One more important tip - if this is your first year of having self-employment income while receiving benefits, I strongly recommend you make quarterly estimated tax payments. This helps in two ways: 1. It creates a clear record of how you're calculating your net income 2. It prevents you from facing a large tax bill (plus possible penalties) next April You can use Form 1040-ES to make these payments. Also, consider getting an accountant who specializes in self-employment if you don't already have one. The fee is deductible as a business expense and they can help ensure you're calculating everything correctly for both tax and Social Security purposes.

one more thing - dont forget about self employemnt tax!! u pay both halves of FICA when ur self employefd and that can be a big surprise if u dont know about it

One important correction I should make to my earlier explanation - you mentioned having 8 years of summer work where you paid into Social Security. To qualify for your own Social Security retirement benefit, you need 40 credits (roughly 10 years of work). If you have fewer than 40 credits, repealing WEP wouldn't give you your own retirement benefit, but repealing GPO would still allow you to receive the full spousal benefit based on your husband's record. If you're not sure how many credits you have, you can create an account at my.ssa.gov and check your earnings record. Some summer jobs might have given you more than 4 credits per year depending on how much you earned.

I wonder if they'd make the repeal retroactive?? Like would we get back pay for all the years we should have been getting benefits? Probably not, knowing how the government works, but it would be nice!!

i thought social security payments come on the 3rd of the month not wednesdays?? Mines always on the 3rd

Thank you all so much for your helpful responses! I feel much better now knowing the small payment is normal. I'll definitely keep a close eye on my Medicare premiums over the next couple of months to make sure I'm not getting double-charged. Really appreciate everyone sharing their experiences!

Same thing happened to me last year! Mailed it twice and nothing happened. When I finally went in person they told me they never received either form. So frustrating!

Thanks everyone for the advice! I went to my local office this morning with my filled-out W-4V form and ID. Took a number, waited about 30 minutes, and they accepted it no problem! The staff person said I should see the withholding start on my payment next month. She also gave me a receipt showing they received the form, which made me feel much better. For anyone else wondering, at least at my office (Tucson), no appointment was needed just to drop off a form.

wait im confused again... so if his FRA was 2/16/2024 and he works until 2/16/2025 thats a year right? but hes supposed to file for 3/1/2025?? thats more than a year!! is he losing money for February????

My husband faced the same question last year. Just want to add that when you apply online they actually help walk you through picking the right start date. The system asks when you want your benefits to begin and has information explaining how benefits are paid for each month. Super straightforward process once you get there!

My aunt did hers online and Social Security COMPLETELY messed up her payments. They started sending her checks but it was $400 less than her statement said she would get!!! Took 3 months and multiple office visits to fix. I would NEVER trust the online system after seeing what she went through!!!

Thank you all for the advice! I think I'll try the online application since my situation seems simple enough, but I'll make sure to double-check everything carefully, especially my earnings record. If I run into any issues, I might try that Claimyr service to get through to someone by phone. I appreciate all your help!

Your February payment should arrive on a specific schedule based on either your birth date or your late husband's birth date (whichever the claim is based on). The payment schedule for 2025 is: - Birth dates 1st-10th: Second Wednesday of month - Birth dates 11th-20th: Third Wednesday of month - Birth dates 21st-31st: Fourth Wednesday of month If benefits started before May 1997, payment comes on the 3rd of the month. Mark your calendar for the appropriate Wednesday in February to expect your full survivor benefit payment.

One more thing about survivor benefits nobody told me - they're taxable if your combined income exceeds certain thresholds. For 2025, if you file as an individual and your combined income is between $25,000 and $34,000, up to 50% of your benefits may be taxable. Above $34,000, up to 85% may be taxable. Caught me by surprise at tax time!

What you're describing is different. Your sister likely faced late enrollment penalties for Medicare, which can happen if you don't sign up during your initial enrollment period (usually around your 65th birthday) and don't have other qualifying coverage. These penalties increase your Medicare premiums when you do enroll, effectively reducing your net Social Security payment if the premiums are deducted from it.For the original poster who's only 63, this isn't relevant yet. They have no obligation to have any insurance to receive Social Security retirement benefits now. They'll need to address Medicare enrollment when they approach 65.

My sister didn't have insurance between retiring at 63 and Medicare at 65. She got a NASTY case of pneumonia that cost her $37,000!!! Sometimes the peace of mind is worth the premium...

WAIT A MINUTE! Doesn't the earnings limit change in the year you reach FRA? I think it's different for the months of that year before your birthday. The rules are SO CONFUSING!!!

my sil got in big trouble with SS cuz she went over the limit and didnt tell them. they made her pay back thousands!! make sure u report if u earn more than u think

Have you actually tried calling SSA directly? I spent WEEKS trying to get through on their 800 number, always disconnected or waiting for hours. Finally I used a service called Claimyr (claimyr.com) and got through to an agent in under 30 minutes. They have a video showing how it works: https://youtu.be/Z-BRbJw3puU. Worth it to get a definitive answer about your specific situation instead of relying on forum advice!

To summarize the correct information for your situation: 1. Survivor benefits for divorced spouses DO allow for remarriage, but only if that remarriage occurs at age 60 or later. 2. Since you remarried at 57, unfortunately you don't qualify for survivor benefits on your ex-spouse's record. 3. However, if your current marriage were to end (through death or divorce), you would become eligible again for survivor benefits from your first husband. 4. It's still worth contacting SSA directly to verify all details, as there might be aspects of your situation that could affect eligibility (disability status, caring for dependent children, etc.). I hope this helps clarify the rules, even if it's not the outcome you were hoping for.