Thanks everyone for the helpful information! I've decided to select February as my start month to get that additional 2/3% DRC. One month's wait seems worth it for a higher payment for potentially decades. I appreciate all the insights and personal experiences shared here - it really helped clarify my decision.

Great decision on choosing February! Just wanted to add one more tip from my experience - when you do apply, make sure to keep a copy of your application confirmation number and any correspondence from SSA. I had a processing delay last year and having all my documentation made it much easier to resolve. Also, if you have direct deposit set up, double-check that your bank account info is current in their system to avoid any payment delays once your benefits start.

Thank you everyone for the helpful responses! I feel much better knowing that my wife can keep her business going without affecting my benefits. We'll probably have her wait until FRA to claim anything since the business is doing well. One more question - if she does wait until FRA to claim spousal benefits, will they look at all her earnings up until that point to calculate her own benefit? Or do they just use earnings up to 62 or something?

Just wanted to add one more important point that hasn't been mentioned yet - since your wife is self-employed, she should also consider the impact on her Medicare premiums down the line. While her business income won't affect your Social Security benefits, if she continues to have high earnings from her accounting practice, those earnings could affect her Medicare Part B and Part D premiums through IRMAA (Income-Related Monthly Adjustment Amount) when she becomes eligible for Medicare. This doesn't change the advice about Social Security benefits, but it's something to factor into her overall retirement planning. The IRMAA thresholds are based on modified adjusted gross income from 2 years prior, so her business income will be considered even if she's receiving Social Security benefits at that time.

As someone who works in elder law, I want to emphasize something that hasn't been mentioned yet - make sure your mom has given you a durable power of attorney that specifically includes the authority to handle government benefits and financial matters. While being executor gives you authority AFTER death, a POA gives you authority if she ever becomes incapacitated but is still living. Also, I'd suggest having her write down her Social Security number, Medicare number, and any other important account numbers in a secure place that you can access. When people are grieving, it's easy to forget or misplace these critical pieces of information that you'll need when contacting various agencies. One last tip - Social Security has a specific form (SSA-721) that can be used to report a death, though most people just call or visit in person. Having the form number might help if you end up dealing with a less experienced representative who isn't sure about the process.

I just went through this process with my grandmother last month, and I wanted to add a few practical tips that helped us navigate the situation more smoothly. First, if your mom banks with a smaller local bank or credit union, consider calling them ahead of time to understand their specific policies when an account holder passes away. Some smaller institutions are more flexible about keeping accounts accessible for a few days to handle final transactions, while others freeze everything immediately. Second, when you do need to contact Social Security, try calling their national number (1-800-772-1213) early in the morning - I found I got through much faster at 8 AM when they first open than later in the day. Have all your documents organized beforehand: death certificate, your ID, executor paperwork, and your mom's Social Security number. One thing that caught me off guard - they may ask you specific questions about your mother's work history or benefit amounts to verify your relationship and authority. It's worth having a conversation with her now about her employment history, when she started receiving benefits, and roughly what her monthly amount is, just so you're not caught unprepared. Also, keep detailed records of every call you make to SSA, including dates, times, representative names, and what was discussed. This documentation became invaluable when I had to call back about a follow-up issue. Your mom is lucky to have someone thinking ahead like this!

To answer your question about survivor benefits more specifically: If your husband passes away, you would be eligible for survivor benefits, which can be up to 100% of what he was receiving (not the 50% limit of spousal benefits). However, if you claim survivor benefits before your FRA, they would be reduced. Unlike with retirement benefits, you can actually claim survivor benefits as early as age 60 (or 50 if disabled). At 60, you'd receive about 71.5% of your deceased spouse's benefit, and the percentage increases until you reach FRA, when you'd get 100%. The rules for survivor benefits are different from spousal benefits in several important ways. You can also switch between your own retirement benefit and survivor benefits at different times to maximize your lifetime benefits.

I'm in a very similar situation and have been researching this extensively. One thing that might help with your decision is to calculate the "break-even" point. If you claim at 62 and get reduced benefits, versus waiting until 67 for full benefits, you need to figure out at what age the total amount received would be equal. For many people, this break-even point is around age 78-80. So if you expect to live beyond that age, waiting usually makes financial sense. But if you have health concerns or really need the income now, claiming early might be the right choice despite the permanent reduction. You might also want to consider your husband's age and health, since that affects potential survivor benefits down the road.

I'm in a similar situation and have been researching this extensively! From what I've learned, Roth IRA withdrawals are treated very favorably by SSA. Since you've been contributing for 20 years and will be at FRA, your withdrawals should be completely qualified distributions - meaning they're tax-free AND don't count toward any Social Security limits. The key distinction is that the earnings test only applies to "earned income" from work, not investment withdrawals. Roth distributions aren't considered earned income, so they can't trigger benefit reductions. Plus, since they're tax-free, they won't make your SS benefits taxable either. Your financial advisor is giving you good advice! At FRA, you have maximum flexibility with both Social Security and Roth withdrawals.

As someone who just started learning about retirement planning, this thread has been incredibly educational! I'm still decades away from retirement, but seeing how Roth IRAs provide such flexibility with Social Security is making me seriously consider prioritizing Roth contributions over traditional 401k contributions at work. The fact that Roth withdrawals don't count toward the earnings test, don't affect IRMAA thresholds, AND don't make Social Security benefits taxable seems like a huge advantage. Are there any downsides to Roth accounts that I should be aware of as I'm planning for the long term? It almost seems too good to be true that you can access this money tax-free without affecting other retirement benefits. Thanks to everyone who shared their real-world experiences - it's so much more helpful than trying to decode government websites!