BTW be careful about any retroactive benefits they might try to give you!!! My friend switched at her FRA and they offered her 6 months of retroactive benefits which SEEMED great but actually permanently reduced her monthly amount!!! The rules are super complicated and the reps don't always explain everything correctly.

I'm going through something very similar right now! I'm 63 and have been on survivor benefits since my wife passed in 2022. The online system is absolutely useless for our situation - I get the same message about information not being available. What I ended up doing was calling the SSA national number (1-800-772-1213) early in the morning around 8 AM when they open. The wait was still about 45 minutes, but much better than later in the day. The agent was able to pull up my estimated retirement benefit right over the phone and explain the difference. In my case, my survivor benefit is higher, but she also explained that I could potentially switch to my own retirement benefit later if it grows enough with delayed retirement credits. The key thing I learned is that you really need to speak with someone directly - the online tools just aren't designed for people in our situation. One tip: have your Social Security number and your late husband's SSN ready when you call. They'll need both to access all the information.

EVERYONE impacted by WEP and GPO should join advocacy groups fighting to repeal these unfair penalties! There are bills in Congress almost every year to reform or repeal them but they never pass because most people don't understand these rules until they're personally affected! I'm part of a retired teachers group that's lobbying on this issue. The Social Security Fairness Act would repeal both WEP and GPO but it keeps stalling in Congress. Google "repeal WEP GPO" to find groups in your state working on this. Public servants are getting ROBBED of benefits and it needs to STOP!

I'm in a very similar situation - divorced teacher with a state pension trying to figure out the GPO maze! One thing that helped me was getting a copy of my Social Security Statement online at ssa.gov/myaccount to see what MY estimated benefits would be on my own record vs. what I might potentially get as an ex-spouse (before GPO reduction). Also, I found out that some states have different pension systems - mine allows "dual coverage" where I paid into both Social Security AND the state pension for certain years. If you had any years like that, those might affect your calculations. The key thing I learned is that GPO is based on your GROSS monthly pension amount, not what you actually take home after taxes and deductions. So if your pension statement shows $2,250 gross but you only get $1,800 after taxes/insurance, they still use the $2,250 for the GPO calculation. Definitely worth getting professional help navigating this - the rules are so complex and the stakes are too high to guess wrong!

I just wanted to thank everyone who contributed to this thread - it's been incredibly helpful! I'm in a somewhat similar situation (planning for the future) and this discussion cleared up so much confusion I had about Social Security payment schedules. The key takeaway that payment dates stay tied to your birth date regardless of benefit type is really important information that I couldn't find clearly explained anywhere else. It's also reassuring to see people sharing their actual experiences rather than just speculation. For anyone else reading this thread later, it seems like the main points are: - Payment date is based on YOUR birth date, not the type of benefit - When switching between retirement and survivor benefits, your payment schedule stays the same - The only exceptions are for people who started benefits before 1997 or have certain other circumstances - It's worth calling SSA (or using that callback service) to confirm your specific situation Thanks again to everyone who shared their knowledge and experiences. This community is such a valuable resource!

I'm relatively new to understanding Social Security benefits, but this thread has been incredibly educational! I'm currently 45 and my wife is 42, so we're still years away from needing to make these decisions, but reading everyone's experiences here has really opened my eyes to how important it is to understand these rules ahead of time. The consistent theme I'm seeing is that payment dates are tied to your birth date regardless of which type of benefit you're receiving. That seems like such a simple concept, but I never would have known that without reading all of your real-world experiences. I'm curious - for those of you who have navigated these transitions, do you wish you had known anything else earlier that would have made the process smoother? I'm trying to learn as much as I can now so my wife and I can make informed decisions when the time comes. Any other "wish I had known that sooner" advice would be greatly appreciated! Thanks to everyone who has shared their knowledge and experiences in this thread. This community seems like such a valuable resource for understanding these complex Social Security rules.

so confusing!! i thought social security was supposed to be SIMPLE! why do they make everything so complicated with all these different rules and tests??

Congratulations on getting through to SSA and getting that clarification! Your experience is a perfect example of why it's so important to push back when you get an initial denial - many people just accept the first "no" without realizing there might be exceptions or special rules that apply to their situation. The fact that you're in your FRA year makes a huge difference, and it sounds like the original reviewer may not have caught that detail. Keep us posted on how your reconsideration goes - your success story could help others in similar situations!

I'm new to this community but wanted to share something that might help. My aunt was in a very similar situation - caring for her disabled husband while having minimal work history herself. One thing that really helped her was requesting a "benefit estimate" from SSA before making any decisions. They can run calculations showing exactly what you'd receive under different scenarios: your own retirement benefit only, spousal benefit only, or the combination of both. This helped her see that even though her own benefit was small, the spousal benefit made a real difference. Also, since you mentioned struggling with expenses, don't forget to check if you qualify for any state assistance programs for caregivers or low-income seniors. Many states have property tax exemptions, utility assistance, or food programs that can help stretch your budget while you're waiting for benefits to start. The fact that you're caring for multiple family members shows incredible dedication. I hope you can find a path forward that gives you some financial relief soon.

I'm fairly new here but wanted to share what I learned from my own experience with this situation. I was in almost the exact same position - minimal work history due to caregiving responsibilities and a husband on SSDI. The key thing that helped me was understanding that you're essentially choosing between two strategies: maximize immediate income versus optimize long-term benefits. In your case, with real financial need right now, taking the spousal benefit at 63 probably makes sense even with the reduction. What really surprised me was learning that the spousal benefit calculation is based on your husband's "primary insurance amount" (what he would get at full retirement age), not necessarily what he's currently receiving on SSDI. Sometimes these amounts can be different, so it's worth having SSA explain the exact calculation. One practical tip: when you do apply, bring documentation of your caregiving situation. While it doesn't directly affect benefit calculations, SSA representatives sometimes have more patience and are more thorough when they understand you're dealing with multiple family care responsibilities. Also, don't let anyone tell you that claiming early is always the "wrong" choice. Every situation is unique, and having stable income now while you're actively caregiving can be more valuable than potentially higher benefits later when your circumstances might be completely different.