I'm going through something similar right now! My situation is a bit different though - I estimated $20,000 for 2024 but ended up earning closer to $17,500 because I had to reduce my hours for health reasons. They've been withholding about $200 per month from my benefits. From what I'm reading here, it sounds like the automatic adjustment should happen, but there might be delays or issues. I'm definitely going to check my online SSA account regularly starting this summer to see if there's any indication of an adjustment coming. @StarStrider - I hope you get your $360 back soon! It's frustrating when you're already dealing with reduced income and then have to worry about whether the government systems are working properly. Keep us posted on how it goes!

I just went through this process last year and wanted to share my experience to maybe help ease some worries. The SSA did automatically process my refund, but it took longer than expected - about 7 months after I filed my taxes. Like you, I had estimated higher earnings than what I actually made (estimated $22k, earned $18.5k), and they had withheld about $500 too much. The refund came as a separate lump sum payment in October with a letter explaining it was an "earnings test adjustment." One tip: when you check your my Social Security account online, look for any notices or messages about "annual earnings test" - that's usually where they'll post updates about pending adjustments. If you don't see anything by September, I'd definitely recommend calling or visiting an office. The wait was stressful, but the money did eventually come through!

I wanted to add something that might be helpful regarding the conversion from SSDI to retirement benefits. When your SSDI automatically converts to retirement benefits at your Full Retirement Age (67), the amount stays exactly the same, but there's one small advantage - you'll no longer be subject to SSDI's continuing disability reviews. Those reviews can be stressful even when your condition is clearly permanent, so that's one less thing to worry about. Also, regarding getting accurate information from SSA - I've found that visiting a local Social Security office in person (with an appointment) often yields better results than calling. The representatives seem to have more time to look at your specific situation and pull up the relevant rules. Just make sure to bring all relevant documents and maybe even write down your questions beforehand. One more thing about survivor benefits timing - if something does happen to your husband before you reach age 60, you could potentially receive a one-time lump-sum death payment of $255, and if you're caring for his child under 16 (or disabled), you might be eligible for survivor benefits earlier. But given your ages, this probably doesn't apply to your situation.

I'm going through something very similar with my own family situation. My mom has been on SSDI for several years, and we've been trying to navigate all these rules about spousal and survivor benefits. One thing that really helped us was learning that you can actually request a written estimate of your potential survivor benefits from SSA. They'll calculate what your monthly benefit would be as a widow based on your husband's current earnings record. This can help you make more informed decisions about when he should claim his benefits. Also, I wanted to mention something about the timing of survivor benefits that might be relevant - if your husband passes away and you're between ages 60-67, you can choose to take reduced survivor benefits early while letting your own retirement benefit (converted from SSDI) continue to grow until age 70. Then you could potentially switch to your own higher benefit later if it becomes advantageous. It's called the "survivor claiming strategy" and can be really helpful for younger widows. Given all the variables in your situation - the age gap, his health issues, your existing SSDI - it might be worth the cost to consult with a fee-only financial planner who specializes in Social Security strategies. They can run multiple scenarios and show you the long-term financial impact of different claiming decisions. Sometimes spending a few hundred dollars upfront can save thousands over your lifetime.

This thread has been incredibly helpful! I'm actually in a very similar situation - turning 63 next year with about 6 zero years from staying home with kids and some unemployment periods. Reading through everyone's experiences and the math breakdowns has really clarified things for me. One aspect I'd love to hear more about: for those who decided to work past 62, did you find that employers were supportive of older workers? I'm a bit worried about age discrimination in my field (marketing) if I need to job hunt in my early 60s. My current employer seems fine with me staying, but if something happened to my job, would I realistically be able to find comparable work at 63 or 64? Also, has anyone dealt with the emotional/psychological adjustment of pushing back their planned retirement date? I've been mentally preparing to retire at 62 for years, and now I'm realizing that might not be the smartest financial move. It's a bigger mental shift than I expected! The financial case for working longer seems very clear from this discussion, but I'd appreciate hearing about the practical and emotional aspects too.

