One thing no one has mentioned yet - BRING DOCUMENTATION when you apply! You'll need your marriage certificate AND divorce decree. My sister didn't have her divorce papers when she went in for her appointment and they made her reschedule. Complete waste of time. Also, they'll probably ask for your ex's Social Security number. If you don't have it, they can usually find him in their system with his full name and date of birth.

To address your calculator question specifically - while there's no dedicated calculator for divorced spouse benefits, you can get a rough estimate. 1. Use the SSA's Quick Calculator to estimate what your ex-spouse's benefit would be at his FRA: https://www.ssa.gov/OACT/quickcalc/ 2. Take 50% of that amount 3. Compare it to your current benefit 4. The difference (if his 50% is higher) is approximately what you'd receive But there are reduction factors if you claim before your FRA. Since you're already receiving your own reduced benefit at 62, the calculations get complex. This is why speaking directly with SSA is important - they have access to both earning records and can calculate the exact amount.

has anyone actually seen the regulations about this? my sister says this whole january thing isnt actually a rule and her first check included all her drcs right away. but she filed like 10 years ago so maybe they changed the rules?

I just got off the phone with an SSA representative (after a very long wait), and she confirmed what most of you have said. My initial benefit will include DRCs through December 2024, and the 2025 DRCs will be applied in January 2026 with retroactive adjustment. She suggested I could delay filing until January 2026 if I want to avoid the two-step process, but assured me I won't lose any money either way. Thanks everyone for your help with this!

This reminds me of when I started getting SS checks - I had all kinds of weird adjustments at first! My brother in law works for the government (not SSA) and he said their computer systems are ancient. Like from the 1980s! So sometimes they process things in weird batches. My dad used to say never look a gift horse in the mouth lol.

Update? Did you ever find out what the payments were for? I'm curious because I just checked my account and saw a small deposit too!

Just wanted to follow up on my earlier comment - I forgot to mention that when you apply online, you'll create a my Social Security account if you don't already have one. This is actually really useful even after you apply because you can: 1. Track the status of your application 2. See your benefit verification letter once approved 3. Change your direct deposit information if needed 4. Get tax documents (SSA-1099) each January I found the account really helpful for keeping tabs on everything without having to call SSA repeatedly.

Thank you everyone for the helpful advice! I feel much better informed now. I'll plan to apply online in April (3 months before my July birthday) and make sure I have all my documents ready. I'll also create that my Social Security account ahead of time to get familiar with it. If I run into problems with the online application, I'll try the national number for a phone appointment or consider using that Claimyr service if I can't get through. I'm relieved to know that applying around 3 months before is optimal but not a strict requirement, and that waiting until 70 means I don't have to worry about the earnings test anymore. Appreciate all your guidance!

my brother told me social security income isn't taxable at all lol. he's been doing it wrong for years i guess

Thanks everyone for the helpful responses! To summarize what I've learned: 1. Only the payments I physically receive in 2024 count for 2024 taxes 2. The December payment that arrives in January 2025 will count for 2025 taxes 3. I should wait for my SSA-1099 form in late January/early February for the official numbers 4. The 1099 will show the gross amount before any Medicare deductions 5. I might want to consider tax withholding from my SS payments going forward This helps tremendously with my year-end planning!

I found the SSA website calculator to be really helpful for seeing different filing ages. You can put in exact months, not just years: https://www.ssa.gov/benefits/retirement/estimator.html

My husband and I were JUST talking about this last night! We're trying to coordinate our claiming strategies since I'm 62 and he's 60. It's so confusing trying to maximize our household benefits. From what I understand, for each month you delay, your benefit increases by a small percentage as others have mentioned. It's not the same percentage throughout though - it's higher after you reach Full Retirement Age than before.

FYI they always mess up the calculations!!! When my sister became guardian of her granddaughter they calculated wrong THREE TIMES before getting it right. Keep pushing them!!!

Something else to consider: If your niece has significant medical expenses, you might want to document all of them. Certain medical expenses and disability-related expenses can sometimes be excluded from deeming calculations, which could potentially increase her payment. When you speak with SSA, specifically ask about IRWE (Impairment-Related Work Expenses) exclusions or medical expense exclusions that might apply in a child's SSI case.

Just thought of something else - when you do this, also ask them to send you a letter confirming your plan to switch at 70. I didn't do this and then had trouble 4 years later when I went to switch because the new person didn't see notes about my plan. Having something in writing helps.

The strategy you're planning is called "survivor benefits only" or sometimes "filing a restricted application for survivor benefits." The phase-out of restricted applications only affected spousal benefits combined with retirement benefits (under the 2015 Bipartisan Budget Act), not survivor benefits. For maximum clarity when you call, I recommend this specific phrasing: "I wish to file for survivor benefits only on my deceased husband's record. I understand I'm eligible for both survivor benefits and retirement benefits on my own record, but I want to restrict my application to survivor benefits only at this time, as I plan to switch to my own retirement benefits at age 70." This leaves no room for misunderstanding. Also, if you have any issues, reference POMS GN 00204.020, which is SSA's internal policy that confirms your right to restrict an application to survivor benefits.

To answer a few questions that have come up in this thread: 1. Yes, the restricted application strategy is absolutely still available, but ONLY for people born before January 2, 1954. This was specifically preserved when Congress changed the rules in 2015. 2. For someone using this strategy, there is NO earnings test after FRA. So the wife in this scenario could continue working full-time with no reduction in spousal benefits as long as she's at or past her FRA. 3. To file a restricted application, you would specifically need to state that you are "restricting the scope of your application to spousal benefits only." This exact language is important. Form SSA-1-BK is used, but the key is making that specific restriction clear. 4. This works because of a provision called "deemed filing" that was changed in 2015 but grandfathered certain birth years. For people born before 1954, deemed filing only applies before FRA. The OP's situation is actually a textbook case of when this strategy works perfectly.

One last point regarding your strategy: when you pass away (hopefully many decades from now), your wife will receive the higher of the two benefits as a survivor benefit. So by having her wait until 70 to claim her own retirement benefits, you're also potentially maximizing her future survivor benefit. This is especially important since women typically outlive men by several years. The restricted application strategy you're considering provides: 1. Your full benefit now when you need it 2. Extra spousal income for your wife while her benefit grows 3. A maximized benefit for your wife at 70 4. A maximized survivor benefit for your wife if you predecease her It's really an optimal approach for your birth years and situation.

Wait why does she want child in care benefits instead of just waiting a few months until 62 for regular spousal? Isn't she almost 62 anyway? Just curious

One more important thing: When your wife files the reconsideration, make sure you specifically address the wording in the denial that says "she is not caring for a child who is entitled to benefits on my record." This suggests there might be confusion in their system about your stepson's benefit status. Include a copy of his benefit award letter showing he receives benefits on your record. Also, if the reconsideration is denied, don't give up! Request a hearing with an Administrative Law Judge. They often have a better understanding of these nuanced situations.