just wondering why ur waiting till January? If u turn 70 in December wouldn't ur benefits be maxed out then? that's what my brother did

I just wanted to update everyone - I finally completed my application! I found the screens where you select the start date and entitlement date and set both to January 2025. The confirmation page correctly showed January 2025 as my benefit start date. I'll definitely be using that Claimyr service next week to call and verify everything is set up correctly. Thank you all for your help!

Let me throw a curve ball here - have you considered that taxes might impact this decision? If you're still working or have other income, getting a higher SS benefit might push you into higher tax brackets or cause more of your SS to be taxed. Sometimes it's not just about the gross benefit amount but what you actually keep after taxes.

Based on all the information shared, here's what I would recommend in your situation: 1. Apply for the reduced survivor benefit now since it's significantly higher than your own benefit, even with the reduction 2. Bring all documentation to your appointment: marriage certificate, death certificate, both SSNs, birth certificates if possible 3. Ask the SSA representative to calculate the exact reduction percentage based on your months until FRA 4. Get the calculation in writing so you can verify the amount is correct when payments begin 5. Remember that it will take 1-2 months for the survivor benefits to begin after application The math makes it clear - waiting until FRA would mean forgoing approximately $913 per month for 32 months, which totals about $29,200 in benefits you'd never receive. Even with the permanent reduction, you'd need to live about 11 years past your FRA just to break even on the 'waiting' strategy.

The MySocialSecurity account doesn't automatically show spousal benefit estimates - it only shows your own retirement benefit. For spousal estimates, you need to either call SSA directly or use their detailed calculators. One important point that hasn't been mentioned yet: if you're still working when you claim benefits before FRA, the earnings test may apply. For 2025, if you earn more than approximately $22,500 while receiving benefits before FRA, SSA will withhold $1 in benefits for every $2 you earn above that limit. Also, the 50% spousal benefit is reduced by your own benefit amount. You don't get both. So if your benefit is $1,500 and 50% of your husband's is $1,600, you'd get your $1,500 plus $100 additional as the spousal portion.

Correct - you don't get both benefits added together. The way it actually works is: 1. You get your own retirement benefit amount 2. If 50% of your spouse's benefit is higher than your own benefit, you get the DIFFERENCE added on So in your example with your $45K salary vs his $96K salary: - Your benefit might be around $1,500/month - His might be around $3,200/month - 50% of his would be $1,600 - You would receive your $1,500 + $100 extra = $1,600 total This is why for couples with very disparate incomes (like one spouse who didn't work much or at all), the spousal benefit is more significant.

One thing to keep in mind about HR 82 - even if it doesn't pass in its current form, there are other compromise bills that might help your situation. The Public Servants Protection and Fairness Act would create a new formula that would give relief to many WEP-affected retirees, especially those with many years of substantial covered earnings like you have. Additionally, you might want to check if any of your county employment was actually covered employment. Some county positions do pay into Social Security alongside their pension system. This would increase your years of substantial earnings and potentially further reduce your WEP penalty.

That's interesting about the compromise bill. I'll look into that too. As for my county job, I'm pretty sure we didn't pay into SS because they specifically mentioned that when I was hired - they said it was a Section 218 issue or something like that. But I'll double-check my old pay stubs to make sure.

has she gotten the $255 death benefit yet at least?? that's supposed to be automatic for spouses

Let us know how it goes! I'd be curious to hear what finally works for your friend. The whole system is so broken, but it helps when we share what actually works to break through the bureaucracy. I hope she gets her backpay soon!

forgot to mention - when u do apply make sure u have ur bank info ready for direct deposit. they dont mail checks anymore unless u really insist

Just curious - did you work at all in December? If so make sure you know about the earnings test if you're still working. Doesn't apply once you hit FRA though.

One important detail: the GPO only affects spouse/survivor benefits, not your own earned Social Security benefits. So if you worked enough in Social Security-covered jobs to qualify for your own SS retirement (40 quarters/10 years), you would receive those benefits without GPO reduction. It's specifically the benefits based on your spouse's record that get reduced.

Have you spoken with anyone at CalSTRS about this? When my mother-in-law went through something similar (CA teacher, husband died), a CalSTRS counselor helped her understand all the implications and provided some resources. They can't change the federal law, but they're often more knowledgeable about how it intersects with their pension system than general SSA reps are.

One thing nobody's mentioned yet - consider your overall claiming strategy carefully. If you have decent savings and can afford to wait, you might consider having your wife claim her OWN benefit at 62 (if she has enough credits), while YOU delay until 70. Then she could switch to the higher spousal benefit later. This maximizes your household's lifetime SS income, especially if either of you lives beyond age 80. The survivor benefit is also an important consideration - when one spouse dies, the surviving spouse gets to keep the LARGER of the two benefits, so maximizing at least one benefit can provide important protection.

WAIT! I'm confused now. Does she get 32.5% of YOUR benefit amount, or 32.5% of what YOUR benefit WOULD HAVE BEEN at your full retirement age???? This matters a lot!!! I thought it was based on what you actually GET?

THE WHOLE SYSTEM IS DESIGNED TO CONFUSE US!!! I dealt with this exact situation and called SSA 6 times because I kept getting different answers from different representatives about when my benefits would return to normal. One said 3 months, another said 6 months, and a third couldn't tell me at all! They take our money our whole working lives and then make it IMPOSSIBLE to understand what we're entitled to. And heaven forbid you try to work a little to supplement the pittance they call a "benefit"!

One more important thing to understand: The earnings limit increases in the year you reach Full Retirement Age, and then disappears completely once you hit FRA. For example, if your FRA is 66 and 6 months, and you turn that age in 2025, the earnings limit in those months before your birthday is much higher (around $56,520 for 2024, and will be higher for 2025), and they only deduct $1 for every $3 over the limit (not $1 for every $2). Then once you reach your FRA month, there's no earnings limit at all - you can earn any amount without reduction. So depending on how close you are to FRA, you might want to factor this into your work planning.

I wish I'd known about all this when my husband retired!!! Nobody at Social Security told us our daughter could get benefits and now shes already 19 so we missed out on like 4 years of payments we could have had!!! Do they ever give you retroactive benefits if you didn't know you qualified??

When I was helping my dad with his retirement paperwork last year, the SSA representative specifically asked if he had any minor children (he doesn't). So they do sometimes ask, but I agree they should make this clearer on their websites and publications. Too many families miss out on benefits they're entitled to simply because they don't know to ask.