One thing that might be helpful as you approach your filing date - consider doing a "practice run" of your monthly budget including your SS benefits before you actually start collecting. Since you'll be getting around 132% of your FRA benefit amount (thanks to those delayed retirement credits!), plus whatever your work income is, it's good to see how that total income affects your overall financial picture. I'd also suggest checking if your employer offers any "phased retirement" options - some companies let you reduce hours gradually while still maintaining benefits, which can be a nice bridge between full-time work and complete retirement. And don't forget that even though there's no earnings limit, you'll still need to report your work income on your annual tax return, so keeping good records throughout the year will make tax time much easier. You're really in an enviable position having waited this long - enjoy those maximum benefits!

As a newcomer here, I'm really impressed by all the detailed and helpful responses! This thread has been incredibly educational. I'm in a somewhat similar situation - turning 66 next year (my FRA) but planning to keep working for a few more years. Reading about Natasha's strategy of waiting until 69 is making me reconsider my timeline. The 132% benefit amount from delayed retirement credits sounds amazing, but I'm curious - for those who waited past FRA, how did you handle the psychological aspect of "leaving money on the table" each month you delayed? Sometimes I worry about the what-ifs, like what if something happens to my health or the program changes. Did anyone else struggle with this decision, or was it pretty clear-cut once you ran the numbers?

Hi there! This is a great question and a common situation many families face. Yes, your son can potentially receive both DAC benefits and partial SSI to make up the difference - this is called "concurrent benefits." Here's how it typically works: SSA will pay the higher of the two benefits first (in your case, the DAC), and then SSI can supplement up to the federal benefit rate if your son meets all SSI eligibility requirements. Since his DAC will be about $60 less than the full SSI amount, he should be eligible for that $60 difference in SSI. The good news is that since your son already receives Medicaid through a waiver, he likely meets the disability requirements for SSI. During your Monday appointment, make sure to ask specifically about: - Concurrent benefits eligibility - How the SSI supplement calculation works - Whether his current Medicaid waiver will transition smoothly - Any required documentation for the SSI application Having that waiver already in place should help streamline the process. Good luck with your appointment on Monday!

Thank you all for the incredibly helpful responses. This clarifies things tremendously. Just to make sure I have this straight: 1) WEP goes away for survivor benefits, so my wife would be eligible for my full non-WEP Social Security amount. 2) She would get either her own benefit OR my non-WEP benefit, whichever is higher. 3) This is in addition to the teacher's pension continuation I've arranged. This makes our financial future much more secure than I thought. Really appreciate everyone's insights!

You've got it exactly right, Freya! Your summary is spot-on. As someone who's been helping folks navigate these waters for years, I can confirm that WEP truly does disappear for survivor benefits - it's one of the few silver linings in an otherwise frustrating system. Your wife will indeed be in a much better financial position than you might have originally planned for. One small additional note: when she becomes eligible, she should apply promptly as survivor benefits don't automatically start. And definitely keep a copy of your most recent Social Security statement showing both the WEP-reduced and non-WEP amounts for your records. It sounds like you've done great planning with the 100% pension continuation too. Your wife will be well taken care of!

Am I the only one wondering why she's been getting benefits at all? You have to be retirement age to get social security, right? I'm confused.

I'm really sorry you're going through this confusing situation. As others have mentioned, your sister was correct - survivor benefits for a surviving spouse do stop when you remarry before age 60. The good news is that you've been incredibly responsible by saving those payments! One additional tip: when you visit the SSA office, bring documentation of EVERYTHING. Your marriage certificate, records of when you reported the name change, and if possible, try to remember the name or employee number of the person who told you the benefits would continue. This documentation could be crucial if you decide to pursue the overpayment waiver that Marina mentioned. Also, don't feel bad about this mistake - the SSA's own training materials acknowledge that the remarriage rules are one of the most commonly misunderstood aspects of survivor benefits, even among their own staff. You did the right thing by asking and following the guidance you were given. Your son's benefits will definitely continue unchanged, which is one less thing to worry about. Stay strong - you've handled this situation very responsibly so far!

As someone who just went through a similar situation, I wanted to share what I learned. I'm a retired teacher from Iowa (also NPERS-covered) married to a former railroad worker. Here's what I discovered: The good news is that because Nebraska teachers DO pay into Social Security (unlike some other states), you won't face the full GPO reduction on your Railroad spousal benefits. However, there's still a Railroad-specific offset that reduces spousal benefits based on your government pension. My advice: Start with getting your Social Security statement online at ssa.gov to see your projected benefits. Then call RRB at 1-877-772-5772 specifically for spousal benefit estimates. When you call, mention you're a Nebraska teacher who paid into SS - this helps them apply the right formulas. One thing that surprised me: the timing of when you claim each benefit can make a huge difference in your total income. I ended up delaying my own Social Security until age 67 while taking the Railroad spousal benefit at 60, which maximized my overall benefits despite the reductions. Also, keep detailed records of all your conversations and get benefit estimates in writing. The rules are complex and even the agents sometimes give conflicting information. Good luck with your planning!

I'm in a somewhat similar boat - I'm a retired teacher from Wisconsin (also covered by Social Security) and my husband worked for BNSF Railroad. What I found most helpful was creating a spreadsheet to track all the different benefit estimates once I got them from each agency. One thing to keep in mind is that the Railroad Retirement Board has their own version of the Government Pension Offset called the "public pension offset" but it's calculated differently than SSA's GPO. For me, the RRB offset was actually less severe than what SSA's GPO would have been. Also, don't overlook that you might be eligible for a small Tier 2 spousal benefit from Railroad Retirement in addition to the Tier 1 - make sure to ask about both when you call RRB. The timing strategy others mentioned is crucial. I ended up taking my teacher pension immediately (no reason to delay that), RRB spousal benefits at 60, and I'm waiting until age 70 for my own Social Security to maximize the delayed retirement credits and minimize the WEP reduction. Get everything in writing and don't be afraid to call multiple times if you get conflicting information - I had to call RRB three times before I got an agent who really understood the teacher pension interaction.