Going back to your original questions: 1) If you stop working now, your SS benefit will be based on your highest 35 years of earnings. With 33 years of work history, you'd add 2 years of zeros to your calculation. This will lower your benefit some, but probably not drastically. 2) You can create a my Social Security account and use the retirement calculator to see exactly how different scenarios would affect your benefit amount. 3) When you file for benefits, you'll automatically receive either your own retirement benefit OR the spousal benefit (up to 50% of your husband's PIA), whichever is higher. 4) If your husband passes away, you'd be eligible for survivor benefits equal to 100% of his benefit amount (including any delayed retirement credits if he waited past FRA to claim). You absolutely can receive benefits based on your own record if that amount is higher than the spousal benefit. Your work history counts!

I'm in a similar situation and wanted to share what I learned from meeting with a local SSA office representative (after multiple failed phone attempts!). One thing that might help with your decision: if you do decide to work part-time, even earning just $10,000-15,000 per year would be much better than complete zeros in your earnings record. Every little bit helps when they're calculating your benefit based on those highest 35 years. Also, I discovered that the SSA website has a really helpful publication called "When To Start Receiving Retirement Benefits" (Publication No. 05-10147) that walks through scenarios similar to yours. It includes examples of how spousal benefits work and calculations for different claiming strategies. The key takeaway that gave me peace of mind: having your own work record gives you options and protection. Even if the spousal benefit ends up being higher, your own earnings record serves as a safety net and ensures you have retirement benefits in your own right. Good luck with whatever you decide - sounds like you've gotten some great advice here!

I've been helping people navigate Social Security for years, and I want to emphasize something important that might get lost in all the technical details: the earnings test can feel punitive, but it's not actually a "penalty" - it's a temporary withholding. When SSA withholds benefits due to excess earnings, they're not gone forever. Starting at your Full Retirement Age, SSA will recalculate your monthly benefit to account for those withheld months, effectively giving you credit for the time you weren't receiving benefits. Your monthly payment will be permanently increased to reflect this. That said, given your specific situation where you're stopping work in November and only potentially receiving previously-earned payments in December, the first-year monthly earnings test should work in your favor. Just make sure you're crystal clear with SSA about the timing and nature of any December payments. One more tip: if you do encounter any issues or overpayments later, you can request a waiver if you can show the overpayment wasn't your fault and repayment would cause financial hardship. Don't let anyone tell you that overpayments are always non-negotiable.

As someone who went through a similar situation last year, I wanted to share my experience to hopefully help clarify things. I was 62 when I started benefits in October, had earned about $85k through September, and was really worried about the earnings test. The key thing that saved me was understanding that "grace year" provision everyone mentioned - it really does work exactly as described. Since I stopped working completely in September, my October-December benefits weren't affected by my earlier earnings that year. However, I did run into issues with a year-end bonus that was paid in December. Even though I argued it was for work performed throughout the year, SSA initially counted the full amount toward December earnings because that's when it was paid. I had to provide detailed documentation from my employer showing it was allocated across all 12 months to get it properly prorated. My advice: if your bonus is substantial, get a letter from your employer before you file stating exactly what time period the bonus covers. This documentation made all the difference in my case and saved me from having to repay benefits. Also, don't stress too much about the commissions paid in January for 2024 work - in my experience, SSA was pretty reasonable about counting those toward 2024 earnings, not 2025, as long as I could document when the work was actually performed. The whole process was confusing, but it worked out fine in the end. Just keep good records and don't be afraid to push back if their initial determination doesn't seem right.

I want to thank everyone who replied! This has been incredibly helpful. I think I understand now that: 1. SSA will use my highest 35 years regardless of when I earned them 2. My current higher earnings will replace those low early years 3. Earnings after 60 aren't indexed but are still counted at face value I'm going to create my SSA account and look at my earnings history to get a better idea of what my benefit might be. This has cleared up a huge source of confusion for me!

This thread has been so educational! I'm in a somewhat similar boat - had years of part-time work in my early career while raising kids, then returned to full-time work in my 40s. I was worried those low-earning years would drag down my benefit forever. One thing I learned from my financial advisor that might help others: if you're still working and haven't filed for benefits yet, every additional year of higher earnings can potentially boost your benefit. So even if you're past your FRA, there can still be value in continuing to work if you enjoy it and the pay is good. The SSA website also has a neat feature where you can model different retirement scenarios - like what happens if you retire at 62 vs 67 vs 70. Really helpful for planning!

I'm so sorry for your loss, Natasha. My heart goes out to you during this incredibly difficult time. Having to navigate Social Security bureaucracy while grieving is just overwhelming. I wanted to add one more practical tip that helped me when I went through something similar with my late father's benefits: If you end up having trouble getting through to SSA by phone (which seems to be a common frustration based on what others have shared), try calling first thing in the morning right when they open at 8 AM local time, or late in the day around 4-5 PM. I found those times had shorter wait times. Also, when you do get your appointment scheduled, ask the representative to give you a written summary of what was discussed and the benefit amounts calculated. I learned the hard way that having everything documented prevents confusion later when the payments actually start. The advice everyone has given you here is spot-on - applying for the reduced survivor benefit now makes the most financial sense in your situation. That extra $900+ per month will provide real security and peace of mind, which is exactly what you need right now as you adjust to this major life change. Wishing you strength as you work through all of this. You're handling a very complicated situation with grace.

My deepest condolences on the loss of your husband, Natasha. Having been through a similar situation myself about three years ago, I understand how overwhelming it can be to navigate these benefit decisions while grieving. Everyone here has given you excellent advice, and I want to reinforce that your decision to apply for survivor benefits now is absolutely the right one. The financial analysis is clear - you'll be significantly better off taking the reduced survivor benefit immediately rather than waiting. One thing I'd like to add from my own experience: when you go to your SSA appointment, ask them about the "deemed filing" rules. Sometimes people think they have to choose between their own retirement benefit OR survivor benefits, but actually you can be receiving both simultaneously - you just get paid the higher of the two amounts. The SSA will automatically pay you whichever benefit is larger each month. Also, make sure to ask about Medicare implications if you're not already enrolled. When your income increases from the higher survivor benefit, it might affect your Medicare premiums down the road, though this is usually a minor consideration compared to the substantial monthly increase you'll receive. The community support you've received here is wonderful, and I hope it helps ease some of the stress of this difficult transition. Your husband would want you to have this financial security.

Wait I'm confused. If he's still working at 78 doesn't that mean he delayed taking SS past his full retirement age? If so wouldn't he be getting more than if he took it at regular retirement age? And does THAT affect what you'd get as a survivor?

This thread has been incredibly helpful! I want to add one more important point for anyone reading - make sure to keep good records of all your Social Security correspondence and benefit statements. When dealing with survivor benefits, having documentation of both spouses' earnings histories and benefit amounts can make the process much smoother. Also, if you're uncomfortable navigating this alone, many senior centers offer free assistance with Social Security matters, and some have volunteers who are trained to help with these applications. The peace of mind knowing you understand your benefits is worth the effort to get informed now rather than trying to figure it out during an already difficult time.