For what it's worth, I'd recommend calculating roughly what you'll owe before picking your withholding percentage. You can use the IRS worksheet in Publication 915 to estimate how much of your SS benefits will be taxable based on your total income. That way you're not over-withholding and giving the government an interest-free loan all year. I made that mistake my first year - had them withhold 22% when I only needed about 8% based on my actual tax situation.

Just wanted to add that if you're still having trouble finding the tax withholding option in your mySocialSecurity account, try logging out completely and logging back in. Sometimes the new features don't show up right away due to browser cache issues. Also, make sure you're looking under the "Benefits & Payment Details" section - that's where I found the tax withholding request option after my benefits started. The interface isn't super intuitive, but it's definitely there now for most people who are already receiving payments.

As someone who just went through this exact decision process last year, I wanted to share my experience. I was in a very similar situation - eligible for pension at 65, substantial 401k balance, and FRA of 67. After reading through all the great advice here, I ultimately decided to wait until my FRA to claim Social Security. Instead, I'm living off my pension ($1,800/month) plus strategic withdrawals from my 401k. Yes, it means dipping into my retirement accounts earlier, but the permanent 13.3% reduction in SS benefits for claiming at 65 just didn't make financial sense given my family's longevity. One thing that helped me make the decision: I calculated my "break-even" point. For me, if I live past age 78, waiting until FRA will have provided more total lifetime benefits despite getting payments for 2 fewer years. Given that both my parents lived well into their 80s, the math favored waiting. The peace of mind knowing I'll get my full Social Security benefit for life was worth the temporary inconvenience of managing retirement account withdrawals for those two years. Just another perspective to consider as you make this important decision!

This is such a helpful thread! I'm in a similar boat but about 5 years out from making this decision. Reading through everyone's experiences and advice has been incredibly educational. One thing I'm curious about - for those of you who have pensions, did you have the option to take a lump sum instead of monthly payments? I'm wondering if there are any advantages to taking a lump sum and rolling it into an IRA versus taking the monthly pension payments when it comes to Social Security planning and tax management. Also, @Yuki Tanaka, your break-even analysis is brilliant. Did you use any specific tools or calculators to run those numbers, or did you work it out manually? I'd love to start doing similar projections for my own situation. Thanks to everyone for sharing so openly about their retirement planning strategies. This kind of real-world advice is so much more valuable than trying to decode the SSA website!

One more thing to consider: Since you're past your FRA, you should know that there's no advantage to waiting longer to claim ex-spousal benefits. Unlike your own retirement benefit, ex-spousal benefits don't grow with delayed retirement credits past your FRA. So if the ex-spousal benefit is going to be higher than your own benefit, you might as well claim now. But if your own benefit is higher, and especially if it's close, you might consider waiting until 70 to maximize your own benefit with delayed retirement credits (which grow about 8% per year until 70).

I just wanted to add something that might help with your decision timing. Since you mentioned you retired last year and are now 66 and 4 months, you should also consider your overall financial situation. If you need the income now, there's no penalty for earning money while collecting Social Security since you're past your FRA. Also, regarding getting information without opening a claim - you can actually request a Social Security Statement online at ssa.gov/myaccount which will show your own estimated benefits. While it won't show your ex-spouse benefit amount, it will at least give you your own benefit estimate to compare against. One last tip: if you do end up needing to wait 3 months for an appointment, you might want to go ahead and schedule it now anyway. You can always cancel if you figure things out sooner, but at least you'll have that backup option. Good luck with everything!

This thread has been absolutely incredible to follow! I'm blown away by the depth of knowledge and genuine care everyone has shown. As someone who's dealt with government bureaucracy before (though not SSA specifically), I can't emphasize enough how valuable all this practical advice is. A few things really stood out to me that I think are worth highlighting for anyone else who might find this thread later: 1. The distinction between POA and benefit eligibility - this seems to be a common source of confusion that was cleared up brilliantly here 2. The importance of being your own advocate and not accepting vague answers 3. The multiple backup strategies (phone, in-person, services like Claimyr, local office numbers) 4. Documentation is key - keeping logs, bringing all relevant paperwork, asking for written summaries 5. There are SO many assistance programs available that most people don't know about What strikes me most is how this went from one person's specific crisis to an incredibly comprehensive guide that could help countless others. The combination of professional expertise (retired SSA employee, benefits counselor, nonprofit worker) with real personal experiences creates such a valuable resource. To the original poster - you should feel proud of how proactively you've approached this difficult situation. You've turned what seemed like an overwhelming crisis into a clear action plan, and you've created a resource that will help many other people facing similar challenges. I'm really hoping your appointment goes smoothly and you get the financial relief you need and deserve. Please do update us - I think everyone who contributed here would love to hear about your success! This is exactly why online communities like this are so powerful. Thank you to everyone who shared their time, knowledge, and encouragement!

I just wanted to add something that might be helpful based on my experience working with seniors - when you're gathering all your documents for the SSA appointment, make copies of everything before you go. Sometimes they'll want to keep certain documents, and having your own copies ensures you don't lose important paperwork. Also, if your local SSA office has online appointment scheduling, that can sometimes be faster than calling, though I know not all offices offer this option yet. One thing I haven't seen mentioned is that you might want to ask about expedited processing given your financial hardship situation. SSA does have provisions for expediting certain cases when there's severe financial need, though I'm not sure if it applies to spousal benefits specifically. It's worth asking about since you mentioned you're really struggling with your current income. This thread has been such an amazing example of community support - seeing everyone share their knowledge and experiences to help you through this difficult situation has been really heartwarming. You're clearly taking all the right steps, and I'm confident you're going to get this resolved. Best of luck with your appointment!

Andre, this is such wonderful news! I'm so happy you were able to get through to SSA and confirm your eligibility. This entire thread has been incredibly valuable - I had no idea about disabled widow benefits being available as early as age 50. It's really frustrating that you had to struggle for three years when you were eligible all along, but I'm glad you found the support and information you needed here. The community knowledge shared by everyone, especially about the specific terminology to use and services like Claimyr, seems to have made all the difference. Best of luck with your appointment next week! Make sure to bring copies of everything and don't hesitate to ask questions if anything seems unclear. Your persistence and willingness to advocate for yourself is inspiring, and I'm sure your experience will help other widows and widowers who might be in similar situations. Please keep us updated on how the application process goes!

Andre, what fantastic news! I'm so thrilled that you were able to get through to SSA and confirm your eligibility for disabled widow benefits. This thread has been absolutely incredible to follow - seeing how this community came together to help you discover benefits you've been entitled to for years is exactly why these spaces are so valuable. It's honestly heartbreaking that you've struggled financially for three years when you should have been receiving these benefits since age 50. The fact that multiple SSA representatives didn't know about or mention disabled widow benefits really highlights how important it is to be persistent and ask specific questions. I'm keeping my fingers crossed that your appointment next week goes smoothly and that you get approved quickly. Make sure to bring all the documentation everyone mentioned - your husband's death certificate, marriage certificate, disability approval letter, and both Social Security numbers. Don't hesitate to reference this specific benefit type if they seem confused. Your story is going to help so many other people who might be in similar situations but don't know these benefits exist. Thank you for sharing your journey with us, and please update us after your appointment. We're all rooting for you!