Just wanted to add my experience - we were in almost the same boat last year. Wife is 14 months younger than me. What we decided was for me to take benefits at my FRA (66+8mo) so she could start collecting spousal right when she hit her FRA. Made more sense for our situation than waiting for those extra delayed credits. Every month we both collected was better than waiting for a slightly bigger check down the road. Run the numbers for your specific situation!

One thing that might help with your decision is to calculate the breakeven point. If you're both in good health, delaying might still make sense for the survivor benefit protection, but if you need the income now or have health concerns, claiming at FRA could be better. Also double-check if your wife has enough work credits for her own Social Security - sometimes people assume they need spousal benefits when their own benefit might actually be higher. The SSA estimator tool can help you compare scenarios, but definitely get official confirmation from SSA before making your final choice.

As someone who recently started navigating Social Security while still working, this entire discussion has been incredibly eye-opening! I'm not quite at retirement age yet, but I'm already planning ahead since I do some freelance work that I'd like to continue. One thing that really stands out to me from all these responses is how important it is to get accurate information directly from SSA rather than relying on assumptions or even well-meaning advice from friends and family. It seems like there are a lot of misconceptions out there about how the earnings limit works. I'm curious - for those of you who have successfully managed to stay under the earnings limit while doing consulting work, do you find it's better to be conservative with your income projections, or do you try to maximize earnings right up to the limit? I imagine there's some strategy involved in terms of timing projects and managing cash flow throughout the year. Also, has anyone dealt with situations where clients pay late or project timelines shift unexpectedly? It seems like that could make it really challenging to accurately predict annual earnings, especially for the SSA reporting requirements that were mentioned. Thanks to everyone who has shared their experiences here - this is exactly the kind of real-world guidance that's so hard to find elsewhere!

This has been such a comprehensive and helpful discussion! As someone who's about to face a similar situation in the next year or two, I really appreciate everyone sharing their real-world experiences with the earnings limit while doing consulting work. One thing I wanted to add that might be helpful - I recently attended a Social Security workshop through our local senior center, and the presenter emphasized the importance of understanding the monthly earnings test in addition to the annual limit. For 2025, if you're under FRA the entire year, you can earn up to $1,993 per month without affecting your benefits, regardless of your annual total. This monthly test can sometimes be more favorable if your consulting income is uneven throughout the year. For example, if you have a big project that pays $15,000 in one month but then don't work for several months, the monthly test might protect more of your benefits than just looking at the annual limit. It's worth understanding both rules since SSA applies whichever is more favorable to you. Also, I wanted to second the advice about keeping meticulous records. Even if you're confident about staying under the limit, having detailed documentation makes everything so much smoother if questions ever come up. Thanks again to everyone who shared their insights - this is exactly the kind of practical guidance that's invaluable for people navigating these complex rules!

I'm so sorry you're dealing with this - what a stressful situation! As someone new to this community, I'm already learning so much from everyone's experiences. The fact that SSA calculation errors seem to be this common is really concerning. From reading all the responses, it sounds like your government teaching pension is likely at the heart of this issue. The Windfall Elimination Provision (WEP) seems to be a frequent culprit in these "corrections." What's particularly frustrating is that if you disclosed this pension information in your original application, they should have calculated it correctly from the start. I'm taking notes on all the great advice here - especially about requesting the detailed breakdown of both calculations and filing Form SSA-561 if needed. The suggestion about using services like Claimyr to actually get through to someone is really helpful too, since their phone system sounds like a nightmare. Please don't give up! It sounds like many people here have successfully challenged these reductions and gotten at least partial corrections. Your persistence could not only help your own situation but also serve as a valuable example for others facing similar issues. Wishing you the best of luck in getting this resolved!

