just wondering but can you just suspend ur ss benefits voluntary before u start working? my uncle did that i think instead of dealing with the whole earnings test thing

Thank you all for the helpful answers! I'm going to report my expected income to SSA as soon as I accept the job offer. Based on what everyone has shared, it sounds like they'll probably stop my benefits for the rest of this year, but I won't have to pay back what I've already received (as long as I report promptly). And it's good to know my benefits will automatically restart when I fully retire, with some adjustment for the months they were withheld. The monthly earnings test in the first year might help me too since I'd be starting mid-year. Definitely feeling less anxious about this decision now!

To answer your follow-up questions: There's no specific form to request a review - just tell them you believe your son's benefits should have been converted from disabled adult child benefits to disabled surviving child benefits when his father passed away. Yes, using those specific terms will help. Ask them to review whether your son's benefits were properly converted from "child's benefits on a disabled wage earner's record" to "survivor benefits as a disabled adult child" following his father's death. Request a "benefit verification letter" which will show the type of benefit he's currently receiving. If it doesn't mention "survivor" benefits, that confirms the conversion likely didn't occur. Also ask them to perform a "benefit calculation" to determine if his current payment is 50% or 75% of his father's Primary Insurance Amount (PIA). This will help determine if he's receiving the correct survivor rate.

this happened to my neighbor too!!! her son was disabled and when her husband died the checks stayed the same. when she finally figured it out like 5 years later they gave her back pay but only for like 1 year not the whole 5 years. fight for all the back pay!!!!

I'm pretty sure I've seen the calculation order documented in SSA publication "What You Need to Know When You Get Retirement or Survivors Benefits" (Publication No. 05-10077). It has a section on government pensions and how they affect benefits. The pre-FRA reduction is definitely applied before GPO - my benefits planner confirmed this after I kept pushing for a clear explanation. Also, if your calculations still don't match what SSA is paying, request a benefit recalculation through your local office. Sometimes errors do happen, especially with these complex GPO/WEP situations.

Anyone else notice that SSA seems to train their reps differently? I swear I've gotten different answers from different people about how GPO works! One told me it's based on the gross pension, another said it's based on net after health insurance deductions. The inconsistency is maddening!

my cousin waited 2 months to report her husbands death and ssa made her pay back 2 months of his checks! be careful

Make sure she doesn't spend any of his money from SS after he died. My sister got in big trouble for this, they call it benefit fraud even if you don't mean to do it.

One strategy some people use is to file at 62 if they anticipate working less in the coming years. For example, if you're planning to go part-time at 63, it might make sense to file at 62, have some benefits withheld the first year, then start collecting when your income drops below the threshold. This works best if: 1. You're planning to reduce work hours soon after 62 2. You want to retire before FRA but after 62 3. Your life expectancy is uncertain due to health concerns Just remember the reduction is permanent - the adjustment at FRA only accounts for months benefits were completely withheld, not the early claiming reduction itself.

Another important consideration is tax efficiency in retirement planning. If you're still working full-time at a good salary, adding Social Security income could push you into a higher tax bracket. Up to 85% of your Social Security benefits become taxable when your combined income exceeds certain thresholds. For 2025, if your combined income (adjusted gross income + nontaxable interest + half of SS benefits) exceeds $34,000 (single) or $44,000 (married filing jointly), 85% of your benefits are subject to income tax. So claiming early while working could not only reduce your lifetime benefit but also result in higher taxes during those working years compared to waiting until you've stopped working or reduced your hours.

Thanks everyone for the responses! Sounds like I definitely need to report these trips. I tried looking at my online account but couldn't find a specific place to report travel like someone mentioned. Guess I'll try calling, though from what everyone's saying that might be a nightmare. One last question - do I need to report the exact dates right now, or can I just give them a general heads up that I'll be traveling for about 5 weeks in June-July to Spain? Our exact return date isn't 100% finalized yet.

I work at a travel agency that specializes in retiree travel, and we actually remind all our Social Security clients about this requirement. The 30+ day reporting rule is real, but in my experience, SSA is much more concerned about people who might be living abroad permanently than vacationers. Still, better safe than sorry! One thing I recommend to clients is keeping a copy of your return ticket reservation readily available. That way, if there's ever any question, you can prove you intended to return to the US within a specific timeframe.

Does anybody know if this impacts the earnings test? I'm 63 getting SS but still teaching part-time and they take back some of my benefits whenever I make over the limit. SOOOO FRUSTRATING!!!!

Update: I finally spoke with someone at Social Security. They confirmed there haven't been any changes to the GPO rules that would affect my situation. The agent explained that any legislation would need to specifically address retroactive changes to current beneficiaries like me. She suggested I check the SSA website every few months for updates or sign up for their email newsletter. Thanks everyone for your helpful responses!

To directly answer your questions: 1. Yes, your SSDI benefit amount is your PIA (Primary Insurance Amount) 2. Yes, you can receive a "top-up" spousal benefit but only if 50% of your husband's PIA exceeds your own PIA 3. Yes, your husband must file for his own benefits before you can receive any spousal benefits, even though you're on SSDI If your husband delays until 70, you won't be able to receive any spousal benefits until he files. This creates a dilemma for many couples - maximize one spouse's benefit by delaying, or file earlier so the disabled spouse can receive the spousal portion sooner. I recommend scheduling an appointment with SSA to get benefit estimates based on different filing scenarios. This will help you make the best decision for your specific situation.

One more thing - when you do reach your full retirement age, nothing really changes with your benefit. Your SSDI simply converts to retirement benefits automatically, but the amount stays exactly the same. The only difference is that after FRA, the earnings limits no longer apply if you were to work.

Based on everything here, it looks like your best route is: 1. File for early retirement benefits NOW to get immediate income 2. Simultaneously apply for SSDI with all your medical documentation 3. If SSDI is approved, you'll switch to the higher amount 4. If denied, appeal immediately (most cases are denied initially) 5. Consider having your cardiologist complete a residual functional capacity form specifically addressing your work limitations This approach provides income while you navigate the longer SSDI process. Just don't give up if you get an initial denial - about 65-70% of all initial applications are denied, but many are approved on appeal.

For Medicare with SSDI, there's a 24-month waiting period from your SSDI entitlement date (usually 5 months after onset). However, this is where your age helps - if you're already 65 when the waiting period ends, you'll get Medicare immediately. At 62, you'd likely still have some waiting time. One important note: If you take early retirement while waiting for SSDI, make sure you don't earn over the annual earnings limit (about $21,240 for 2025) or your benefits will be reduced. Once on SSDI, this earnings limit no longer applies, but you'd be subject to SSDI's substantial gainful activity (SGA) limits instead, which are actually more favorable for most people.

THE SSA MAKES SO MANY MISTAKES!! My neighbor lost 4 months of benefits bcuz they didn't record her call properly! DOCUMENT EVERYTHING and don't trust what they tell you on the phone!!!!

Just to add some reassurance: while documentation is definitely important, the SSA does generally honor protective filing dates even if there's a scheduling delay. The system is designed to protect claimants' rights to benefits from first contact. One additional tip: if your sister wants to be extra cautious, she can start (but not necessarily complete) the online application process. This creates a definitive electronic record of intent to file with a timestamp, which can serve as backup documentation for her protective filing date.