I went through almost the exact same situation with my dad about 3 years ago. He was a carpenter for 35 years and developed severe osteoarthritis in his hands and knees by age 61. The hardest part was convincing him that SSDI was worth pursuing instead of just taking the "guaranteed" early retirement money. His SSDI benefit ended up being $2,140/month compared to what would have been about $1,500 with early retirement at 62. That's $640 extra every single month! Over just the first year, that difference paid for a lot of his medical treatments and prescriptions. The application process took about 10 months total - he got denied initially (like most people do), but was approved on reconsideration. The key was having his orthopedist write a very detailed report about how the arthritis specifically prevented him from doing construction work - lifting, gripping tools, kneeling, standing on uneven surfaces, etc. One thing that really helped was keeping a daily pain journal for about 3 months before applying. He wrote down his pain levels, what activities he couldn't do each day, and how the condition affected his sleep and daily life. The disability examiner actually mentioned that this documentation was very helpful in understanding the severity of his limitations. Your brother should definitely try for SSDI first given his age and the substantial financial difference. The Medicare eligibility alone makes it worth the effort!

This entire discussion has been so eye-opening! I'm in a somewhat similar boat - I'm 61 and work in manufacturing, and my back problems have been getting progressively worse over the past two years. Reading about everyone's experiences with the SSDI vs early retirement decision has really helped me understand what I need to be considering. The financial differences people have shared are staggering - $500-700 more per month with SSDI compared to early retirement really adds up over time. And I hadn't even considered the Medicare aspect until reading this thread. Getting coverage at 63 instead of waiting until 65 could save me a fortune in healthcare costs. I'm especially grateful for the practical advice about documentation - the daily pain journal idea is genius, and the specific suggestions about having doctors document functional limitations rather than just diagnoses makes so much sense. It sounds like the key is really being thorough and persistent with the application process. Thanks to everyone who shared their personal experiences and professional insights. This community is amazing for providing real-world guidance on these complex decisions!

I wanted to share something that might be helpful - when dealing with complex Social Security situations like yours, consider requesting a formal benefit estimate in writing rather than just calling. You can submit a request through your my Social Security account online or by visiting a local SSA office. This forces them to provide you with documented calculations rather than verbal estimates that might vary between representatives. Also, since you mentioned you're 62 and still working full-time, make sure to ask about the "do-over" rule if you do decide to claim survivor benefits early. If your financial situation changes or you get better information later, you have a limited window to withdraw your application and repay any benefits received, which could allow you to restart with a different strategy. The interaction between survivor benefits, your future retirement benefits, and your son's DAC benefits is definitely one of the more complex scenarios in Social Security. Don't feel bad about being confused - even SSA representatives sometimes need to consult with specialists for these multi-generational family maximum situations!

I'm in a very similar boat - 64 years old, still working, with a disabled adult son who receives SSDI. What I learned through my own research (and several frustrating SSA calls) is that you need to be really specific about which type of benefits your son is receiving. If he's getting SSDI based on his own work history, that's completely separate from any family maximum issues. But if he's getting DAC (Disabled Adult Child) benefits based on your deceased husband's record, then the family maximum does come into play. The good news is that as others have mentioned, your son's benefits are protected - they won't be reduced. But yours might be if you hit that ceiling. One thing that helped me was creating a simple timeline of when each person in my family became eligible for what benefits, and bringing that to my local SSA office for an in-person appointment. The face-to-face meeting was much more productive than the phone calls, and they could pull up all our records at once to see the big picture. Good luck navigating this maze!

This thread has been incredibly informative! As someone who's about to turn 62 and starting to think seriously about Social Security timing, I'm learning so much from everyone's real-world experiences. The distinction between earnings before and after FRA that several people explained is something I definitely didn't understand clearly before. I'm curious - for those of you who are continuing to work past FRA, have you found that your Social Security benefits get recalculated annually based on your ongoing earnings? I've heard that SSA automatically recalculates your benefit each year if your recent earnings are higher than what was used in your original calculation, but I'm not sure how that actually works in practice. It seems like that could potentially increase your monthly benefit amount even after you start collecting, which might be another factor to consider in the timing decision.

