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Lucy Lam
I went through almost the exact same situation last year. Your decision to take survivor benefits early while letting your own retirement benefit grow is smart - it's called a restricted application strategy, one of the few remaining after the 2015 rule changes. I can confirm that when I did this, it had absolutely no impact on my disabled daughter's benefits from her father's record.I did have trouble getting consistent answers from different SSA representatives though. One told me it would affect my daughter's benefits, another said it wouldn't. I finally got someone knowledgeable who explained that since these are separate entitlements, they don't affect each other.The most important thing: make sure you specifically tell them you want to file a \
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To clarify something important: With WEP, the maximum reduction in 2025 would be approximately $587 (50% of the first bend point). But since your husband has 22 years of substantial earnings under Social Security, his WEP reduction should be less than the maximum. Specifically, each year over 20 years reduces the WEP penalty by 5%. With 22 years, the reduction would be 10% less than the maximum, so approximately $528 instead of $587. If the SSA incorrectly thinks his pension just started, they might be applying some prorated calculation for 2025 only, which could explain the $150 difference. This is definitely worth pursuing with them.
Amina Diallo
•Exactly right. Another thing that might be happening is they could be applying the WEP phase-in rules incorrectly. If they think the pension just started in 2025, they might be prorating the WEP reduction for that year, which would explain why their figure is $150 less than expected. It's a temporary advantage that would likely be corrected later and could result in an overpayment notice.
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can someone explain in simple terms what WEP even is?? i keep hearing about this fairness act but dont understand if it affects me or not. i worked for the post office for 22 years and get a pension from that, then worked at walmart for 18 years paying into social security. do i need to do something different when i apply for SS next year??
Great question. WEP (Windfall Elimination Provision) reduced Social Security benefits for people who earned pensions from jobs not covered by Social Security (like many government jobs) but also worked enough in Social Security-covered jobs to qualify for benefits. As a postal worker, your pension was from a Social Security-covered job, so WEP never applied to you. You would have been affected by WEP only if your pension came from a job where you didn't pay Social Security taxes (like some state/local government positions, or foreign employment). When you apply next year, you'll get your full Social Security benefit based on your 18 years at Walmart without any WEP reduction.
Javier Cruz
I'm confused about the retroactive benefits. I thought you could only get 6 months of back benefits once you're past FRA? But the OP's wife had been past FRA for about 8 months (May 2024 to January 2025). Shouldn't she have been able to get 8 months of back benefits instead of just 6?
You're right about the confusion, but the 6-month limit is correct. Even though you can apply after FRA and request retroactive benefits, SSA limits the retroactivity to 6 months maximum regardless of how long past FRA you are. It's in the POMS section GN 00204.030. So even if someone is 2 years past their FRA when they apply, they can still only get a maximum of 6 months of retroactive benefits. The OP's wife received exactly what was allowed under the rules.
Javier Cruz
•Oh I see! Thanks for explaining. That's good to know since I'll be helping my sister apply soon and she's about 9 months past her FRA.
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One more thing to keep in mind - since this is your first payment, don't forget about Medicare premiums if you've enrolled. They'll automatically deduct your Part B premium (currently $174.70 for most people in 2025) from your Social Security payment. Sometimes people are surprised when their first check is less than expected because of this.
Malik Davis
•Great point! Yes, I did sign up for Medicare when I turned 65. I've been paying the premiums separately, so it'll be nice to have them automatically deducted instead. I've calculated my expected benefit to be around $2,675, so with the Medicare premium it should be about $2,500.
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CHECK HIS WORK CREDITS!!! my cousins husband got denied because he didn't have enough recent work credits even tho he worked for like 15 years but then took time off to be a stay at home dad for 3 years. you need to have worked 5 of the last 10 years i think
Paolo Marino
•That's correct - it's called the 'recent work test.' At age 42, he needs 20 credits total (5 years of work) AND 20 credits within the last 10 years. If he's been working steadily, he should meet this requirement easily.
Yara Khoury
Thanks everyone for all this helpful info! I'm going to sit down with him this weekend to create a plan. We'll double-check his work credits, make sure his neurologist documents everything thoroughly with specific mention of the Compassionate Allowance List, and prepare for that 5-month waiting period. His MS symptoms have gotten really severe (mobility issues, extreme fatigue, cognitive problems), so hopefully that will help with getting approved faster. I'm also going to have him set up an appointment with SSA using that Claimyr service to get specific estimates for his situation. Really appreciate all the insights - this is such a stressful time for their family and having some idea of what to expect financially makes a huge difference.
One last tip - have him keep a detailed symptom journal documenting how his MS affects daily activities. Include good days AND bad days, noting when he's too fatigued to perform basic tasks, when cognitive issues interfere with concentration, detailed mobility limitations, etc. This documentation is GOLD during the application process, especially if he needs to appeal.
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Has anyone ever had the SSA actually ask for their hour logs? I'm wondering how strictly they enforce this. Do they just take your word for your hours or do they demand proof?
