I went through this exact situation with my parents a few years ago. What really helped was understanding that Social Security has two separate calculations: one for the worker's own benefit (which gets delayed retirement credits) and one for spousal benefits (which doesn't). Think of it this way - your husband waiting until 70 maximizes HIS monthly payment for life, but your spousal benefit is like a separate insurance policy that's capped at 50% of his FRA amount regardless. The bright side is that once he does file at 70, his higher benefit amount will be locked in for both of your lifetimes, and if he passes first, you'll inherit that full age-70 amount as a survivor benefit. So his delay strategy is still valuable for your household's long-term financial security, just not for your immediate spousal benefit calculation.

I'm a financial planner and see this confusion all the time with my clients. Here's a simple way to remember it: spousal benefits are like a "safety net" that guarantees you at least 50% of your spouse's FRA benefit, but they don't get the "bonus" from delayed retirement credits. Those credits only apply to the worker's own benefit. What I tell my clients is to think of it as two separate programs - the worker's retirement benefit (which can grow with delays) and the spousal benefit program (which has a fixed 50% cap based on FRA). The good news is you still have options for timing when to claim your own benefits versus waiting for spousal, and running the numbers through SSA's calculators will help you find the best strategy for your specific situation.

I'm 59 and starting to think about this exact scenario for myself in a few years! This thread has been absolutely invaluable - I had no idea about the 8% annual increase for delaying benefits past Full Retirement Age. That's honestly mind-blowing and changes how I'm thinking about my retirement timeline completely. One thing I'm curious about that I haven't seen mentioned much: has anyone dealt with employer pension coordination alongside Social Security planning? My company has a traditional pension that I can start drawing at 62, and I'm trying to figure out how to time that with Social Security decisions and potential part-time work. The pension might provide enough bridge income to make delaying SS more feasible, but I'm not sure about the tax implications of having multiple income streams. Also, for those who went the part-time route - did you negotiate to keep your same role but fewer hours, or did you transition to a completely different position? I'm wondering if staying in the same role part-time might be better for maintaining health benefits and avoiding the stress of learning something new at this stage of my career. Thanks everyone for sharing such detailed real-world experiences!

This has been such an informative discussion! I'm 60 and will be facing this exact decision in a few years. The consensus seems clear that delaying when you file for Social Security benefits has a much bigger impact than whether you work part-time or full-time. That 8% guaranteed annual increase for waiting past your Full Retirement Age is incredible - I honestly had no idea that was even possible until reading this thread. One thing I'm wondering about that I haven't seen discussed much: what about the psychological/social aspects of going part-time? I know the financial math seems to favor delaying benefits regardless of work status, but I'm curious how people found the adjustment to working fewer hours. Did you feel less engaged at work? More relaxed? I'm trying to think through not just the financial implications but also whether part-time work would actually be fulfilling for me personally. I love what I do but sometimes wonder if cutting back hours might make me appreciate it more, or if I'd end up feeling disconnected from important projects and decisions. Thanks to everyone who's shared their real experiences - it's so much more helpful than reading generic advice online!

I'm new to this community but wanted to share my recent experience since it sounds so similar to what many of you are going through! I received an unexpected $445 "one time payment" from SSA about two weeks ago with absolutely no explanation in my MySocialSecurity account. Like several others here, I worked part-time in 2023 while receiving early retirement benefits and provided an earnings estimate that ended up being higher than what I actually earned. After reading through all these helpful responses, especially the detailed explanations about earnings test recalculations, I decided to call SSA. I used the early morning strategy suggested by Ethan and got through in about 35 minutes on my second try. The representative confirmed it was indeed an earnings test adjustment - essentially a refund of benefits they had withheld based on my original higher earnings estimate. She explained that once my actual 2023 W-2 data was processed (which happens 12-15 months after the tax year), their system automatically calculated that I was owed money back. What really put my mind at ease was that she said this is completely routine and happens to thousands of people every year who overestimate their earnings when first applying. The representative also mentioned I should receive a detailed letter within 2-3 weeks explaining exactly how they calculated the adjustment. For anyone still worried about whether to spend the money, I'd definitely recommend calling for peace of mind, but based on all the similar experiences shared here, these appear to be legitimate payments we're entitled to keep. Thanks to everyone for sharing your stories - this community really helped reduce my anxiety about the whole situation!