This is such a valuable thread for anyone navigating the FRA earnings test! I wanted to share a resource that helped me when I was in a similar position last year. The SSA has a really useful online calculator called the "Retirement Earnings Test Calculator" that's buried deep in their website, but if you search for "WEP GPO calculator SSA" you can usually find it. It lets you input your specific earnings by month and shows you exactly how the reduction would be calculated. When I used it with my pre-FRA earnings, I discovered the reduction was only about $150 total spread across a few months - way less than the four months of benefits I would have lost by waiting until January. Also, pro tip: if you do decide to file in September, consider doing it online rather than calling. The online application lets you specify exactly which month you want benefits to start, and you avoid the phone wait times that Freya mentioned. The system will automatically calculate the earnings test based on what you report.

I'm really sorry you're going through this difficult transition after 32 years of marriage. It's clear from all the helpful responses that you now have much better clarity on the Social Security rules, which should ease some of your planning stress. Just to add one more perspective - since you have about two years before you can claim any benefits anyway, you might want to consider this waiting period as an opportunity to really optimize your overall retirement strategy. Beyond just Social Security, think about how your divorce settlement might affect your access to any of his retirement accounts (401k, pensions, etc.) and how that factors into your total retirement picture. Also, while everyone has correctly explained that you won't need to wait 2 years after divorce since he's already collecting, remember that you still have choices about WHEN to claim after you turn 62. The difference between claiming at 62 versus waiting until your full retirement age is significant - potentially thousands of dollars per year for the rest of your life. Given that you're starting this process at 60, you actually have time to make these decisions thoughtfully rather than under pressure. Consider working with both a divorce attorney who understands retirement assets and a financial planner who specializes in Social Security optimization. Your long marriage means you likely have more options and protections than you might realize. You're handling an incredibly challenging situation with such thoughtful planning. That approach will serve you well as you build your new independent future.

I'm so sorry you're going through this difficult situation after 32 years of marriage. It sounds incredibly challenging to have your husband suddenly move across the country and leave you to navigate all these complex decisions alone. From everything I've read here, you've gotten excellent advice about the Social Security rules. Since your husband is already collecting his retirement benefits, you won't need to wait the 2-year period after your divorce is finalized - you can apply for divorced spouse benefits as soon as the divorce is complete and you turn 62. One thing I'd add is that you might want to create a timeline for yourself over the next couple of years. You have time to get the divorce finalized, gather all necessary documents, and really research your options before you need to make any claiming decisions. This could actually be a blessing in disguise - you can make these important financial decisions thoughtfully rather than under pressure. Also, don't forget to factor in your own emotional wellbeing during this process. Dealing with divorce after such a long marriage while also trying to plan your financial future is incredibly stressful. Consider whether you have access to counseling or support groups for people going through similar situations - taking care of your mental health is just as important as getting the financial pieces right. You're asking all the right questions and clearly thinking through this carefully. That preparation will really serve you well. Take it one step at a time, and remember that you have more time and options than you initially thought. Wishing you strength as you navigate this major life transition.

Reading below it looks like the withholding percentage, say 12% is on the gross and then medicare premiums, etc come out of what is left taken withholding, is this correct?

Just wanted to add one more consideration for your planning - if you have a Health Savings Account (HSA), you can use it to pay for Medicare premiums tax-free once you're enrolled in Medicare! This includes Part B, Part D, and Medicare Advantage premiums. You can't use HSA funds for Medigap premiums though. Also, once you enroll in Medicare, you can no longer contribute to an HSA, but you can still use what's already in there. This could help offset some of those monthly deductions everyone's talking about. Make sure to coordinate your Medicare enrollment timing if you're still working and have employer health coverage - there are some tricky rules around that!