This has been such an enlightening thread! I'm 61 and facing a very similar decision with 5 zero years on my record from raising kids and a period of unemployment. Reading everyone's real-world experiences and the detailed math breakdowns has been incredibly valuable. What really struck me was Emily's example of seeing $110-130 monthly increase per year of additional work, and Zoe's formula showing how replacing zero years with a $68k salary could add $600-700 monthly just from the earnings calculation alone. That's life-changing money over a 20+ year retirement! I'm curious about one thing I haven't seen discussed much: tax implications. If I work longer and increase my Social Security benefit significantly, will I end up paying more in taxes on those benefits? I know there are income thresholds where SS becomes taxable, but I'm not sure how that factors into the "work longer vs. claim early" decision. Also, for those who worked past 62 - did you find that having a concrete financial goal (like "replace X zero years" or "reach $Y monthly benefit") helped keep you motivated during those extra working years? I think having specific targets might make the psychological adjustment easier for me. Thanks to everyone who's shared their experiences here. This community has provided more practical guidance than any financial advisor I've consulted!

Andre, I just wanted to add one final consideration that might be helpful as you plan your September application. Since you're dealing with health issues, you might want to look into whether you qualify for Social Security Disability Insurance (SSDI) before committing to early retirement benefits. If you do qualify for SSDI, those benefits are typically higher than what you'd get from early retirement at 62, and they automatically convert to full retirement benefits when you reach your Full Retirement Age (no permanent reduction). Plus, after 24 months on SSDI, you become eligible for Medicare regardless of age. I'm not saying this applies to your situation - only you and your doctor know the severity of your health issues. But it might be worth having that conversation with your healthcare provider before you apply for early retirement in September. The SSDI application process does take longer (often 6+ months), so if you decide to explore that route, you'd want to start even earlier. If SSDI isn't an option for you, then everything everyone else has shared about the 4-month early retirement timeline is spot on. Just wanted to mention this possibility since you specifically cited health issues as part of your decision-making process. Either way, you're being smart to plan ahead and get all your options figured out now!

Hey Andre! I just wanted to share one more thing that helped me tremendously when I applied at 62 - create a simple timeline checklist for yourself now through your application in September. Here's what I recommend based on everyone's great advice here: **NOW (March 2024):** - Set up/verify your mySocialSecurity account - Start gathering all required documents (birth certificate, tax returns, W-2s, etc.) - Consider discussing SSDI eligibility with your doctor (as Abigail suggested) - Research your local SSA field office contact info **JULY 2024:** - Print your Social Security statement to verify benefit estimates - Set up direct deposit banking info if not already done - Double-check all personal info is current in your mySocialSecurity account **SEPTEMBER 2024:** - Apply online early in morning (have phone backup plan ready) - Select JANUARY 2025 as benefit start month (not application month!) - Save confirmation number and print all documentation - Prepare estimate of your expected 2025 earnings **OCTOBER 2024:** - Call local SSA office to confirm application is processing normally This approach really helped keep me organized and on track. The 4-month timeline gives you plenty of buffer for any unexpected delays. You're making a smart decision planning this far ahead!

my aunt got remarried after her divorce but her 2nd husband died and then she WAS able to get benefits from her first husband (who was still alive). So I think the poster might be able to get her ex's benefits if something happened to her current husband. kind of a morbid thought but just sharing what happened in my family

I'm sorry to hear your financial advisor gave you conflicting information - that must be really frustrating when you're trying to make important retirement decisions! The others have explained the remarriage rule correctly, but I wanted to add that you should definitely get your exact benefit estimates in writing from SSA before making any filing decisions. Since you mentioned you'll be 63 next month, remember that if you file for your own benefits before your full retirement age, they'll be permanently reduced. At 63, you'd get about 80% of your full benefit amount. Given that your estimated benefit at FRA is $1,800, filing at 63 would give you roughly $1,440/month. You might want to weigh whether waiting until your FRA (or even age 70 for maximum benefits) makes more financial sense for your situation. Also, don't forget that once your current husband files for his benefits, you may be eligible for spousal benefits on his record, which could potentially be higher than your own reduced benefit if you file early.