I'm dealing with a very similar situation for my Canadian spouse and can confirm that the agent gave you completely wrong information! We've been living in Toronto for 7 years and my wife receives her spousal benefits with zero issues and no residency requirements whatsoever. The 30% withholding is standard for non-US citizens, but as others have mentioned, the US-Canada tax treaty eliminates this. We filed the W-8BEN form and now she receives her full benefits without any withholding. The process was straightforward once we got connected with someone who actually understood international cases. That "2 months in the US" requirement is absolute nonsense - I've never heard anything so ridiculous! My wife hasn't been to the US in over 3 years and her payments continue without interruption. It sounds like you got an agent who was either completely new or just making things up. Definitely call the Office of International Operations at the number Victoria provided. They sorted everything out for us in one phone call after we wasted weeks getting conflicting information from regular SSA agents. Don't let this bad experience discourage you - your wife is absolutely entitled to those benefits without jumping through imaginary hoops!

This thread has been incredibly helpful! I'm a newcomer here dealing with a similar situation for my Australian spouse, and reading through all these experiences has been eye-opening. It's absolutely shocking how much misinformation the regular SSA agents are giving out about international spousal benefits. The fact that multiple people here were told the exact same false "residency requirement" story is really concerning. It makes you wonder how many people have been discouraged from applying for benefits they're rightfully entitled to because of this bad information. @Victoria Brown - thank you so much for sharing your expertise as a former SSA claims specialist. Your detailed explanations about the tax treaty provisions and the correct application process are invaluable. It's clear that having someone with actual inside knowledge makes all the difference. For anyone else dealing with these international cases, it seems like the consensus is crystal clear: 1. Ignore any residency requirements - they don't exist for spousal benefits 2. File Form W-8BEN to claim tax treaty benefits and avoid withholding 3. Go straight to the Office of International Operations (+1-410-965-0160) 4. Don't waste time with regular SSA agents who clearly aren't trained on these cases I'm going to follow this advice and skip the general phone line entirely. Thanks to everyone who shared their experiences - this community is a lifesaver for navigating these complex situations!

As a newcomer to this community, I'm really grateful for all the detailed experiences shared here! I'm in a similar situation - planning to apply for retirement benefits soon and was completely torn between online vs. in-person filing. The hybrid approach that so many of you are recommending makes perfect sense, especially after reading about all the additional benefits and credits people discovered during their follow-up appointments. Those dollar amounts (@Ava Thompson's $300/month discovery and @Oliver Becker's $180/month from delayed retirement credits) really drive home how much money could be left on the table without proper human review. I don't have overseas work history, but I do have a somewhat complex situation with multiple employers and some periods of self-employment, so it sounds like I should definitely plan for that follow-up appointment even after filing online. One question for the group - for those who scheduled phone appointments rather than in-person visits, how was that experience? I'm trying to decide between the two options for my follow-up review. The convenience of a phone call is appealing, but I'm wondering if there are advantages to meeting face-to-face when reviewing complex benefit calculations. Thanks again for all the valuable insights - this thread has been incredibly helpful for someone just starting to navigate this process!

As someone who recently went through this exact decision process, I'd strongly recommend the hybrid approach that's been mentioned throughout this thread. I filed online last October and then scheduled a follow-up appointment about 2-3 weeks later - it really was the best of both worlds. The online system has definitely improved and is much more user-friendly than it used to be. I was able to complete my application in about 45 minutes from the comfort of my home, and the step-by-step guidance was actually quite clear. However, during my follow-up phone appointment, the representative caught an error in how one of my previous employers had reported my earnings that would have reduced my monthly benefit by about $85. Given that you worked in Germany for 3 years, I'd definitely echo @Natalie Khan's advice about calling the international operations line (410-965-0160) before you start your application. International work credits can be tricky, and you want to make sure everything is properly documented and credited toward your benefit calculation. A few practical tips: Start gathering your documentation now - birth certificate, recent tax returns, bank account info for direct deposit, and any records from your Germany employment. Also, create your my Social Security account at least a week before you plan to apply, as the identity verification process can sometimes take a few days. The March 2025 timing should work fine, just keep in mind that since you'll be claiming at 65 instead of your full retirement age of 67, your benefits will be permanently reduced by about 13.3%. But it sounds like you've already factored that into your planning. Good luck with your application - the peace of mind from having a human review everything is definitely worth the extra step!

