I know this is slightly off-topic, but make sure you're coordinating your Social Security claiming strategy with your Medicare enrollment. If you're turning 65 soon or already have, you should have enrolled in Medicare already, even if you're delaying Social Security. They're separate programs with different enrollment timelines.

Just to share what I learned after meeting with a financial planner specializing in retirement - those tiny reductions for being so close to FRA aren't really significant in the grand scheme. What matters more is: 1) Do you need the money now? 2) Are you still working? and 3) What's your life expectancy based on your health and family history? With just 2 months' difference, this is more of a personal preference decision than a major financial one. Either choice is reasonable! Best of luck with your retirement - sounds like you've planned well!

My mom kept working til 67 (past her widows FRA) and SSA gave her RETROACTIVE benefits for 6 months!!! Did u know u can get up to 6 months of back pay if u file after your FRA? They dont advertise this!!

To summarize what appears to be causing confusion: 1. You WILL receive any DRCs your husband earned between his FRA and his death at 66. 2. You will NOT receive additional DRCs he might have earned had he lived longer (up to age 70). 3. Since you mentioned he died at 66, which was likely very close to his FRA, there may be very few DRCs involved (possibly just a few months' worth). 4. Given your still-working status and the fact that your own benefit at 70 would be less than the widow's benefit, waiting until your widow's FRA (66+8mo) appears to be the optimal strategy in your case. 5. Once you stop working or reach your FRA, don't forget to inquire about the possible 6 months of retroactive benefits that may be available if you file after your FRA.

To answer your question about documentation - when I was collecting SS with my S-corp, they wanted copies of my W-2, business tax return (1120S), and personal return (1040). They seemed particularly interested in verifying that my S-corp salary was being properly reported. I just realized I never addressed your question about restarting benefits! Yes, there's a form called "Request for Reinstatement of Benefits" (not sure of the exact number). The process took about 3-4 weeks for me. The tricky part is accurately predicting your income for the rest of the year - you really have to stay on top of your projections month by month.

Regarding the automatic adjustment at FRA - the SSA should automatically stop applying the earnings test when you reach FRA, but it's always good practice to confirm this has happened. I recommend checking your my Social Security account online about a month after your birthday to verify your payment amount has adjusted correctly. As for documentation - typically they'll request verification in the first year, and then randomly in future years. The randomness is part of their compliance process. But even in years they don't request documentation, you're still legally required to report if you exceed the limit. Remember that the 2026 earnings limit will be pro-rated for your pre-FRA months. If the annual limit is around $60,000 (estimated for 2026), your January-March limit would be approximately $15,000 (1/4 of the annual amount).

When my sister turned 66 (her FRA) she got a job and her benefit check went UP the next year! Something about recalculation of her benefits because she was working again. So working might actually help your benefit amount in the long run too!

I think what matters most is how much this job is gonna pay you. If it's just a few hours a week maybe you don't even hit the limit? My cousin works at Walmart just 15 hours a week and stays under just fine.

Just to clarify on my earlier comment - I think you'll need to file a more general correction request, not specifically the earnings form. When you get through to an agent (either through the service someone mentioned or by visiting an office), ask specifically for a "manual recalculation of delayed retirement credits." Be really clear that this isn't about earnings but about how the DRCs are being calculated and displayed on your statement.

UPDATE: I finally got through to someone at SSA after using that call service mentioned earlier. The agent explained that there was indeed a display error in how the statement was calculating my age 68 benefit. Apparently there's a known issue with how the system handles certain birth months when displaying the 1-year post-FRA amount. She assured me that when I actually file for benefits (years from now), the calculation will be correct at 8% per year. She made a note in my file about the discrepancy and said they're working on fixing the calculator for the online statements. Thank you all for your help and suggestions!

Thanks everyone for the thoughtful responses! You've given me a lot to consider that I hadn't thought about before - especially the earnings test, taxation issues, and the idea of choosing a middle ground rather than extremes. I'm going to try getting my exact numbers from SSA using that contact service someone mentioned, then sit down with these new considerations and make a more informed decision. This has been incredibly helpful!

One other thing to consider - your health insurance situation. Are you on your spouse's plan? Will you be eligible for Medicare soon? The health insurance factor can sometimes tip the scales one way or another depending on your situation.

@profile2 ur wrong about the grandkid rules!! my friend got benefits for her grandson and the parents were alive just deadbeats. they had to prove the parents didnt support for a whole year before applying thats the key part!!

Thank you all for the helpful information. I've gathered Dad's death certificate, her birth certificate, his health insurance documents showing her as a dependent, and school records listing him as guardian. I also found tax returns where he claimed her as a dependent for the past 5 years. I'm going to use that Claimyr service to connect with SSA tomorrow and schedule an in-person appointment to discuss her case. I'll apply regardless of what they initially say, and I'll make sure to mention I'm seeking legal guardianship now. This has been incredibly stressful on top of grieving Dad, but at least I feel like I have a direction now. I'll update once I know more in case it helps others in similar situations.

i dont know why the goverment makes everything so complicated why cant they just have normal forms that make sense to regular people

One more tip: Keep a copy of your completed W-4V form and note the date you submitted it. If you don't see the withholding change on your benefit payment within 2-3 months, follow up with SSA. Sometimes these forms get delayed in processing, especially during busy periods like the start of the year. You can check if the withholding change took effect by looking at your monthly benefit statement online through your my Social Security account.

i filed at 62 while working part time and regret it so much!!! they take back so much of my check some months i barely get anything. plus when i do fully retire my benefit is permanently lower. wish i had just waited.

Based on what you've shared, waiting until your consulting work ends makes the most financial sense. One additional factor to consider: tax implications. When you're working and also receiving Social Security benefits, up to 85% of your SS benefits may become taxable depending on your combined income. This is separate from the earnings test and is another reason many working people delay benefits. If you both have solid earnings records, a common strategy for married couples in good health is for the higher earner to delay until 70 (maximizing the eventual survivor benefit) while the lower earner claims at FRA. This provides some income flow while still optimizing your household's lifetime benefits.

i think they sometimes do this on purpose to save money. my neighbor had something similar and they kept "losing" his paperwork for like 6 months!! he had to get really mad and threaten to call his congressman before they finally fixed it. the whole system is rigged to make it hard for us seniors!!

Update: I just got back from another office visit after using all the specific terminology suggested here. What a difference! I asked for a Technical Expert specifically and mentioned "Critical Payment Correction" and "Administrative Action Review." The TE actually found that my payment HAD been recorded but in a different part of their system than what shows on my online account. They're initiating a correction process that she said should take about 2 weeks to sync up their records. In the meantime, they're starting my survivor benefits provisionally! Thank you all SO MUCH for your help with this - I would never have known what to ask for without your suggestions.