I tried figuring this out on my own last year and ended up leaving money on the table for 6 MONTHS because the first SSA rep I talked to gave me wrong information. When I finally got through to someone who knew what they were talking about, they explained I was eligible for additional benefits but they could only pay 6 months retroactively. Get to someone knowledgeable ASAP! Also, to answer your original question - yes, being on SSDI does affect things. Unlike regular retirement benefits where you can choose when to apply for different benefits, disability can complicate the timing. They should consider all benefits you're eligible for when you apply, but often they don't unless you specifically ask.

After you talk with SSA, come back and let us know what you found out! Your situation is complicated enough that I'm curious what they'll say is your best option.

Everybody here is making it more complicated than it needs to be. Just go on ssa.gov and create a my Social Security account if you don't already have one. Under benefit estimates, there's an option to calculate different scenarios. You can enter your ex's info there and see what you'd get without having to deal with anyone on the phone.

Just one more thing - if your ex has remarried but you haven't, you can still claim on his record. But if YOU remarry, you generally can't claim on your ex's record anymore (unless that marriage ends too). Just mentioning since I didn't know this before I started researching.

my husbands on SS to and he said u can earn $1925 each month. its monthly not yearly they told him when he signed up

Thanks everyone for the helpful explanations! To summarize what I understand now: 1. For 2025 (my first benefit year), I have a special "grace year" rule: - Jan-April earnings don't count since I'm not getting benefits yet - May-Dec I need to stay under $1,925 each month to get benefits for that month 2. Starting in 2026, only the annual limit matters ($23,100 plus whatever COLA increase), and I can distribute my earnings however I want throughout the year. This makes planning so much easier! I'll keep my earnings under $1,925 monthly starting in May 2025, then in 2026 I can be more flexible with how I schedule my work.

One more important thing: You can request voluntary tax withholding on your ongoing SSDI payments using Form W-4V. You can choose 7%, 10%, 12%, or 22% withholding. This can help prevent a tax surprise next year after you've handled the backpay situation.

This happened to my aunt last year and the backpay really messed up her Medicare premiums too because of IRMAA. Just something else to watch out for if you're on Medicare!

I'm in the EXACT same boat! Turning 63 next month and trying to figure out this whole mess. The SSA website says benefits are paid in the month FOLLOWING the month for which they are due. So November benefits come in December. But my question is - does starting benefits in November mean I'm asking for reduced benefits based on my age in November? Or my age in December when I get paid? This is so confusing!

Thanks everyone for the helpful advice! I'm going to apply online first thing tomorrow morning and specifically request the November start date. I'll make sure all my documents are ready and double-check the earnings limit since I might do some part-time work. I feel a lot better knowing that the timeline should work for getting my first payment in December. I'll update here if I run into any issues with the application!

One additional tip: If you're married and file jointly, remember that you each need to submit a separate W-4V form for your individual benefits. Also, keep in mind that generally only about 50-85% of your Social Security benefits are taxable, depending on your combined income. This is calculated using your adjusted gross income plus nontaxable interest plus half of your Social Security benefits. If this total exceeds certain thresholds ($25,000 for single filers or $32,000 for joint filers), then a portion of your benefits becomes taxable.

Just to follow up on my earlier comment - once your withholding starts, check your MySocialSecurity account online to verify the correct percentage is being withheld. When I submitted my W-4V, they somehow entered 12% instead of the 10% I requested. It took another form submission to correct it. The online account shows your payment details including all deductions.

wait i thought there was a special rule for the first year you claim benefits?? something about a monthly limit instead of annual?

Thank you all so much for the helpful information! Based on what everyone has shared, I think I'll take the consulting work but try to keep good records of business expenses to lower my countable income. I'll also contact SSA to let them know my estimated earnings so they can adjust my benefits proactively rather than having surprising months with no payment. It's also reassuring to know that any benefits withheld now will increase my payment amount after I reach full retirement age. That makes the decision easier since the money isn't completely lost. Really appreciate all the advice!

I'm also a retired teacher (Maine) married to someone getting SS. The GPO is still in effect and probably will be for the foreseeable future despite all the talk. Here's what helped me: go to socialsecurity.gov, create an account if she doesn't have one, and run the benefit calculator. It will tell her EXACTLY what she might get as a spouse. Don't count on getting anything though - with her pension amount, the 2/3 offset will probably eliminate any spousal benefit entirely. But survivor benefits later might still give her something. The whole GPO/WEP situation is incredibly frustrating for those of us who dedicated our careers to public service!!

I believe Colorado is one of the states where teachers DON'T pay into Social Security, which is why the GPO applies to her. In some states, teachers DO pay into both systems. Anyway, definitely have her apply regardless! My aunt was in almost the identical situation (teacher in Illinois) and she assumed she wouldn't get anything because of GPO. But it turned out part of her teaching career was actually covered employment because she worked in a different state early in her career where they DID pay into SS. She ended up qualifying for a small amount of spousal benefits! The SSA systems are complicated and even their own agents sometimes miss things. Always apply and get the official determination.

my sister got denied for 6 mo back pay cuz they said she shoulda known to apply separate. fight for ur rights! the system is designed to confuse us seniors!!

Just to clarify a few important points about your situation: 1. Yes, you can receive up to 6 months of retroactive benefits when applying for divorced spouse benefits. 2. If you're already FRA (which it sounds like you are), you can file a "restricted application" for just divorced spouse benefits if that would be advantageous. 3. GPO will reduce your divorced spouse benefits by 2/3 of your government pension amount. If this reduction would eliminate your divorced spouse benefit entirely, that might be why they didn't process it automatically. 4. Bring your marriage certificate, divorce decree, and information about your pension to the appointment. 5. Ask specifically about all filing strategies available at your age, including retroactive benefits and restricted applications if applicable. The rules get complex at the intersection of divorced benefits and government pensions, so be prepared with specific questions during your appointment.

my brother had this happen he said it took 2 months to get the $$ back. good luck

I just remembered something else - when I got my lump payment it showed up as "XXSOC SEC" on my bank statement which was different from my regular monthly deposit that shows as "XXXXSSI". So watch for that.