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Thank you everyone for the insights! After reading all your responses, I'm going to have a serious talk with my husband about delaying his benefits until 70. The idea of using term life insurance to cover the "what if" scenario during the delay period is especially helpful. I'm still not sure what I should do about my own benefits, though. Should I: 1) Take my own reduced benefit at 62 2) Wait until my FRA at 67 3) Take spousal benefits based on his record when he files If I take my own reduced benefit early, will that affect what I get as a survivor later on? These decisions are so complicated!
Good questions. Your own reduced retirement benefit won't affect your survivor benefit. As a survivor, you'll receive the higher of your own benefit OR what your husband was receiving, regardless of when you claimed your own. If your husband delays until 70, you can't receive spousal benefits based on his record until he actually files. So if you need income sooner, claiming your own benefit at 62 could make sense, especially if you'll eventually switch to the higher survivor benefit anyway. One important note: if you claim your own benefit early at 62, and then your husband files for his benefit while you're both alive, your spousal benefit (the additional amount you'd get to bring you up to 50% of his FRA amount) would be reduced because you claimed early. However, this reduction doesn't apply to survivor benefits after he passes.
just remember social security office is IMPOSSIBLE to deal with. my friend wants to apply for her widows benefits and shes been trying for a month to get an appointment!!
That's unfortunately very common right now. The SSA is severely understaffed and their phone systems are overwhelmed. If your friend is still having trouble, have her check out claimyr.com - they'll connect her directly to an agent without the wait. It saved me weeks of frustration when I was trying to sort out my Medicare enrollment issues.
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i think its great ur planning ahead! my husband never did any planing and when he died suddenly i had no idea what i was entitled too. the SSA people weren't very helpful either just gave me confusing answers
I'm so sorry you went through that. The same thing happened to my mother! The local SSA office gave her incomplete information initially, and we had to really push to get accurate answers. It shouldn't be so difficult during such a stressful time.
Thank you all for the helpful responses! Based on what everyone has shared, it sounds like my wife would indeed receive the higher amount with all COLAs applied, which is a huge relief for our long-term planning. Just to make sure I understand correctly: The base amount is my FRA benefit at death ($4,100), and then all the yearly COLAs between my death and when she claims at her FRA would be added to that amount. This makes a difference of over $1,300 monthly in our case, which is significant for her financial security. I appreciate everyone sharing their knowledge and personal experiences!
Yes, you've got it exactly right. The base amount is your FRA benefit at death, and then all yearly COLAs are applied. For planning purposes, that $1,300 monthly difference ($15,600 annually) will be very significant for your wife's long-term financial security.
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Please update us on what happens! I'm curious because my mom is in a similar situation with her teacher's pension and survivor benefits. The whole GPO thing is SO complicated and unfair. I swear they make these rules confusing on purpose!
I definitely will! I'm calling tomorrow and will specifically ask about retroactive benefits with GPO and mention that POMS section. Fingers crossed I get someone who understands these rules!
One week later: Any update on your situation? Were you able to get through to someone who properly understood the GPO rules for retroactive survivor benefits?
YES! Success! I finally got through to a technical expert who confirmed I AM eligible for retroactive benefits back to November 2024 (when my pension changed). Not the full 6 months I was hoping for, but still about $1,950 in back payments I would have missed if I hadn't pushed back. Thank you all for your help and advice!
Can I claim Social Security benefits from TWO ex-husbands after remarrying at 56?
I'm trying to make sense of my Social Security options for retirement. I have a complicated marriage history that's making this confusing. I was married to my first husband for 10 years before divorcing, then married my second husband for 13 years before that marriage ended too. Now I've remarried at age 56 (been married about 8 months).My work history has been spotty because I stayed home with kids for several years, so my own SS benefit won't be great. I've heard you can claim on an ex-spouse's record if you were married at least 10 years, but what happens with multiple exes? Can I eventually choose whichever ex-husband has the highest benefit? And does my current marriage affect my ability to claim on either ex's record since I remarried after 60? I'm not planning to retire for another 7-8 years but trying to understand my options now.Any insights would be appreciated!
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Thank you all for the information. This is disappointing but at least now I understand how it works. I'll focus on maximizing my benefit with my current husband and look into our combined claiming strategy. Really wish I'd known these rules beforehand!
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Update: Success! I tried the Wednesday morning at 8:00 am strategy AND used the Claimyr service that someone recommended. Got through to a person in about 25 minutes! They scheduled my appointment for next Tuesday. The agent confirmed the rough calculation I was working with about my survivor benefits with the GPO reduction. She also mentioned something I didn't know - I can apply for survivor benefits online! But she still recommended coming in for the appointment first since my situation with the pension offset is a bit complicated. Just wanted to update everyone and say thanks for all the help!
Great news! Glad you got through. And yes, while you can start some applications online, for widow(er) benefits with pension offsets, an in-person or phone appointment is definitely the way to go. They'll be able to explain all your options much better. Good luck with your appointment!
