Thank you all for the helpful advice! I've scheduled a meeting with our accountant for next week to discuss restructuring our payroll. It sounds like it's definitely worth getting my wife on the books properly for these remaining years. I appreciate everyone sharing their experiences and knowledge - this has been really eye-opening for us.

Great to hear you're taking action! One additional thing to consider when meeting with your accountant - ask about the timing of when to start the new payroll structure. Since you're already 67 and ready to file for your Social Security, you might want to coordinate the timing of your claim with when you begin paying your wife. Also, make sure to discuss the self-employment tax implications if you're currently structured as a sole proprietorship vs. other business entity types. The way you split income can affect both your current tax liability and her future Social Security benefits. Good luck with the meeting - sounds like you're on the right track to optimize both of your retirement situations!

My email is not working right now, but I can get texts. Does anyone know the answer to my question about the earnings record ii

Hi Barry! The "same earnings record" on Form SSA-1724-F4 typically refers to whether you and your spouse are filing based on the same Social Security earnings history. Even though you made more money than your husband, you each have your own separate earnings records with Social Security. You would only be on the "same earnings record" if you're claiming spousal benefits based on his record (or vice versa) rather than your own work record. Since you earned more, you'd likely want to claim benefits based on your own earnings record for the maximum benefit. I'd recommend calling SSA at 1-800-772-1213 to clarify your specific situation - they can explain which option gives you the better benefit amount.

Just want to add one more thing that helped us - when you're ready to apply, try to do it early in the month rather than waiting until the end. We applied on the 5th of the month and our benefits started that same month. But I've heard from others that if you apply too late in the month (like after the 15th), your benefits might not start until the following month, which could delay everything by a month. Also, make sure you have all your documents ready before you start the online application - it times out if you take too long to complete it, and you'll have to start over. We learned that the hard way!

I went through a very similar situation with my husband last year. One thing that really helped us was calling SSA about 2-3 months before we actually wanted to start benefits to do a "practice run" of the application process. The representative walked us through exactly what documents we'd need and explained the timing for spousal benefits. Also, regarding your wife's spousal benefits - make sure you understand that she can only get spousal benefits AFTER you've actually filed for your own benefits. She can't apply for spousal benefits based on your record until you're actively receiving benefits yourself. This is different from survivor benefits which have different rules. One more tip: when you do apply online, print out confirmation pages for everything. We had a glitch where the system showed my husband's application as "pending" for weeks, but when we called with the confirmation number, they were able to locate it immediately and process it. Without that confirmation number, we would have been stuck.

I just wanted to update everyone. I finally got through to a supervisor at SSA who confirmed that YES, I can take ONLY survivor benefits at my FRA without taking my own retirement benefits. She explained I need to be very explicit when applying that I'm only applying for widow's benefits. Thank you all for your help and advice - it gave me the confidence to keep pushing for a clear answer!

I'm so sorry for your loss and glad you were able to get a clear answer from SSA! Your story really highlights how important it is to be persistent and ask for supervisors when needed. For anyone else reading this thread who might be in a similar situation - I went through this process myself 18 months ago and found it helpful to bring a printed copy of SSA's Program Operations Manual (POMS) section RS 00615.001 which specifically covers survivor benefit applications. Having the official policy in writing seemed to help clarify things with the representative. Also, when you do apply, consider doing it in person at your local office rather than online or by phone - you can review everything before signing and make sure they understand exactly what you're requesting. Best of luck with your application!

I'm sorry for your loss, Steven. As someone new to this community, I wanted to share what I learned when helping my aunt navigate similar decisions. The SSA website has a benefit calculator tool that might help you estimate your future survivor benefits with projected COLAs included. Also, if you haven't already, consider scheduling an appointment at your local SSA office about 6 months before you plan to apply - they can walk you through the entire process and help you understand all your options. Sometimes having that face-to-face conversation can clarify things that seem confusing online. The folks here have given you excellent advice about keeping documentation and double-checking calculations. Wishing you the best as you plan ahead.

I'm new to this community but wanted to offer my condolences on your loss. My father-in-law went through something similar when my mother-in-law passed away in 2021. One thing that really helped him was creating a simple spreadsheet to track the annual COLA increases and estimate his future benefits. He used the historical COLA percentages (which you can find on the SSA website) to project different scenarios. It gave him peace of mind to see the numbers on paper and helped him make better financial decisions while waiting to claim. The folks here have given you excellent advice about documentation and double-checking calculations. Don't hesitate to reach out to this community if you have more questions as you get closer to your claiming date - everyone here seems very knowledgeable and supportive.