As a newcomer to this community, I'm absolutely blown away by how helpful and informative this discussion has been! I'm 61 and my employer just announced layoffs that will likely affect my department in the coming months, so I've been frantically trying to understand my Social Security options. Like so many others here, I was completely confused about the earnings test and assumed that if I had already earned over the annual limit ($23,400), I'd be out of luck for benefits for the entire year. Learning about the monthly earnings test for mid-year retirees has been a revelation - the fact that SSA only looks at your post-retirement earnings using the $1,950 monthly limit for the remainder of your first retirement year is information I never would have found on my own. What really resonates with me is how many people here have shared similar experiences of getting inconsistent or incorrect information from SSA representatives themselves. It's both frustrating and sadly not surprising that such a critical rule is so poorly communicated. This community is clearly filling an essential gap by providing real-world guidance that you simply can't get from official sources. I've been taking notes throughout this entire thread because it's essentially become the most comprehensive and practical guide to mid-year retirement earnings rules that I've ever encountered. Thank you Sarah for asking the question we all needed answered, and thank you to everyone who took the time to share their knowledge and experiences. This kind of peer support is invaluable when facing these major life decisions!

As a newcomer to this community, I want to echo what so many others have said about how incredibly valuable this discussion has been! I'm 62 and recently lost my job due to company downsizing, and I've been agonizing over whether to file for Social Security now or try to find another position. The clarity everyone has provided about the monthly earnings test has been absolutely game-changing for my situation. I had no idea that SSA uses the $1,950 monthly limit for the remainder of your first retirement year rather than the annual $23,400 limit when you retire mid-year. Like Sarah, I was terrified that my year-to-date earnings (around $31,000) would completely disqualify me from benefits. What really stands out to me is how this critical information seems to be such a well-kept secret. The fact that multiple people here had to call SSA repeatedly to get accurate answers, and that even representatives sometimes provide conflicting information, is deeply concerning. It makes communities like this absolutely essential for people trying to navigate these complex decisions during already stressful life transitions. Thank you Sarah for asking the question that opened up this treasure trove of shared knowledge, and thank you to everyone who took the time to share their real-world experiences. This thread has given me the confidence to move forward with filing for benefits knowing I actually understand how the earnings rules work. The peer-to-peer support here is truly invaluable!

Just wanted to chime in as someone who went through this exact same nightmare last year! My application was stuck for almost 4 months due to my federal employment history (worked for USPS for 18 years). The WEP review process is absolutely broken - they flag these applications but don't communicate anything to the applicants. What finally worked for me was a combination approach: I used Claimyr to get through to someone who could confirm my case was indeed stuck in the WEP review queue, and then I contacted my Congressional Representative's office for a formal inquiry. The Congressional route was a game-changer - their liaison got a response from SSA within 48 hours that my case had been sitting unworked for months due to a "system error." One tip I'd add: when you do get your case moving again, ask for an expedited payment to cover any months you should have already received benefits. In my case, they were able to process back payments for the delay period once everything was resolved. It's ridiculous that we have to become experts in SSA bureaucracy just to get our rightful benefits, but this community's advice really does work. Don't give up - there are ways to get unstuck from these black holes in their system!

This thread has been incredibly eye-opening for me! I'm currently in month 2 of waiting for my Social Security disability application to process, and while my situation isn't exactly the same as the retirement applications discussed here, I'm seeing some similar patterns with communication blackouts and conflicting information from different representatives. I worked for the Department of Education for 8 years before becoming disabled, so I suspect my case might also be getting caught up in some kind of government employment verification process. My online account just shows "your application is being reviewed" with no additional details, and every time I call I get told something different about the timeline. Reading through all these success stories with Congressional Representatives is really encouraging - I had no idea that was even an option for Social Security issues! I'm definitely going to reach out to my Rep's office this week. It sounds like they have much better access to what's actually happening with stuck applications than the regular customer service line. Thank you to everyone who shared such detailed advice and experiences. This kind of real-world guidance is so much more helpful than the vague information you get from official sources. I'll make sure to update this thread once I have progress to report!

Just want to add one more consideration that hasn't been mentioned - make sure you're also thinking about Medicare implications. Since you're still working part-time with decent earnings, you might want to verify whether your employer health insurance is still primary over Medicare when you turn 65, or if you need to enroll in Medicare Part B right away to avoid penalties. I've seen people get so focused on optimizing their Social Security that they accidentally create Medicare enrollment issues. The coordination between work benefits, Social Security timing, and Medicare can get tricky, especially when you're in that in-between zone of working but also collecting benefits. Just something to add to your research list when you're getting that official calculation from SSA!

Based on all the great advice here, it sounds like you're in a pretty good position actually! Since you're earning $35K and over the earnings limit, the automatic earnings test adjustment at FRA might work out better for you than voluntary suspension anyway. One thing I'd add - when you do get that official calculation from SSA, ask them to show you scenarios for both keeping your current work level versus picking up those extra hours Lucas suggested. Sometimes there are sweet spots in the earnings where working a bit more doesn't hurt your long-term benefit much but obviously helps your current cash flow. Also, if you do decide to call SSA, try calling right at 8am local time on Tuesday, Wednesday or Thursday. I've had better luck getting through early in the week. The hold times are still brutal but slightly less so than Mondays or Fridays. Good luck with whatever you decide - sounds like you're asking all the right questions!