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Regarding citizenship - for Social Security benefits purposes, citizenship is less important than residency status. Since the daughter is residing in Spain and is not a US citizen, she's treated as a nonresident alien under US tax law, subject to the treaty provisions between the US and Spain. One other important point about the Representative Payee situation - since the mother is a non-US citizen living abroad, SSA might require additional verification and documentation. This could include more frequent Representative Payee accounting reports. She should ask the FBU specifically about any special requirements for her situation. Also, make sure your friend keeps all documentation of how the benefits are spent on behalf of her daughter. Foreign Representative Payees sometimes face additional scrutiny.
Thanks for clarifying about the citizenship vs. residency distinction. I'll make sure she understands the importance of keeping detailed records of how the benefits are used for her daughter. Would a dedicated bank account just for these benefits be advisable to keep the accounting cleaner?
A dedicated bank account is definitely a good idea! Representative Payees are actually required to keep Social Security funds separate from their own money. The account should be titled in a way that shows the child owns the money but the mother manages it - something like "Maria Rodriguez, representative payee for Sofia Rodriguez, beneficiary." This makes it much easier to track how funds are spent and complete the annual Representative Payee Report. It also helps prevent any appearance of misuse of funds, which can be especially important in international cases where there might be more scrutiny.
Perfect! I'll help her set up an account with the proper titling. This whole process is more complex than I initially thought, but it's worth it to make sure everything is handled correctly. Really appreciate all the advice everyone has shared!
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Question - will the amount of your ex's benefit matter? Like if his Social Security was lower than yours will be, is there still any point in doing this? I'm wondering because my ex didn't make much money during his life so his benefit was probably small.
Yes, it absolutely matters! If your ex's benefit was lower than what your retirement benefit would be even at 63/64, then there might not be an advantage. Survivor benefits are up to 100% of what the deceased was receiving (or would have received), reduced if you claim before your FRA. You should check what his benefit amount was - you can call SSA and they can tell you what you'd be eligible for as a survivor.
Another important thing to consider: claiming survivor benefits at 63/64 means you'll get approximately 79-82% of the full survivor benefit (rather than 100% if you waited until your full retirement age). But since you're planning to switch to your own benefit later anyway, it often makes financial sense to take the reduced survivor benefit now rather than waiting. Just be aware of the reduction.
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One more important thing - when you fill out the SS-5 form, in Section 10 where it asks for the "FIRST NAME TO BE SHOWN ON CARD" and "LAST NAME TO BE SHOWN ON CARD" make absolutely sure you write the CORRECT spelling that you want on the new card. Some people make the mistake of putting the current (incorrect) name in those fields thinking they're identifying the existing card. Also, in the "OTHER" box at the bottom of the form, write "Correcting spelling of last name" so it's crystal clear what you're doing. And check box #2 for "Correcting information shown on your card" rather than box #1 for replacement. These little details can save you from having to go through the whole process again!
Thank you for these specific details! I would have definitely been confused about what to put in those fields. You've all been so helpful - I feel much more prepared now to tackle this.
i just remembered something else!!!! if ur kid has any other IDs or documents (like maybe passport?) with the WRONG spelling, you have to fix those separately!!!!! social security doesnt notify other agencies about name changes or corrections. my sister had to deal with this nightmare with my nieces passport too
Oh that's a good point! She doesn't have a passport yet but I did add her to my health insurance with the incorrect spelling. I'll have to contact them too once I get this fixed. What a mess!
Alejandro Castro
I'm just wonder if it's even worth working part time with these stupid limits. After taxes and the SS reduction if you go over, seems like you barely keep anything. Anyone done the math on this? Seems like the system punishes people who want to work. I'm 63 and thinking about applying but don't want to deal with all this nonsense.
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Monique Byrd
•It can still be worth it depending on your situation. I worked part-time after starting benefits and stayed under the monthly limit. Made about $25,000 for the year while still getting all my SS payments. But you're right that the math changes if you're going to consistently earn over the limit. In that case, some people delay claiming until FRA when there's no earnings limit at all. Really depends on your specific situation.
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Jackie Martinez
Here's a breakdown of the Social Security earnings limit rules for 2025 that apply to your situation: 1. Monthly earnings limit: $2,190 (for those under FRA) 2. Annual earnings limit: $26,280 (for those under FRA all year) 3. First year rule: During your first year receiving benefits, you can use the monthly test Since you're starting work in February after already receiving benefits, the monthly earnings test applies. For each month in 2025, you can earn up to $2,190 without affecting your benefits for that month, regardless of your total earnings for the year. Starting in 2026, only the annual limit will apply. If you exceed the annual limit, SSA withholds $1 in benefits for every $2 you earn above the limit. This continues until you reach your Full Retirement Age (FRA), when the earnings limit no longer applies and you can earn any amount without reduction in benefits.
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Aileen Rodriguez
•This is incredibly helpful, thank you! One more question - do bonuses or holiday pay count toward the monthly limit? I might get those occasionally in my part-time job.
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Jackie Martinez
•Yes, bonuses and holiday pay count toward the limit. SSA counts gross wages when they're earned, not when they're paid. So a December holiday bonus counts for December, even if paid in January. Be careful with these extra payments as they can unexpectedly push you over the monthly limit.
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