BTW they change these rules all the time! My dad was a teacher and thought he was fine, then Congress changed the formula for WEP calculation the year before he retired and it cost him like $400/month in benefits. Keep an eye on legislation too.

To directly answer your original question: If you're currently teaching in a position where you pay into Social Security, and will have 30 years of substantial earnings under Social Security by retirement, you will NOT be subject to WEP regardless of your pension. Since you mentioned you've been teaching for 12 years with Social Security coverage and will have around 30 years total by retirement, you appear to be on track for complete WEP exemption. Just make sure you've met the substantial earnings threshold (which increases slightly each year) for each of those 30 years.

I'm very sorry for your loss. The choice between your own benefit and survivor benefits is indeed confusing. Generally speaking, you want to take the smaller benefit first and then switch to the larger one later. If your own benefit at age 70 would be larger than your survivor benefit, consider taking survivor benefits earlier and switching to your own at 70. Every situation is different though - this is definitely a case where speaking directly with SSA about your specific numbers is important.

Thank you all so much for these responses! I have a much clearer picture now of how this works. My takeaways:1. His early claiming WOULD reduce potential survivor benefits if he passes away2. But there's that 82.5% minimum rule that might help offset some of the reduction3. I can strategically switch between my own benefits and survivor benefits to maximize my total lifetime payout4. I should definitely consult with an expert on Social Security claiming strategies given all the complexitiesIt's definitely more complicated than I initially thought, but I feel much better equipped to have an informed conversation with a financial advisor now. Thanks again for all your help!

my cousin just went through this exact thing last month! she applied online then changed her mind. she said they told her she has until her first payment posts to make changes otherwise she'd have to do the whole withdrawal thing which sounds complicated. good luck!

Just to follow up on this - changing your start date from 65 to 67 is definitely worth the hassle. Each year you delay past your full retirement age (which is 67 for those born in 1960 or later) increases your benefit by 8%. So waiting those two years could mean roughly 16% more in monthly benefits for the rest of your life. That can add up to tens of thousands of dollars over your lifetime. Don't give up on reaching SSA to make this change!

Since we're discussing the financial impacts, you might want to know there's an appeals process for IRMAA if you believe the increase would cause you significant hardship. SSA has a "Life-Changing Event" form (SSA-44) you can file if your income has decreased due to certain circumstances. While a one-time property sale itself isn't considered a life-changing event, if you've experienced other changes like retirement, reduced work hours, or loss of income-producing property, you might qualify for relief. Worth looking into if your Medicare premiums do increase significantly. Also, getting documentation about the property's value at the time of your brother's death is crucial for establishing that stepped-up basis we discussed. An appraisal dated close to his passing date would be ideal.

btw forgot to say dont wait too long to decide on the house. my friends mom waited a year when she inherited and the property taxes and maintence costs added up fast. if ur not gonna live there better to sell sooner and put the money somewhere safe

dont forget to think about taxes too!! i didnt plan for withholding and got a surprise tax bill 😫

Thank you everyone for all the fantastic advice! I've learned so much: 1. Apply in October 2024 (4 months before) and specifically select February 2025 as my start month 2. Be aware my February payment will actually arrive in March 3. My payment date will be the 4th Wednesday of each month (since my birthday is the 28th) 4. Have all my work history, marriage/divorce info, and family details ready 5. Consider tax withholding options when I apply 6. Create a my Social Security account to check my benefit amount before applying I feel so much more prepared now! I'll plan to apply online in October, and if I run into phone issues, I'll try that Claimyr service. I really appreciate everyone taking the time to help me understand this process better!

If you're having trouble navigating this on your own, consider contacting your local Center for Independent Living (CIL). These are federally funded organizations specifically designed to help people with disabilities access benefits and navigate transitions like this. Also, when your son does become eligible for Medicare after the waiting period, make sure to look into Medicare Special Needs Plans (SNPs) which are designed for people with chronic conditions like seizure disorders. They typically offer better prescription coverage and specialist networks than standard Medicare plans.

UPDATE: I wanted to thank everyone for the amazing advice! I contacted our state's Disability Rights office yesterday, and they connected me with a benefits specialist who knew exactly what to do. Apparently there's something called the "Medicaid Working Disabled" program in our state that my son qualifies for even though he can't work full-time. We're submitting the application today. I also spoke with his neurologist who is providing 3 months of emergency medication samples while we sort this out, and has enrolled him in patient assistance programs for two of his most expensive medications. Still working on getting through to SSA to clarify some details about the transition, but at least I feel like we have a path forward now. Thank you all so much!

Anyone know how long the spousal application process takes these days? When my friend applied last Nov it took almost 3 months for her first payment!

Current processing times for spousal benefits are running about 3-5 weeks for straightforward applications with all required documentation. However, if there are any complications or missing documents, it can take 2-3 months. I recommend applying about 3 months before you want benefits to begin. Also, remember that benefits are paid in the month following the month they're due for. So your January benefit arrives in February, etc. This sometimes confuses people who are expecting their first payment immediately.

wait i'm confused are u asking if YOU can claim on HIS record or if HE can claim on YOUR record?? cause those are totally different things!!

my neighbor went thru something like this last month. she said that her ex (also csrs) had to fill out form SSA-795 (statement of claimant) explaining his pension situation along with the regular application. might be good to tell your ex about that form in case ss office doesnt mention it.

To answer your earlier question about time limits - yes, there is unfortunately a limit on retroactive benefits. For survivor benefits, SSA can only pay up to 6 months retroactively from the date of application. Since it's been 10 months since your daughter passed, you've potentially lost 4 months of payments for your grandson. One other important thing to note: if your grandson receives survivor benefits, you might be eligible for something called a "representative payee fee" since you're managing his benefits. It's a small amount, but it acknowledges the responsibility of managing the funds properly. You'd need to specifically ask about this when you apply for his benefits. Also, these benefits will continue until he turns 18 (or 19 if he's still in high school).

my neighber gets Survivor benefits for her grand kids to. but be careful they make you account for every penny spent from those benefits! keep all reciepts for clothes school stuff etc as proof

DON'T TRUST WHAT RANDOM PEOPLE TELL YOU ONLINE!!! Go to the source! I recommend going to ssa.gov and reading their official publication about survivor benefits. It's called "Survivors Benefits" and you can find it here: https://www.ssa.gov/pubs/EN-05-10084.pdf SSA phone reps give WRONG information all the time. I had one tell me completely incorrect info about my widow benefits and I wasted months fixing it. If you can't get through by phone and can't visit an office, send a secure message through your my Social Security account asking SPECIFICALLY about your situation.

Let me clarify a few points about your specific situation: 1. You CAN take your own reduced retirement benefit now ($950) to help with medical expenses 2. After your divorce is finalized, you CAN switch to the higher survivor benefit from your first husband ($1,650) 3. The survivor benefit will NOT be reduced because you took your own retirement early 4. However, your survivor benefit could be reduced if you take it before your FRA - the reduction is based on YOUR age when you claim the survivor benefit, not when you claim your retirement 5. The paperwork to stop your application can be rescinded - call SSA immediately Don't panic about having messed things up permanently. This is fixable. The most important thing is to contact SSA right away to undo the stoppage of your application if you want to receive your own benefits now while waiting for the divorce to finalize.