They typically don't ask for hour logs unless something triggers a review. The most common trigger is if your tax return shows significant self-employment income but you received full benefits. They might also review if someone reports you (rare but happens), or if you have inconsistencies in your reporting. Better safe than sorry - keep those logs!
Thanks everyone for the advice. I think I'll restructure my work schedule to concentrate my hours in specific months and take no benefits those months. I'm going to start keeping detailed time logs right away so I have documentation ready. Definitely learned that this is more complicated than the SSA website explains!
Smart approach! One more tip: in that first year, you can notify SSA which months you expect to have substantial earnings or services. They can proactively withhold benefits for just those months instead of discovering it later and creating an overpayment situation. Good luck with your semi-retirement!
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One more thing to be aware of - if you're enrolled in Medicare, your Part B premium is based on your income from 2 years ago (so your 2023 income determines your 2025 premium). This is called IRMAA (Income-Related Monthly Adjustment Amount). With your income level, you might pay a slightly higher premium than the standard amount. This has nothing to do with your actual Social Security benefit calculation though.
Amara Okafor
•Oh! That's really good to know. I am enrolled in Medicare. I'll look into this IRMAA thing - I had no idea the premiums could vary based on income from two years ago.
When I started collecting last year, I had to wait almost 3 months for my first payment! They backpaid me eventually, but just warning you it might not start next month like you expect. The SSA is EXTREMELY backed up right now.
same here!!! took forever to get my first check. they backdated it but still super annoying to wait
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Amina Bah
Just wondering... has anyone got the death benefit from SS yet? It's only $255 but still money is money when dealing with funeral costs etc
LunarLegend
•The $255 death benefit is only payable to a surviving spouse who was living with the deceased or to a surviving spouse or child who was receiving benefits on the deceased's record. It's not paid to the estate or other relatives. You need to apply for it - it's not automatic, even if you were already receiving spousal benefits.
Update: I called SSA this morning (used that Claimyr service someone mentioned and it actually worked great). The agent confirmed exactly what you all said - the January payment was for December, and since dad didn't live through the entire month, we need to return it. They're sending instructions to my father's address. The agent also helped me apply for the $255 death benefit since I'm the surviving spouse. Thanks everyone for your help navigating this confusing system during such a difficult time.
Glad you got it sorted out! And good job applying for the death benefit - many people don't realize they need to apply for it specifically. Wishing you all the best during this difficult time.
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Ezra Beard
Does anyone know if they look at your TAX RETURN from the previous year to determine your earnings? Or do they somehow track your current salary? I'm so confused about how they even know what you're making during the year when they calculate these deductions!!
Good question. SSA asks you to estimate your earnings for the year when you apply. They'll pay benefits based on that estimate. Later, when tax information becomes available, they'll compare your actual earnings to your estimate. If you earned more than estimated, you may have to repay some benefits. If you earned less, they may send you additional payments. If your earnings change significantly during the year, you should notify SSA to avoid potential overpayments or underpayments.
I just went through this exact situation! Few tips from my experience: 1) Apply for the survivor benefits even with your higher income. Yes, most will be withheld, but it establishes your eligibility and the withholdings aren't permanently lost. 2) SSA's online system won't let you apply for survivor benefits - you MUST call or visit in person. 3) Getting an appointment took me 3+ months, but I used Claimyr.com to reach an agent quickly who helped me complete everything by phone. 4) Have ALL your documents ready when you call: marriage certificate, divorce decree, death certificate, birth certificate, tax returns, etc. 5) The agent may encourage you to wait due to your income, but it's often better to have your application on file now. Hope this helps! Navigating this wasn't easy but definitely worth it for the long-term strategy.
Vince Eh
•Thank you for sharing your experience! I'll definitely have all my documents ready. Did they need original documents or were copies acceptable when you applied?
They accepted certified copies of everything except my own ID. For the application by phone, I didn't need to submit anything immediately - they gave me time to mail in or drop off the documents after the application was submitted. Just make sure any copies are certified!
Alice Coleman
WAIT! Don't listen to people saying this is no big deal! My friend's husband had a similar issue (his birthday was off by 3 days) and they DENIED his benefits and said he committed FRAUD because he had been using the wrong date!!! He had to hire a lawyer to fix it and it took almost a year! BE CAREFUL!!!
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Mateo Warren
•That sounds like there were other factors involved. A simple one-day discrepancy that's been consistent throughout someone's working life (rather than deliberately changing dates) is not treated as fraud. Your friend's situation likely had additional complications or inconsistencies that triggered fraud concerns.
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Alice Coleman
•Maybe your right...he did mention something about also having used different spellings of his name over the years too. And I think there was an issue with his earnings record not matching or something.
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Sofia Price
just curious, if the birth certificate says the 9th but you've been celebrating on the 10th your whole life, which one do you consider your real birthday??? do you celebrate on the 9th now or still the 10th? 🎂
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Lydia Bailey
•Haha, I still celebrate on the 10th! It's weird to change your birthday in your 30s. Plus all my family and friends have been wishing me happy birthday on the 10th forever. My mom insists the doctor wrote down the wrong date at the hospital.
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