Welcome to the community! I'm also dealing with a mysterious payment situation and this thread has been incredibly helpful. I received a $429 "one time payment" from SSA three days ago with zero explanation in my online account, just like everyone else here has described. After reading all these detailed responses, especially the confirmations from people who actually called SSA, I'm now pretty confident this is related to the earnings test adjustment. I also worked part-time in 2023 while receiving early retirement benefits and definitely overestimated my earnings when I first applied. The 12-15 month processing timeline that several people mentioned matches perfectly with my situation. It's amazing how this community has turned what started as a panic-inducing mystery into a clear understanding of how SSA processes these earnings adjustments. I'm planning to call tomorrow morning using the early strategy that's worked for others, but I'm no longer worried about having to pay the money back. Thanks to everyone for sharing your experiences - you've saved me a lot of stress and sleepless nights!

I wanted to jump in as someone who went through this exact calculation recently and found a few additional resources that might help. The SSA publication "What Every Woman Should Know" (Publication No. 05-10127) has a really clear section on spousal benefits that explains the math in plain English - you can download it from their website. Also, I discovered that some local SSA offices offer in-person appointments specifically for benefit calculations if you prefer face-to-face help over phone calls. I scheduled one and the representative was able to run my exact numbers through their system and print out a detailed breakdown showing each step of the calculation. One small correction to the earlier discussion - the reduction for claiming spousal benefits early is actually calculated slightly differently than regular retirement benefits. For spousal benefits, the maximum reduction is 35% (compared to 25% for your own benefits) if you claim at 62, with the reduction decreasing for each month you wait past 62. Since you're claiming at 63, your spousal portion would be reduced by about 30% rather than 25%. This might adjust Pedro's calculation slightly - you'd want to apply that 30% reduction to the $213 excess amount, giving you roughly $149 instead of $160, for a total closer to $1,035. The difference is small but worth getting the precise calculation from SSA to make sure your budgeting is accurate!

I wanted to share another resource that helped me tremendously when I was calculating my spousal benefits last year. The National Academy of Social Insurance has a really comprehensive guide called "Social Security Brief No. 45: Understanding Spousal Benefits" that goes into all the nuances of these calculations with specific examples for different scenarios. What I found particularly helpful was their explanation of how the Government Pension Offset (GPO) and Windfall Elimination Provision (WEP) can affect spousal benefits if you have a pension from government work. Even if these don't apply to your situation, Kara, they might be relevant for others following this thread. I also want to echo what others have said about the importance of timing your application correctly. I learned that SSA can only pay retroactive spousal benefits for up to 6 months, so if you wait too long after becoming eligible, you could lose some money. Since you're already 63 and ready to claim, this probably isn't an issue, but it's good information for anyone else reading along. One last tip - when you do get your first payment, check it carefully against the calculation you received from SSA. I've heard of cases where the computer system didn't properly account for all the variables in complex spousal benefit situations, leading to incorrect initial payments that had to be corrected later. Best of luck with your application process! This community has been so helpful in breaking down these complex calculations.

Thanks everyone for the helpful information! I've decided to select February as my start month to get that additional 2/3% DRC. One month's wait seems worth it for a higher payment for potentially decades. I appreciate all the insights and personal experiences shared here - it really helped clarify my decision.

Great decision on choosing February! Just wanted to add one more tip from my experience - when you do apply, make sure to keep a copy of your application confirmation number and any correspondence from SSA. I had a processing delay last year and having all my documentation made it much easier to resolve. Also, if you have direct deposit set up, double-check that your bank account info is current in their system to avoid any payment delays once your benefits start.