Have you spoken with anyone at CalSTRS about this? When my mother-in-law went through something similar (CA teacher, husband died), a CalSTRS counselor helped her understand all the implications and provided some resources. They can't change the federal law, but they're often more knowledgeable about how it intersects with their pension system than general SSA reps are.

I'm so sorry for your loss and for this additional financial stress during an already difficult time. The GPO situation is unfortunately very real and affects thousands of educators and other public servants. One thing that might help: consider contacting your congressional representatives about this issue. While previous legislation hasn't passed, there's often renewed interest in WEP/GPO reform, especially when constituents share their personal stories. The National Education Association and other teacher unions also maintain advocacy efforts around this issue and might have resources or updates on current legislative efforts. It won't help immediately, but your voice could contribute to future change for others in similar situations.

wait does this new law help people who worked in jobs with pensions AND had some social security covered jobs? my dad worked for the post office for 25 years but also had enough social security credits from earlier jobs but got his SS benefit reduced because of WEP

I'm a retired teacher from Texas and went through a very similar situation. One thing I learned is that your sister should definitely get documentation of her ex-husband's earnings record if possible - this will help her understand what her potential survivor benefit would be before any GPO reduction. Also, since she's 64, she can apply for reduced survivor benefits now (available at 60) or wait until her full retirement age for the maximum amount. Given that the GPO is phasing out, it might make sense to run the numbers both ways. The fact that California teachers don't pay into Social Security actually makes her situation clearer in some ways - there's no WEP issue with her own benefits since she doesn't have any SS benefits of her own, just the GPO issue with survivor benefits. And yes, the current widow doesn't affect her eligibility at all. Both can collect simultaneously.

I've been helping my dad with the exact same situation! For part-time work after you claim, keep in mind that if you're self-employed, SSA looks at both your earnings AND your work activity. Even if you don't pay yourself much, if you're working a lot of hours they can still count it as substantial earnings. This tripped up my dad who continued managing his rental properties after claiming. Just something to consider if your part-time work might involve self-employment.

Just wanted to add one more consideration for your timeline - since you're planning to claim in August 2025, make sure to apply about 3-4 months beforehand (around April/May) to ensure your first payment processes smoothly. SSA recommends applying 3 months before you want benefits to start. Also, when you do apply, specifically mention that you want to use the monthly earnings test for 2025 rather than the annual test. While it should be automatic in your first year, it's worth being explicit about this choice when you speak with the SSA representative to avoid any confusion. Your plan sounds solid - earning whatever you need through August, then keeping part-time work under the monthly limit afterward. The first-year rule really does make mid-year retirement much more feasible!

One thing I'd add that helped me plan - try running different scenarios on the SSA calculators to see how various earning levels affect your total annual income (SS benefits + work income). Sometimes earning a bit less keeps you under the $22,320 limit and actually results in more total money in your pocket than earning more and having benefits reduced. Also, if you're married, don't forget about spousal benefits! Your spouse might be able to claim on your record even if you claim early, though their benefit would also be reduced. The timing strategies can get complex with married couples, so it's worth understanding all your options before making the decision. The calculators are definitely confusing at first, but once you get the hang of them they're really helpful for modeling different scenarios. Good luck with your planning!

Just want to add a practical tip from my own experience - when you're calculating that earnings limit, make sure you understand how they track it. I learned the hard way that if you have irregular income (like seasonal work or commission), Social Security looks at your monthly earnings, not just the annual total. So even if you're under $22,320 for the year, if you earn more than $1,860 in any single month, they can still withhold benefits for that month. Also, if you're thinking about claiming at 62, consider your healthcare situation carefully. Many people don't realize that Medicare doesn't start until 65, so you'll need to bridge that gap somehow. If you're still working part-time with benefits, that might help, but if not, individual health insurance can be expensive and eat into those Social Security benefits pretty quickly. One more thing - keep really good records of your earnings if you do decide to work after claiming. Social Security sometimes makes mistakes in their calculations, and having your own documentation makes it much easier to get things corrected.

Just to add to what everyone else has said - you're absolutely right that 401k assets don't matter for regular Social Security retirement benefits! I went through this same process last year at 64. The online application was pretty smooth and they only asked about my work history and earnings, nothing about savings or retirement accounts. One tip: make sure you have your tax returns handy for the past couple years, especially if you had any self-employment income. They might ask you to verify some earnings if there are gaps in their records. Also, if you haven't already, definitely check your earnings record on your my Social Security account before applying to make sure everything looks accurate - I found a missing year from an old employer that I was able to get corrected before filing. Good luck with your application! The whole process was way easier than I expected.

Great question and I'm glad you asked! Everyone here has given you solid advice - you definitely DON'T need to report your 401k for regular Social Security retirement benefits. I went through this exact situation two years ago when I applied at 62. Just want to emphasize what a few others mentioned: make absolutely sure you understand the financial impact of filing at 63 vs waiting. That permanent reduction is no joke - for me it was worth it because of health concerns, but it's a big decision. Also, since you mentioned being unemployed, don't forget that once you start collecting SS, if you do find work later, there are earnings limits until you reach full retirement age that could temporarily reduce your benefits. But again, 401k withdrawals won't count toward those limits if you need to tap into that money. The online application really is straightforward - just have your employment history ready and double-check your earnings record first like others suggested. Good luck!