I'm so glad you asked this question because it's something many couples don't think about until it's too late! You're absolutely being smart and responsible by planning ahead. One thing I wanted to add that I don't think has been mentioned yet - if your husband passes away and you're receiving survivor benefits, you should know that the earnings test works differently for survivors than it does for regular retirement benefits. If you're under your full retirement age and working while receiving survivor benefits, the earnings limit is higher than the regular retirement earnings limit ($22,320 for 2024 vs $19,560 for regular retirement benefits). Also, here's something that might give you even more peace of mind: even if you claim your own retirement benefit at 63 as planned, and then your husband passes away later, you can potentially "restart" at a higher survivor benefit amount. The flexibility survivors have in the Social Security system is actually one of the few areas where the rules work in your favor. You mentioned your husband's construction work is physically demanding - many people in similar situations find that claiming at 62 was the right choice for their health and quality of life. The financial calculations are important, but so is being able to enjoy retirement while you're both healthy enough to do so.

I just want to echo what others have said about how smart you are to plan for this scenario. My mother-in-law went through something very similar - her husband claimed Social Security early due to health issues, and she was terrified about what would happen to her financially if he passed away first. One thing that really helped her peace of mind was creating a simple flowchart with all the different scenarios and benefit amounts. She worked with a fee-only financial advisor who specialized in Social Security to map out: - What her own benefit would be at different claiming ages - What survivor benefits would be at different ages if her husband passed - The break-even points for different strategies Having it all laid out visually made the decision-making process much less overwhelming. The advisor also helped her understand that survivor benefits are actually one area where Social Security rules are more generous than people expect - especially with that RIB-LIM protection that others mentioned. It sounds like you have a really solid understanding of your options now thanks to this discussion. The flexibility you have as a potential survivor is actually pretty remarkable compared to the rigid rules most people face with Social Security. You should feel confident that you're making informed decisions for both the best-case and worst-case scenarios.

My brother is disabled and gets SS benefits. When my mom switched her benefits it didn't affect him at all so I think you're worrying too much. But the system is SO BROKEN you should expect problems anyway!!! It took them FOREVER to process my disability claim!!!

I went through this exact situation 6 months ago when I turned FRA. I was receiving spouse benefits while caring for my disabled adult daughter who gets DAC benefits on my husband's record. I was so nervous about potentially disrupting everything, but I'm glad I applied for my own retirement benefits - I ended up getting an extra $180/month! Here's what actually happened: I applied online about 2 months before my FRA birthday. SSA automatically compared my potential retirement benefit to my current spouse benefit and switched me to the higher amount. My daughter's benefits continued without any interruption whatsoever. One tip that really helped me: when I filled out the online application, I wrote in the remarks section "Currently receiving spouse benefits while caring for disabled adult child. Please compare to retirement benefit and pay higher amount." This made it crystal clear what I wanted them to do. The whole process took about 6 weeks and I received a letter explaining the comparison and my new benefit amount. Don't let the horror stories scare you too much - most cases go smoothly, you just don't hear about those online!

Just wanted to update everyone - I just found a somewhat hidden feature in the my Social Security portal that gives more comparison options. After you log in, go to 'Plan for Retirement' (not the basic benefit calculator), then click 'Compare Retirement Options.' This tool lets you create and compare different scenarios with sliders for retirement age and future earnings. Still not a complete matrix, but much better than running one calculation at a time. Hope this helps!

I'm glad you found that comparison tool helpful! Another tip - if you're planning to work part-time after claiming benefits, make sure to factor in not just the earnings test but also how those continued earnings might actually increase your benefit amount. SSA recalculates your benefit each year if you have new earnings that are higher than one of the 35 years they used in your original calculation. So even if some benefits get withheld initially due to the earnings test, you could end up with a permanently higher monthly benefit once you stop working or reach FRA. It's another variable that makes the decision more complex but could work in your favor!

Emma, I'm so sorry for your loss. This Medicare premium issue is unfortunately very common with survivor benefits - you're definitely being double-charged and it's not your fault at all. What's happening is that SSA's system automatically deducts Medicare premiums from retroactive payments without checking if you've already been paying directly to Medicare. The $1,380 sounds exactly right for Medicare Part B premiums over those 8 months. Here's what worked for me when I had this same issue: Call SSA first thing in the morning (7 AM when they open - much shorter wait times!) and ask specifically for a "Medicare Premium Duplicate Billing Refund." Have your bank statements ready showing your direct Medicare payments from August 2024 through February 2025. They'll verify with Medicare that you were paying directly, then process a refund that usually comes as an adjustment in a future monthly payment. Also consider switching to automatic premium deduction from your monthly benefits going forward - one less bill to manage during this difficult time. Don't get discouraged if it takes a couple tries to reach someone who understands the issue. This is a known system problem that experienced representatives can resolve quickly once you use the right terminology. You'll get your money back!

Emma, I'm so sorry for the loss of your husband. What you're experiencing is absolutely a Medicare premium double-billing issue, and it's unfortunately very common with survivor benefits. You're not alone in this! I went through something similar when I transitioned from private insurance to Medicare and then later started receiving Social Security. The SSA system automatically deducts Medicare premiums from any retroactive payments without checking whether you've already been paying them directly - it's a major system flaw that affects thousands of people. The $1,380 deduction you mentioned is almost certainly the Medicare Part B premiums for those 8 months (roughly $172-174 per month). Since you've been paying directly since age 65, you're absolutely being double-charged. Here's what I recommend based on my experience: Call SSA early in the morning (right at 7 AM when they open - much shorter wait times!) and use specific terminology like "Medicare Premium Duplicate Billing Adjustment" or "Medicare Premium Overpayment Refund." Have your bank statements ready showing all your direct Medicare payments for August 2024 through February 2025. They'll need to verify with Medicare that you were paying directly, but once confirmed, they should process a refund that typically comes as an adjustment in a future monthly payment. Also consider switching to automatic Medicare premium deduction from your survivor benefits going forward - it's much more convenient and prevents this confusion. Don't give up if the first representative doesn't understand right away. This is a known issue that any experienced SSA agent should be able to resolve. You'll get your money back!

My condolences on your father-in-law's passing. Just to share my experience - when my husband died, I was really confused about the whole survivor benefit process too. The amount they told me seemed too high at first, but it turned out to be correct. One thing that helped me was talking to other widows in my church group who'd been through the same process. Sometimes hearing from regular people who've navigated the same system is reassuring.

I went through something very similar when my father passed away in 2022. My mom was shocked by her survivor benefit amount - it was almost double what she expected! Like your mother-in-law, my dad had a great career early on but then worked sporadically for his last 20 years. What really helped us was getting an appointment at the local SSA office (took about 3 weeks to get in) and having them walk through the calculation step by step. They showed us his complete earnings history and explained how the indexing works - earnings from the 1980s were worth WAY more than we realized after inflation adjustments. The key thing is that they calculate based on his highest 35 years of earnings, not his most recent years. So even though he barely worked the last two decades, those early high-earning years still counted heavily in the formula. My advice: get all the documentation others mentioned, but don't panic. In our case, the high amount was completely legitimate. Your father-in-law's early successful career is likely the reason for the higher benefit. Just verify it's calculated correctly and then your MIL can make informed decisions about her future.