What day of Feb is ur bday? If its early in month u might qualify for Feb payment paid in March. Call and ask!

One additional thing to be aware of: if April 10th is your first payment, it will include your benefit for March only. But going forward, you'll receive a payment every month. So while it might feel like you're "missing" a month at the beginning, you'll continue receiving benefits throughout your lifetime, including for the last month of your life (though that final payment would go to your estate).

wait a minute i thought disability was more than reglar retirement why would her ssdi convert to retirement at 66??? that dosent make sense wouldnt she get less money???

What nobody has mentioned yet is that you should check whether your ex's PIA of $3,008 has increased since you last saw it 6 years ago! The SSA applies Cost of Living Adjustments (COLAs) every year, so his PIA is likely higher now, which means your potential spousal benefit would be higher too. Ask about the CURRENT PIA when you talk to them!

this is why the government is so USELESS!!! they send out emails that confuse millions of people and then don't answer the phone. my husbands ben on hold for 3 HOURS today trying to get a simple question answered about his benefits. they say one thing online and another thing when you finally talk to someone. RIDICULOUS!!!

One thing I should add - while you won't receive the 2.5% COLA this January, your benefit amount should still be correct based on the application you submitted. If you applied recently, your Primary Insurance Amount (PIA) calculation already includes wage indexing factors that account for inflation up to your eligibility year. If you want to double-check your benefit calculation, you can request a PEBES (earnings statement) from SSA which breaks down how they calculated your benefit amount based on your lifetime earnings. This might give you peace of mind that you're receiving the correct amount even without the COLA.

Since you'll be 62 in June 2025, you become eligible for benefits in June. However, there's one important detail: if your birthday is other than the 1st of the month, you don't technically reach age 62 for Social Security purposes until the following month. But since you stated your birthday is June 4th, you would become eligible for June 2025. Thus, you can apply as early as February 2025 (4 months before). The first payment would arrive in July 2025 as Social Security is paid the month after it's due.

Thanks everyone for all the great information! Based on everyone's advice, I'll plan to apply in February 2025 (4 months before my birthday) and specify June 2025 as my benefit start month. I'll make sure to have all my documents ready and save all confirmation screens. I'll try the online application first, but if I have trouble getting through on the phone for questions, I'll check out that Claimyr service. Really appreciate all the help!

CAREFUL about putting a trailer on your property!! Check zoning laws first!!! Our neighbor tried this for their disabled son and the county made them REMOVE it because it violated some stupid rule about "accessory dwelling units" and cost them thousands!!! The SSA benefits part worked fine but they got in trouble with local government.

Has anyone mentioned how this affects Medicaid? My daughter gets her medical coverage through Medicaid and when she moved into our backyard apartment it triggered some kind of review and we had to reapply. The whole process was a nightmare.

i heard somewhere that wep and gpo might get eliminated soon has anyone else heard this?

One other thing to consider - if your husband plans to keep working until next April but is reaching FRA before then, make sure he understands the earnings limit doesn't apply once he reaches FRA. My husband didn't realize this and unnecessarily delayed filing for a few months thinking he'd be penalized for his income. Just wanted to mention that in case it's relevant to your situation!

Just to add some extra info - the rule changes in the year you reach FRA. In the months of 2026 BEFORE you reach FRA in March, the earnings limit is higher - about $62,000 for the year, which breaks down to roughly $5,167 per month. And they only withhold $1 for every $3 you earn over the limit (not $1 for every $2 like when you're under FRA the whole year). Also, only earnings before the month you reach FRA count. So once you hit your FRA in March 2026, you can earn UNLIMITED income with no reduction in benefits. Mark that month on your calendar!!

FRIENDLY WARNING from someone who's been there: SSA is TERRIBLE at implementing these earnings limit reductions correctly!!! They messed up my benefits THREE TIMES, sending me overpayment notices for money I didn't actually owe. Keep DETAILED records of everything - your monthly income, your communications with SSA, EVERYTHING. And when they inevitably mess up your benefits calculation, be prepared to spend HOURS on the phone getting it fixed. The system is broken and understaffed.

I forgot to mention in my earlier post - if your brother has worked enough (usually 10 years) and paid into Social Security, make sure he applies specifically for SSDI not SSI. They're completely different programs! SSDI is based on work credits and doesn't look at assets/resources. SSI is needs-based with strict asset limits. Also, he should apply for Medicare at the same time as SSDI. There's a 24-month waiting period for Medicare after SSDI approval (with some exceptions), but getting the application in early helps.

One more critical piece of advice based on my experience: Your brother should NOT attempt to return to work before applying and getting a decision. The SSA will use any work attempt as evidence that he's not disabled, even if he tries and fails or can only manage a few hours. I know it's tough financially, but trying to work during the application process can torpedo his case. Instead, focus on documenting the medical treatment, surgical history, and recovery attempts. The fact that he has a documented infection that requires additional surgery creates a very clear medical case. Make sure the doctors document that the infection is preventing proper healing and causing ongoing limitations.

One more thing to consider - waiting until your FRA gives you more flexibility. At FRA, you could choose to file a "restricted application" for ONLY spousal benefits (if you were born before Jan 2, 1954) while letting your own retirement benefit grow until age 70. This strategy could significantly increase your lifetime benefits. Given your current salary and age, waiting is almost certainly your best financial move.

Thank you all SO MUCH for your helpful responses! Based on everything you've shared, I'm going to hold off on claiming any benefits until at least my FRA. It just doesn't make financial sense to claim early with: - The earnings test that would withhold most benefits - Permanent reduction for early claiming - Deemed filing requirements - Tax implications I'm going to look more closely at my own earnings record and see what my benefit would be at 67 versus my husband's spousal benefit amount. Really appreciate all the knowledge and experience shared here!

my friend waited till 70 to maximize her benefit and then died at 71...all that waiting for nothing!

Based on your situation, filing now appears to be a sound decision. The calculation your financial advisor provided is accurate - the breakeven period of 17 years for those 4 months of delay is quite long, especially considering the survivor benefit would replace your retirement benefit when your husband passes. One clarification regarding work: at your age (past FRA), there is no earnings limit at all. You could work full-time earning any amount with no reduction in benefits. The earnings limit only applies before FRA. For a complete analysis, you might also want to consider: 1. Tax implications - additional income could potentially push you into a higher tax bracket 2. Medicare premiums - higher income can affect IRMAA surcharges with a 2-year lag But in most cases, these factors wouldn't outweigh the benefit of claiming now rather than waiting those additional 4 months.