As someone who just went through this decision process myself, I can confirm what everyone is saying about the earnings limit disappearing at FRA. I'm 68 now and working about 25 hours a week while collecting my full Social Security benefit. The freedom to earn without worrying about benefit reductions is amazing! One thing I wish someone had told me earlier though - if you're married, make sure to consider spousal benefits and survivor benefits in your calculations too. Sometimes it makes sense for one spouse to claim early while the other delays to maximize the household's lifetime benefits. The Social Security claiming strategy can get pretty complex when you factor in married couples. Might be worth talking to a financial planner who specializes in Social Security if your situation involves a spouse.

Just wanted to add another perspective as someone who's been researching this extensively. The earnings test elimination at FRA is one of the best-kept secrets about Social Security! I'm 66 right now and planning to wait until my FRA next year specifically for this reason. One thing I discovered that might be helpful - if you're thinking about working after claiming at FRA, consider that your Social Security benefits will continue to be protected from inflation through the annual COLA (Cost of Living Adjustment), but your work income won't have that same protection. So having that guaranteed inflation-adjusted income from Social Security plus the ability to earn unlimited additional income really creates a nice foundation for retirement security. The peace of mind knowing that no matter how much you earn, your Social Security won't be reduced is invaluable.

I'm in a very similar situation and have been researching this extensively! As a newcomer to understanding WEP, I found it helpful to know that the reduction is calculated using a modified formula rather than just a flat percentage cut. One thing that might help you is to request your complete Social Security earnings record (Form SSA-7050-F4) to see exactly which years show substantial earnings. You can request this online through your my Social Security account or by calling SSA. Also, since you mentioned you're turning 66 in November, you might want to consider whether filing exactly at your FRA makes sense or if delaying could be beneficial. While WEP will still apply, your base benefit amount (before the WEP reduction) continues to grow by about 8% per year until age 70 through delayed retirement credits. I'd definitely echo the advice about getting an official WEP calculation from SSA before making any final decisions. The uncertainty is stressful, but at least you'll know exactly what to expect!

As someone new to this community but dealing with a similar WEP situation, I wanted to share what I've learned from my research and conversations with SSA representatives. The WEP reduction is calculated using a sliding scale based on your years of substantial earnings in Social Security-covered employment. With 18 years of covered work, you're likely looking at a significant reduction, but as others have mentioned, there's a maximum cap on how much they can reduce your benefit. One thing I discovered that might help you is that SSA has a specific WEP Guarantee provision - they can never reduce your Social Security benefit by more than half of your government pension amount. So if your teacher's pension is $2,000/month, the most they could reduce your SS benefit would be $1,000/month, even if the WEP formula suggests a larger reduction. Also, I'd strongly recommend creating a detailed timeline of all your employment to verify those 18 years. Sometimes jobs we think were SS-covered actually weren't, or vice versa. I found discrepancies in my own records that affected my calculation. The waiting game is tough, but getting that official WEP calculation before you file will give you peace of mind and help you plan your retirement finances more accurately. Good luck with your application process!

Great to hear you got some clarity! That's exactly what I was hoping to hear - that you'll get retroactive payments back to when your pension amount actually changes. Make sure to get multiple copies of that pension administrator letter since SSA has a habit of "losing" paperwork. Also, if possible, try to get a receipt showing you submitted the documentation. Good luck with your appointment next week!

I've been through a very similar situation with GPO and spousal benefits! When my state teacher's pension was recalculated (reduced due to an error in their calculations), I became eligible for a small portion of my ex-husband's Social Security benefits after the GPO reduction. The key thing I learned is that you should receive retroactive payments back to the exact date your pension amount officially changed, not just 6 months. In my case, it was about 14 months of back pay because that's how long it took from when my pension was corrected until SSA processed everything. Make sure you have the pension administrator put the effective date of the change clearly in their letter - this is what SSA will use to calculate your retroactive period. Also, be prepared for the process to take a few months even after you submit everything. But the good news is that once it's approved, the back pay usually comes pretty quickly after that. Your calculation sounds about right too - with a $1,350 pension, the GPO would reduce your spousal benefit by about $900, leaving you with around $75/month from the original $975. Every little bit helps!

Since you're trying to plan ahead, here's another important consideration: If you're still working and have access to retirement accounts like 401(k)s or IRAs, maximizing those contributions during your remaining working years can provide additional security. Regarding your specific situation, with a current salary of $48k and potential survivor benefit of $2,975, here's how the earnings test would affect you if you claimed at 63: 1. 2025 earnings limit: approximately $22,320 2. Amount over the limit: $25,680 3. Benefit reduction: $12,840 (half of the amount over) So instead of receiving $2,975 monthly ($35,700 annually), you'd receive about $1,905 monthly ($22,860 annually) after the earnings test reduction. This changes once you reach FRA - no more earnings test at that point.

I'm new to this community but going through a similar situation - my husband is 75 and I'm 61, still working. One thing I learned from meeting with a financial planner is that you should also consider the tax implications of your decision. Survivor benefits are taxable just like regular Social Security benefits, and if you're still working with a $48k salary, you might end up paying taxes on up to 85% of the survivor benefit. Also, don't forget that Medicare eligibility starts at 65 regardless of when you claim Social Security benefits. If you're getting health insurance through your employer now, factor in those costs when you're deciding whether to keep working or not. The timing of when you stop working, when you claim benefits, and when you transition to Medicare can all impact your overall financial situation. It might be worth meeting with a fee-only financial advisor who can help you model different scenarios before making your final decision.

Just want to add something that might be helpful - when you do apply for survivor benefits, consider scheduling an appointment at your local SSA office rather than doing it over the phone. I've found that in-person visits tend to result in fewer miscommunications and you can walk away with copies of everything you submit. Also, if your ex-husband's benefit amount changes between now and when you might need to claim (due to cost of living adjustments or if he continues working), your potential survivor benefit would be based on his benefit amount at the time of his death, not what it is currently. So that $2,800 estimate could actually be higher by the time you'd need to claim it. Keep all your divorce paperwork in an easily accessible place - you'll need the divorce decree that shows the marriage duration when you apply.

I wanted to add one more important point that hasn't been mentioned yet - if you do end up receiving survivor benefits based on your ex-husband's record, you should be aware that these benefits could potentially be subject to income taxes depending on your total income. Since survivor benefits are generally treated the same as retirement benefits for tax purposes, if your combined income (including any other sources) exceeds certain thresholds, a portion of your Social Security benefits may become taxable. This is something to keep in mind for tax planning purposes. Also, if you're currently receiving any state benefits or assistance programs, switching from SSDI to survivor benefits might affect your eligibility for those programs, so it's worth checking with those agencies as well. The good news is that survivor benefits are generally more stable than SSDI since they don't require ongoing disability reviews in the same way.