you selected when you made the request. They were able to help me with my retirement application questions and the whole call took about 20 minutes. For anyone still waiting - definitely keep your phone close and answer unknown calls. The callback system actually works pretty well once you get through!

Just wanted to add my recent experience to help others! I requested an SSA callback last Friday and it showed up as "RESTRICTED" on my iPhone when they called back about 90 minutes later. The representative immediately said "Hello, this is calling from the Social Security Administration" so there was no confusion. One tip I haven't seen mentioned - if you have an iPhone, you can go to Settings > Phone > Silence Unknown Callers and make sure that's turned OFF temporarily while waiting for your callback. I had this enabled and almost missed their call because it went straight to voicemail without ringing! Also, they asked me to verify not just the usual info (SSN, DOB, address) but also the last four digits of a recent benefit payment, so if you're already receiving any SSA benefits, have that information handy too. The whole verification process took about 3 minutes before we got to my actual questions about Medicare enrollment timing. Good luck with your retirement application! The wait is frustrating but the representatives are usually very knowledgeable once you get through.

Update: I finally got through to SSA after using the Claimyr service that someone suggested. The agent confirmed that with my projected pension of $4,200, I'll get zero spousal benefits (the GPO reduction exceeds what I would receive). However, she explained that if my husband passes away, I might still get some survivor benefits since those can be up to 100% of his benefit (before GPO reduction) instead of the 50% for spousal benefits. She also clarified that if I work a job with Social Security coverage for 5 more years (to get to at least 20 credits), it still won't help me get my own retirement benefit (need 40 credits), but it might slightly improve my situation with survivor benefits later. Knowing the real numbers is frustrating but at least now we can plan appropriately. Thanks everyone for your help!

Thanks for sharing your update! It's really helpful to see how this played out with actual numbers. I'm a teacher in California facing a similar situation - my husband has a strong SS record but I've only paid into CalSTRS for 18 years. Your experience confirms what I've been dreading about GPO completely eliminating spousal benefits when you have a decent pension. The survivor benefit angle is interesting though - I hadn't considered that the higher benefit amount (100% vs 50%) might still leave something after the GPO reduction even when spousal benefits get wiped out completely. Did the SSA agent give you any rough numbers on what survivor benefits might look like after GPO in your case? This whole system really does penalize teachers whose spouses contributed to SS their whole careers. But like you said, at least having real numbers lets you plan accordingly instead of hoping for benefits that won't materialize.

I'm in a very similar situation - started benefits at 62 this year while still doing some freelance work. The earnings test is definitely one of the most confusing aspects of early retirement! From everything I've learned (mostly from this helpful community), you're unfortunately going to be over the limit since ALL earnings from January count toward the annual $22,320 threshold. With your $18,500 + $10,000, you'll likely have about $3,090 withheld from future benefits. A few things that might help: First, definitely call SSA to report your expected annual earnings - their phone system is terrible but it beats getting surprised with suspended payments later. Second, since you're 1099, make sure you're tracking every legitimate business expense (home office, equipment, mileage, etc.) because it's your NET self-employment income that counts toward the limit, not gross receipts. Also look into that monthly earnings test option others mentioned for your first year - if you have months under $1,860 in earnings, you might qualify for full benefits those months even if your annual total exceeds the limit. For taxes, I'd definitely recommend a professional your first year. The combination of 1099 income, potentially taxable Social Security benefits, and quarterly estimated payments gets complex quickly. I found one who specialized in Social Security issues and it was worth every penny. Remember, any withheld benefits aren't lost forever - you get credit through higher payments once you reach full retirement age. The first year is definitely the steepest learning curve, but you'll get through it!

I'm also new to early Social Security benefits and dealing with the same earnings limit confusion! Reading through everyone's responses has been incredibly helpful - I had no idea that ALL earnings from January count toward the annual limit, not just earnings after benefits start. One thing I wanted to add that might help others in similar situations: I found the SSA publication "How Work Affects Your Benefits" (SSA-10069) on their website, which has some helpful examples of how they calculate the earnings test. It's still confusing, but seeing the actual math helped me understand how the $1-for-$2 withholding works. Also, for anyone struggling with SSA's phone system like I have been, I noticed some people mentioned specific times of day that work better for getting through. Has anyone found particular days of the week or times that are less busy? I've been trying mid-morning with no luck so far. The tax professional advice really resonates with me too. I've always done my own taxes but the combination of 1099 income, Social Security benefits, and these earnings limits seems like it's worth paying for expertise, at least this first year while I'm learning the ropes. Thanks to everyone for sharing their real-world experiences - it's so much more helpful than trying to decode the official SSA materials on your own!