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Has anyone tried to get the quarters they need by working part-time after retirement? I heard you can earn 4 quarters per year, and I think the amount needed per quarter in 2025 is around $1,690 in earnings. So theoretically, couldn't the original poster work part-time for 5 years to get the additional 19 quarters needed to reach 40? Then they'd qualify for their own benefit, which wouldn't be subject to GPO (though might be affected by WEP).
That's technically possible, but likely not beneficial in this case. Even if OP earned the 40 credits to qualify for her own benefit, it would be extremely small based on just those minimum earnings. And then the Windfall Elimination Provision (WEP) would reduce that small benefit even further. Plus, at 67, the OP would need to work until 72 to earn those additional credits. The time and effort involved would almost certainly not be worth the minimal benefit that would result. Better to focus on other retirement planning strategies at this point.
I called SSA this morning after several attempts and got through using that Claimyr service someone mentioned. The agent confirmed what you all said - with my CalPERS pension, I'll get $0 in spousal benefits because of the GPO. I was hoping there might be some loophole or exception, but apparently not. I appreciate everyone's help explaining this. At least now I understand the rules better and can stop wondering if I'm missing out on benefits I deserve. My husband and I will just need to budget accordingly with what we have.
Glad you were able to get definitive information! That's always the most important first step. While the GPO rules may seem unfair, understanding where you stand helps with planning. Since you're already at your Full Retirement Age, there aren't many claiming strategies left to consider, but make sure you understand survivor benefits too - if your husband passes away before you, you might be eligible for a partial survivor benefit depending on the numbers (survivor benefits are also subject to GPO, but are higher than spousal benefits).
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my wife started ss in april last year and it was fine but our neighbor did may and they messed up his payments for 3 months so maybe its just luck lol
One more consideration - if you're still planning to work part-time after starting benefits, the earnings limit works on a monthly basis in your first year of retirement. This is called the "Monthly Earnings Test" or "Monthly Grace Year Rule." The monthly limit is the annual limit divided by 12. So if the 2025 limit is $22,320, the monthly limit would be $1,860. In any month you earn over that amount, you wouldn't receive benefits for that month. Starting in 2026, SSA would switch to looking at your annual earnings regardless of which months you earned the money.
That's really helpful information! No, I don't plan to work at all after April 2025. My pension and savings should cover me until SS kicks in. After weighing everyone's advice, I'm thinking January 2026 might be the smarter option - slightly higher benefit amount for life, and avoid any potential processing issues. I appreciate all the insights!
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I think i had a similar situation but opposite... i worked and paid into SS but my ex was a teacher with a pension. When we divorced after 22 years i tried to claim on her record and got denied. So confusing!
That's actually a different situation. You were denied because you can't claim spousal benefits on someone's record if they don't have a Social Security record to claim on. Teachers in some states don't pay into Social Security, so there's no benefit record for ex-spouses to claim against. In the original poster's case, SHE has a Social Security record, but her ex likely won't be able to claim on it due to GPO reductions.
Thank you all for the helpful explanations! I feel much better now understanding that my benefits won't be affected regardless of what my ex tries to do. And it sounds like because of the GPO, he probably wouldn't qualify for anything on my record anyway with his pension being so substantial. I appreciate everyone taking the time to explain all the technical details - Social Security rules are so complicated!
Glad we could help clarify things! Just remember that if your circumstances change (like if you're considering remarriage), it's always good to check how that might affect various Social Security benefits. And when you're ready to file for your own retirement benefits, be sure to create a my Social Security account online if you haven't already - it's the easiest way to track everything.
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has anyone moved from texas to georgia specifically??? my cousin did this last year and theres no state supplement in georgia so the payment went down by like $70/month just fyi
texas dosent have a state supplement for SSI either so the payment should stay the same federal amount
I just remembered something important! If you're moving states make SURE you research medicaid too! SSI usually comes with medicaid but each state runs it differently and you don't want ANY gaps in coverage for your son!!
Oh that's a really good point I hadn't even thought about! I'll need to look into Georgia's Medicaid program right away. My son has several specialists and ongoing treatments we can't interrupt.
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my uncle waited til 70 to collect his SS even though he got medicare at 65. got an extra 30% on his monthly check cuz he waited! smart move if you can afford to wait
That's my ideal scenario! I was just misinformed that I had to take both at the same time. If I can get Medicare now and wait on SS until 67 or even 70, that would be wonderful.
One thing I haven't seen mentioned yet is that if you decide to apply for Medicare only at 65, you'll need to pay the Medicare Part B premiums directly (they won't be deducted from your Social Security payment since you won't be receiving one yet). In 2025, the standard Part B premium is projected to be around $185-$190 per month, though it could be higher depending on your income. You'll receive quarterly bills from Medicare or can set up automatic payments from your bank account. Just something to budget for!
That's a really helpful point I hadn't considered. I'll make sure to budget for paying those premiums directly. Is the process for setting up automatic payments straightforward?
Yes, it's fairly simple. Medicare offers a program called Medicare Easy Pay, which allows automatic deductions from your checking or savings account. When you receive your first Medicare premium bill, it will include instructions for enrolling in Easy Pay. You'll need your Medicare number, bank information, and to complete a short form (SF-5510). You can also pay by credit card, check, or through your bank's online bill pay service.
