does she get medicare too? my dad remarried late n his wife got his SS but had to pay for medicare still

Tell them to set up a my social security account online NOW too if they haven't!!! Makes everything easier later!!!

One more important thing - even if your brother-in-law decides to wait until his Full Retirement Age to avoid the earnings test, he should still FILE HIS INTENT TO CLAIM now. This establishes his eligibility as a surviving spouse and can protect backdated benefits in some cases. The SSA representative can explain this process.

After reviewing the complete situation, here's what your brother-in-law should consider: 1. Given his $85,000 income, most of his survivor benefits would be withheld due to the earnings test until he reaches his Full Retirement Age (FRA). 2. However, filing at 61 locks in the early filing reduction permanently. At 61, he'd receive approximately 71.5% of his wife's full benefit amount for the rest of his life. 3. If he waits until his FRA (likely 67), he'd receive 100% of her benefit with no earnings test. 4. He should get a benefit calculation from SSA for both scenarios - the reduced lifetime amount from claiming early versus waiting for the full amount at FRA. 5. The optimal strategy depends on his own retirement benefit amount compared to the survivor benefit and his life expectancy. At minimum, he should apply for the $255 death benefit immediately.

Just to add an important point - when you go in for your appointment, ask them to calculate what's called your "RIB-LIM" amount. This is a special calculation that applies in cases where your spouse was on disability benefits. In some situations, it can affect the amount of survivor benefits you're eligible for. Many SSA reps don't automatically check this, so you want to specifically ask for this calculation.

Thank you all for the helpful advice! I've scheduled an appointment with SSA for next week, and I've made a list of all the questions to ask based on your suggestions - especially about the earnings test and that RIB-LIM calculation. For now, I'm leaning toward taking reduced survivor benefits even with the earnings test reduction, since I could still receive around $1,388 monthly according to the calculations provided. That would help me a lot financially while I'm still working part-time. I'll update after my appointment in case the information helps someone else in a similar situation.

Just wanted to add that when you apply online, make sure you have your bank account info handy for direct deposit. Makes things way faster than waiting for checks. Good luck!

Thanks everyone for the helpful responses! I feel much better about continuing my garden center job now that I know there's no earnings limit after FRA. I'll definitely apply in December for my February FRA date to make sure everything's processed in time. And I'll check that payment calendar to see my actual payment date. Really appreciate all the advice!

To directly answer your question about whether it's worth working 10 more months: Calculate what your benefit would be with the delayed retirement credits (about 6.67% more for 10 months beyond FRA). Then multiply that monthly increase by how many months you expect to collect benefits (life expectancy). If that total exceeds what you'd earn by working those 10 months (after taxes), then retiring might make more financial sense. But also factor in non-financial considerations like job satisfaction, health, and retirement plans.

I recommend calling SSA directly about this. The online estimates can sometimes have issues, especially with recent earnings. A $5 increase sounds suspiciously low and may indicate a calculation error or a data entry problem. The representative can walk through your entire earnings record and benefit calculation with you to explain exactly why the increase is so small.

One other thing to consider: even though your younger child's benefit won't increase when the older one ages out, there are a couple of other events that could increase their payment: 1. Annual COLA (Cost of Living Adjustment) increases that apply to all benefits 2. If you or your husband start receiving higher benefits for any reason 3. If there are any recalculations of your Primary Insurance Amount due to additional earnings None of these are specifically tied to your older child aging out, but they are ways the benefit could potentially increase in the future.

btw make sure you notify SSA when your 15yo gets close to 18. they dont automatically stop the payments and if you keep getting them you'll have to pay it all back which happened to my friend and it was a NIGHTMARE for them.

EVERYONE here is missing a HUGE point! If you're not a US citizen and you leave the US for MORE THAN SIX MONTHS, immigration considers that ABANDONING your green card status! Even if SSA pays benefits to Mexico, your wife will have IMMIGRATION problems if she tries to return to the US after living in Mexico for years! My sister-in-law lost her green card this way and had to start all over with the immigration process!

Thank you everyone for the helpful responses! I'm going to talk to my wife about her plans for maintaining her green card status. It sounds like even if she eventually gives up her green card to live permanently in Mexico, she would still be eligible for survivor benefits on my record - which is a huge relief. I think our next step is to contact the Federal Benefits Unit at the US Embassy in Mexico City for specific guidance on her situation. I'll also suggest she talk to an immigration attorney about the best way to handle her trips back and forth to maintain her green card if that's what she wants to do. Really appreciate all the insights and personal experiences shared here!

so what i wanna know is whether you'll get Medicare if your benefit is suspended? My cousin had his benefits suspended for working too much over the earnings limit and they still gave him Medicare at 65

Thanks everyone for the helpful responses! I've learned that: 1. My spousal benefit application was likely processed and is just suspended 2. The letter disappearing from my account is normal 3. When I retire next year, I need to contact SSA with documentation 4. I should be very careful about lump sum vs. monthly pension choices 5. I should prepare for potentially long wait times when calling SSA I think I'll gather all my pension documentation now so I'm ready when the time comes. I really appreciate all the insights!

Just a follow-up to my earlier comment - they returned my documents via regular first-class mail, not tracked. That's why I suggested certified mail when sending them - at least that way you know they received it. For what it's worth, everything arrived back safely, but I was nervous until they showed up!

i brought mine to the office and they made copies and gave me back originals right away. way better than mailing if u can get appointment

One more important thing to consider - if your appointment is for retirement benefits application, you should be able to complete the entire application online without any appointment at all. The only documents you would need to provide in person are ones they can't verify electronically (like a birth certificate if you weren't born in the US). For most standard retirement claims, the online process is much more efficient. The exception would be if you have complicating factors like WEP/GPO from non-covered pensions or complex dependent situations.

After seeing your responses, I recommend you call your local office directly rather than the national number. Most local offices have direct lines that aren't published, but here's a trick: call your Congressperson's office and tell them you're having trouble reaching SSA. They usually have the direct numbers to local offices and can either give it to you or make a call on your behalf. Congressional inquiries get priority attention at SSA offices.