This is such a helpful thread - I'm learning so much as someone who's considering early retirement soon! The consistency in everyone's advice about challenging these reductions is really encouraging. It seems like the key points are: 1) Get detailed calculations for both the original and revised benefits, 2) Request Form SSA-561 for formal reconsideration, 3) Pay special attention to WEP/GPO issues if you have government pensions, and 4) Don't give up on trying to reach an actual person (even if it means using services like Claimyr). What strikes me most is how many people have had success getting at least partial corrections when they pushed back. The fact that SSA errors seem to go both ways (sometimes in the beneficiary's favor, sometimes against) suggests their calculation system has real issues that need addressing. @16a0b6935e92 - I really hope you get this resolved quickly. Your situation is exactly why I'm going to triple-check everything before I apply for my benefits. Please keep us posted on your progress - your experience is helping so many people understand their rights and options when dealing with SSA calculation errors!

I'm so sorry for your loss, Keisha. I went through this process about a year ago after my husband passed, and I want to add one more helpful tip that others haven't mentioned yet. When you're on that February call, ask the SSA representative to email you a summary of what was discussed and any next steps. Many people don't realize they can request this, but it's incredibly helpful to have everything in writing when you're grieving and might not remember all the details later. Also, if you're like me and tend to think of questions after the call ends, ask for the direct phone number of the person you're speaking with or their department. Getting back to the same person or office who handled your initial application can save you from having to explain your entire situation all over again to someone new. One last thing - they may ask about your living situation (if you're still in the marital home, etc.) as this can sometimes affect certain aspects of your benefits. It's just routine information gathering, nothing to worry about. You're doing everything right by preparing ahead of time. The call will go better than you expect.

I'm so sorry for your loss, Keisha. I went through the survivor benefits process about 8 months ago, and I want to reassure you that you don't need to set up direct deposit beforehand - the SSA representative will absolutely handle that during your February phone appointment. One thing that really helped me was creating a simple "cheat sheet" with all my key information written out clearly: my SSN, my husband's SSN, both our birthdates, our wedding date, date of his passing, and my banking information (routing and account numbers). Having everything written down in one place meant I wasn't scrambling to find information during an already emotional call. Also, don't be surprised if they ask you to stay on hold briefly while they pull up records or input information. My call took about 50 minutes total, but there were several short hold periods. The representative was incredibly patient and kind throughout the entire process. One last tip: if you use a cell phone for the appointment, make sure it's fully charged and you're in an area with good reception. The last thing you want is to get disconnected halfway through and have to start over. Wishing you strength for the call - you're more prepared than you think!

I'm currently waiting for my document request letter too - applied about 5 weeks ago for divorced spouse benefits and still haven't heard anything. This thread is giving me hope that it's still within the normal timeframe! One thing I wanted to add based on my research: if you're over your full retirement age (which you are at 66), you won't face any penalties for the delayed application, and you might actually be entitled to some retroactive payments back to when you first became eligible. That could be a nice surprise when your benefits do start! Also, since you mentioned you already have your ex's SSN, that should definitely help speed up the process once they start reviewing your case. Some people have to wait longer while SSA tries to locate their ex-spouse's earnings record without that information. Hang in there - sounds like you have everything organized perfectly and you're just in the normal waiting period. The system is slow but it does work!

I'm going through the exact same process right now! Applied for divorced spouse benefits about 3 weeks ago and have been anxiously checking my account every day. This entire thread has been so incredibly helpful - it's amazing how much clearer everything becomes when you hear from people who have actually been through it rather than trying to navigate the SSA website. Based on everyone's experiences here, it sounds like we're both right in that normal 3-6 week window for receiving the document request letter. I'm feeling much more confident now knowing that the "in process" status is completely normal and that they will definitely contact us with clear instructions. I'm also planning to submit my documents in person when the time comes - after reading all these responses, that definitely seems like the safest and fastest option. Getting a receipt and having the originals returned immediately sounds like the way to go. Thank you for starting this discussion! It's so reassuring to know we're not alone in feeling confused by this process. Wishing you a smooth experience with the rest of your application!