Sean, I'm new to this community but wanted to share my experience since I was in almost your exact situation! I filed for Social Security retirement at 63 last year with about $40k in CDs and some bond funds, and I was absolutely convinced they would somehow mess up my benefits. I'm thrilled to confirm what everyone else has told you - your investments will NOT affect your Social Security retirement benefits whatsoever! The application process was actually much simpler than I expected. They asked about my work history and employment plans, but never once inquired about my savings, CDs, or investments. What really put my mind at ease was understanding that Social Security retirement benefits are calculated based on your highest 35 years of earnings where you paid Social Security taxes. It's an insurance program you've already paid into - your current assets are completely irrelevant to what you've earned. I've been collecting my monthly benefits for over a year now while continuing to earn interest on my CDs and receive dividends from my investments. Zero issues, zero reductions, zero complications. The earnings test that people worry about only applies to wages from actual employment, not investment income. Your neighbor was definitely confusing regular Social Security retirement with SSI, which is a completely different needs-based program with asset limits. What you're applying for is a benefit you've already earned through decades of work. File with confidence - your CDs and mutual funds won't cause any problems at all! This community has been so helpful in understanding these details.

Sean, I'm new to this community but wanted to add my voice to the chorus of reassurance here! I just filed for Social Security retirement at 62 three months ago with around $35k in CDs and some stock investments, and I was absolutely terrified they would cause problems with my benefits. I can confirm 100% what everyone else has shared - your investments will NOT affect your Social Security retirement benefits in any way! The online application was surprisingly straightforward and never asked about my savings or investments at all. They only wanted to know about my work history and current employment status. What really helped me understand this was realizing that Social Security retirement benefits are based on an insurance model - we've been paying premiums (payroll taxes) for decades, and now we're claiming the benefits we've already earned. Our current financial situation is completely irrelevant to that calculation. The earnings test that can reduce benefits only applies to money you earn from WORKING - wages or self-employment income above $22,320 in 2025. Interest from CDs, dividends from mutual funds, and capital gains are all considered "unearned income" and don't count toward this limit at all. I've been receiving my monthly payments for three months now while my CDs continue earning interest with zero impact on my Social Security benefits. The confusion definitely comes from people mixing up retirement benefits (which we've earned) with SSI (which has asset limits but is a welfare program). Your $75k in investments won't cause any issues whatsoever. File with confidence - you've got this!

Just want to echo what others have said and add my experience - I went through this exact same situation 2 years ago at 64. The IRA withdrawal definitely doesn't affect your SS benefit amount (no reduction), but definitely plan for the tax implications. I ended up having to pay quarterly estimated taxes because my tax withholding wasn't enough once I started taking both SS and IRA distributions. You might want to consider having taxes withheld from your IRA withdrawal to avoid a big tax bill next April. Also, if you're doing traditional IRA withdrawals, remember those are fully taxable as ordinary income, which gets added to your "combined income" calculation for SS taxation. Good luck!

One more thing to consider that I don't see mentioned yet - if you're planning to take Social Security at 64, you'll be taking it early (before your Full Retirement Age, which is probably 66 or 67). This means your monthly benefit will be permanently reduced by about 25-30% compared to waiting until FRA. Just wanted to make sure you're factoring that into your financial planning along with the IRA withdrawals. The good news is that the earnings test limits I see mentioned above ($22,320 for 2025) still apply, and your IRA withdrawals still won't count toward that limit even with early retirement. But the combination of reduced SS benefits plus potential taxes on those benefits might affect how much you want to withdraw from your IRA each year.

I'm new to this community and wanted to share my experience from applying for survivor benefits just 3 weeks ago. Like everyone else has mentioned, SSA only required our marriage certificate and my husband's death certificate as the main documentation. They asked about previous marriages verbally during the interview - just basic details like dates, locations, and former spouse names. What I found really helpful was creating a simple timeline document beforehand with all the key dates and information. The SSA representative was very appreciative that I came organized, and it definitely made the interview go more smoothly. She explained that they only require documentation for previous marriages if they lasted close to 10 years or if there are discrepancies that need verification. One thing I wasn't prepared for was that they also asked about any life insurance policies or other death benefits I might be receiving, as this can sometimes affect timing or calculations. Not a big deal, but just something to be aware of. The whole appointment took about 45 minutes and the staff was incredibly compassionate and patient. You sound very well-prepared based on all the excellent advice you've received in this thread. I'm sorry for your loss, and I'm confident your appointment will go smoothly!

I'm new to this community and wanted to share my experience from applying for survivor benefits just 2 weeks ago. Like others have mentioned, SSA only required our marriage certificate and my husband's death certificate as the primary documents. For previous marriages, they asked verbal questions during the interview but didn't require any documentation. What really helped me was bringing a simple folder with everything organized - the required documents in one section and a handwritten list of previous marriage details (dates, locations, spouse names) in another. The representative actually thanked me for being so prepared and said it made the process much more efficient. One thing that surprised me was how thorough they were about work history - they asked about any jobs either of us had that might not have paid into Social Security, like certain government positions or overseas work. Just something to keep in mind if that applies to your situation. The interview took about 40 minutes and the staff was incredibly kind and patient throughout the process. You sound extremely well-prepared with all the great advice you've received here. I'm sorry for your loss, and I hope your appointment goes as smoothly as mine did!

Reading through this entire discussion has been so helpful! I'm in a similar situation - starting SS benefits at 62 in a few months while continuing to work part-time. The monthly vs annual tracking question was really confusing me too. What I'm taking away from everyone's experiences is that the key factors are: 1) If you start benefits at the beginning of the year, focus on the annual $23,400 limit, 2) Monthly fluctuations don't matter as long as your yearly total stays under the limit, and 3) The monthly earnings test mainly applies to people who retire mid-year. The spreadsheet tracking idea that several people mentioned is genius - I'm definitely going to set that up. And knowing that any withheld benefits get credited back at FRA makes the whole system feel much less scary. Thanks Grace for asking this question and to everyone who shared their real-world experiences! This thread should be bookmarked for anyone dealing with Social Security earnings limits and seasonal work patterns.

This has been such a comprehensive discussion! As someone who started Social Security at 64 while continuing seasonal work, I can confirm what most people here have said - the annual tracking system is much more manageable than trying to stay under monthly limits. One thing I wanted to add that hasn't been mentioned yet: if you're doing seasonal work like landscaping, consider opening a separate savings account specifically for your "earnings limit buffer." During your busy months when you're earning more, set aside a portion in this account. Then during slower months, you can supplement your income from these savings without it counting toward the earnings limit (since it's not wages or self-employment income). This strategy helped me smooth out my income throughout the year while staying comfortably under the $23,400 annual limit. Plus it gave me peace of mind knowing I had a cushion for unexpected expenses during the slower winter months. Grace, your landscaping situation sounds very similar to what I dealt with - the annual system will work perfectly for your seasonal income pattern. Just keep tracking that running total and you'll be fine!

my friend said she just waited til 70 no filing or suspending or nothing just applied when she was 70 and got the bigger amount automatically

Thanks everyone for the helpful information! I'm going to just wait until 70 to file since that seems to be the consensus. With my family history of longevity and the potential survivor benefits for my wife, the 24% increase seems worth waiting for. Plus I'm still working and can afford to wait. Really appreciate all the insights!