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my cousin said she got something similar for her mom but it was actually from her moms pension not social security maybe check if your mom had a pension?
She didn't have a pension, but several people have suggested it might be an underpayment of her regular Social Security benefits. That makes the most sense to me!
One more possibility - did your mother work for the federal government or a state/local government that didn't participate in Social Security? If so, there could have been a small death benefit from her retirement system that was split among you as next of kin. Some government pension systems offer modest death benefits to survivors that are separate from Social Security.
She worked for a private company her whole career and paid into Social Security, so I don't think that's it. Based on everyone's responses, I'm pretty convinced it was an underpayment of her regular benefits like others have suggested. Mystery solved I think!
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One more thing I should mention - make sure you understand that if you're filing after your Full Retirement Age (which it sounds like you are since you mentioned being 67), you're eligible for up to 6 months of retroactive benefits before your application month. So if you apply in February 2025, you could potentially get benefits dating back to August 2024. This is something they should ask you about during the application process, but sometimes they don't clearly explain it. If you want those retroactive benefits, make sure to specifically request them. If you don't want the retroactive benefits (some people prefer to have a higher monthly amount instead), you can decline them.
This is so helpful! I had no idea about the 6 months retroactive option. I'll definitely request that since I could really use the lump sum right now. Thank you!
My sister just went through this in December. She applied right before Thanksgiving and just got her first payment last week! They did backpay her for December and January though so thats something to look forward to. She said the online tracker thingy never updated either so don't rely on that.
Thanks for sharing your sister's recent experience. That's about what I was expecting - a few months of processing time. Good to know about the tracker not updating too.
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Thank you all for the helpful advice! I think I'll select YES for Medicare Part B and clearly note in the remarks section that I want both Parts A and B to start May 1st, 2025 when my employer coverage ends. I'll also make sure to save a copy of my application with all the notes. Really appreciate everyone sharing their experiences!
wait i'm confused about something - doesn't Medicare have to start the month you turn 65? My neighbor said you don't get to pick the start date...
That's a common misconception. If you're still working and covered by employer insurance when you turn 65, you qualify for a Special Enrollment Period. This allows you to delay Medicare enrollment without penalties and choose when your coverage begins (typically the month after your employer coverage ends). You just need to provide proof of your current creditable coverage when enrolling.
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One thing to consider is that even with the WEP reduction, it still might make financial sense to claim at 64 rather than waiting, depending on your health and financial situation. I ran calculations for myself and found that the break-even point where waiting until FRA made sense was around 82 years old. So if you don't expect to live past that age, taking it earlier could give you more lifetime benefits even with the WEP reduction. Just something to think about.
That's an interesting perspective. I'm in good health and longevity runs in my family, so I'm leaning toward waiting. But you're right - I should actually run the numbers for my specific situation to find that break-even point. Did you use a specific calculator for that analysis?
I used Excel and created my own spreadsheet. I took the monthly benefit amount after WEP at different claiming ages, multiplied by 12 for annual amount, and then calculated cumulative benefits for each year of life. The point where the lines crossed was my break-even age. There are also online calculators but most don't account for WEP properly.
do u know if u paid into SS for those govt jobs? some govt jobs do pay into SS so maybe WEP wont affect u?? just checkin
Good question - I know for certain my state government position did NOT pay into Social Security (we had a separate pension system instead). That's why I'm concerned about WEP. If I had paid into SS for those years, you're right that WEP wouldn't apply.
Felicity Bud
DONT TRUST WHAT PEOPLE SAY HERE!!! Every case is different! My sister-in-law was separated from her husband for 3 years (but still married) when he died and they DENIED her survivors benefits saying they were "estranged" and she couldn't prove financial dependence or something!!! She had to hire a lawyer to fight it!!! The rules are COMPLICATED!!
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Savannah Glover
•There must be more to that story. Under normal circumstances, legal marriage at the time of death qualifies you for survivor benefits regardless of physical separation. The exception would be if there was a legal separation agreement that specifically addressed benefits, or if there were questions about the validity of the marriage itself. The SSA primarily wants to ensure the marriage was legitimate and not entered into solely for benefits purposes. Your sister-in-law's situation likely had complicating factors not mentioned.
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Felix Grigori
To add some clarity here - the living arrangement question serves several purposes: 1) It helps SSA determine if there might be multiple potential claimants, 2) It identifies if there might be issues with the validity of the marriage, and 3) It helps with determining household expenses for certain calculations. As long as you were legally married and there's no question about the validity of the marriage, separation without a legal separation agreement should not impact eligibility for survivor benefits. The key facts from your situation: legally married, no divorce filed, no legal separation agreement. These are what matter for your survivor benefits eligibility. Your strategy of waiting until FRA for survivors while letting your own benefit grow is generally sound, but you might want to run calculations for different scenarios once you get accurate benefit amounts.
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Kevin Bell
•Thanks for the clear explanation! I feel much better about the situation now. I'll definitely get the specific benefit amounts before making any final decisions.
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