To make sure we've got this clear for the original poster: If your FRA is 67 and 4 months and you were born on September 17th, your FRA is January 17th. You can file for benefits up to 4 months before January (as early as September) and specify January as your start month. Your benefits will start in January (the full month is credited to you even though your FRA is on the 17th), and your first payment will arrive in February on the third Wednesday. There's no advantage to waiting until January to file - in fact, filing 2-3 months early (while still specifying January as your start date) is recommended to avoid processing delays.

Just want to add one more helpful tip for anyone reading this - when you do file your application (whether online or by phone), make sure to have your most recent tax return handy and any W-2s from the current year. SSA will need to verify your earnings history to calculate your benefit amount. Also, if you're married, they'll ask about your spouse's Social Security number and birth date even if they're not filing yet, as this affects potential spousal benefits down the line. The online application at ssa.gov is usually the fastest way to apply and you can save your progress if you need to gather documents. Good luck with your retirement planning!

I'm glad this discussion has been so helpful! One thing I'd add is that you might want to consider the "earnings test" if you do decide to do any part-time work between now and your FRA. If you earn more than $23,400 in 2024 (the limit changes each year), Social Security will reduce your benefits by $1 for every $2 you earn above that limit - but only if you're actually claiming benefits. Since you're planning to wait until FRA to claim, this won't affect you. Just something to keep in mind if your plans change. Also, don't forget that Social Security benefits may be taxable depending on your total income, so factor that into your retirement planning too!

One more thing to consider - if you're married, make sure to coordinate your Social Security claiming strategy with your spouse! Even if your own benefit won't be significantly impacted by stopping work at 64, your spouse might be eligible for spousal benefits based on your work record. The timing of when each of you claims can affect the total household Social Security income. There are some complex "file and suspend" type strategies that were mostly eliminated, but there are still optimization opportunities for married couples. It might be worth consulting with a fee-only financial planner who specializes in Social Security to run the numbers for your specific situation, especially since you mentioned your financial advisor wasn't clear on these details.

Thank you all for the helpful responses! I feel much better knowing that my actual SS benefit amount won't be reduced just because my husband is working. I'm going to look into having some taxes withheld using that W-4V form someone mentioned, and I'll definitely check if I might qualify for a higher spousal benefit when my husband claims in a couple years. I tried calling the SSA office yesterday but gave up after being on hold for 45 minutes. Might try that Claimyr service someone mentioned if I can't get through soon. Thanks again for all the advice!

I'm glad I found this thread! I'm in a similar situation - I'm 67 and have been collecting Social Security for a year. I just got engaged and we're planning to marry next spring. My fiancé is 65 and still working part-time making about $30,000 a year. Reading through all these responses has been really helpful, especially learning that our benefits won't be directly reduced since we're both past full retirement age. The tax implications are definitely something I hadn't fully considered though. One question for those who have been through this - when you say "up to 85% of benefits may be taxable," does that mean 85% of the actual dollar amount gets added to your taxable income, or does it mean you pay 85% tax rate on the benefits? I want to make sure I understand this correctly when I talk to a tax professional. Also, has anyone had experience with getting help from their local SSA office versus calling the main number? Wondering if it's worth trying to visit in person rather than dealing with those long phone wait times.

As someone who works in elder fraud prevention, I want to emphasize something important - the fact that your mom is asking questions and you're involved shows she's already doing better than many scam victims. A few additional protective measures I recommend: 1. Set up a "code word" system - if SSA ever legitimately needs to call (which is rare), they can reference information only they would know from her file 2. Consider putting her number on the Do Not Call Registry at donotcall.gov 3. If possible, have her route unknown calls to voicemail first - legitimate government agencies will leave detailed messages The anger from the caller when she wouldn't provide her SSN is a CLASSIC scammer tell. Real government employees are trained to be patient and understanding when people are cautious about sharing personal information. You're being a great advocate for your mom. These scammers are unfortunately very sophisticated and specifically target seniors because they're more trusting of authority figures. Keep documenting these attempts and reporting them - it helps law enforcement track patterns.

Just wanted to add that you can also check your mom's credit report for free at annualcreditreport.com to make sure no accounts were opened using any information these scammers might have gotten. Even if she didn't give them her full SSN, they sometimes already have partial information from data breaches and use these calls to fill in the gaps. Also, many phones now have built-in spam call blocking - if your mom has a smartphone, it's worth setting that up. For landlines, most phone companies offer call blocking services too. One more thing - if your mom banks online, consider setting up account alerts for any transactions or changes. That way you'll both get notified immediately if anything suspicious happens with her accounts. The good news is that COLA increases for 2025 are already set and will show up automatically in her December payment - no action needed from her at all! You can check the official announcement on SSA.gov.

This is such a thoughtful discussion about a complex but important topic! As someone who works with Social Security cases, I want to emphasize one key point that could significantly impact your planning: survivor benefits are not subject to the Government Pension Offset (GPO) or Windfall Elimination Provision (WEP) in the same way other Social Security benefits might be. If either you or your wife has worked in government jobs or have pensions from employers who didn't pay into Social Security, these provisions could reduce regular spousal or retirement benefits. However, survivor benefits have different rules and may not be affected as severely. Also, since you're doing long-term planning, consider that Social Security benefits receive annual cost-of-living adjustments (COLA). The survivor benefit you might receive years from now will likely be higher than what your wife receives today, not just because it's based on her FRA amount rather than her reduced benefit, but also because of these annual increases. One last practical tip: when the time comes to apply for survivor benefits, you'll need certified copies of the death certificate, marriage certificate, and other documentation. It's worth keeping these important documents organized and easily accessible, as SSA processing can be faster when you have everything ready upfront.

I'm so glad to see this thorough discussion! As someone who recently went through the survivor benefits process myself, I wanted to add a few practical points that might help with your planning: First, when you do eventually need to apply for survivor benefits, you can actually start the application process online at ssa.gov, which can save time compared to trying to get through on the phone or scheduling an in-person appointment. You'll still need to provide documentation, but starting online gets the process moving faster. Second, regarding the earnings test - SSA actually has a pretty helpful online tool called the "Retirement Earnings Test Calculator" that can help you estimate how much might be withheld based on your specific income. It's worth playing around with different scenarios to see how various income levels would affect your benefits. Finally, I'd suggest documenting all of this information in a place where your wife can easily find it too. While you're the one asking about survivor benefits, she might also benefit from understanding these rules in case she ends up being the survivor. Having a shared understanding of your Social Security strategy can be really valuable for both of you. The fact that you're planning ahead shows great foresight. Most people don't think about these details until they're in the middle of a crisis, which makes everything much harder to navigate.