Based on your follow-up comments, it seems you've reached the right conclusion - there's no advantage for your husband to apply for spousal benefits since his SSDI is higher than what he'd receive as a spouse. One additional consideration: While your husband's benefit automatically converts at FRA with no change in amount, you might want to reconsider your own claiming strategy. By claiming at 62, you're accepting a permanent reduction of around 30% compared to your FRA benefit. Since you mentioned continuing to work part-time, you might be subject to the earnings test as another commenter noted. The earnings limit for 2025 will likely be around $23,000-24,000 (it adjusts with inflation), and benefits are reduced by $1 for every $2 earned above that limit until the year you reach FRA. If your earnings will be substantially above the limit, it might be worth reconsidering claiming early, as you'd essentially be filing for a reduced benefit that you may not even fully receive due to the earnings test.

Just wanted to add another perspective as someone who went through a similar decision process. You're smart to really think through the earnings test impact - that caught me off guard when I first considered early retirement. One thing that helped me was using the SSA's online retirement estimator to model different scenarios. You can plug in various claiming ages and expected earnings to see how the earnings test would affect your actual benefits received. Also, don't forget that any benefits withheld due to the earnings test aren't permanently lost - they get added back to increase your benefit amount once you reach FRA. But if you're planning to work part-time for several years, it might indeed make more sense to delay claiming until the earnings test no longer applies. Given that your husband's situation is pretty straightforward (his SSDI benefit is already optimized), you have the flexibility to focus entirely on what makes the most sense for your own claiming strategy without worrying about coordinating with his benefits.

That makes PERFECT sense and explains the confusion! His benefit is right around $3,100 and she said the family max was about $5,200. So she was saying the family would get about 67% MORE in total, not that each dependent would get 67% of his benefit. Thank you for helping me make sense of this!

I'm glad you got that sorted out! Just wanted to add one more thing that might be helpful - when you do call SSA back to confirm everything, ask them to mail you a written benefit estimate that shows the breakdown for each family member. Having it in writing can prevent any confusion later and gives you something to reference if there are discrepancies when payments start. I learned this the hard way when our family went through the SSDI process. The written estimates are usually pretty accurate and can save you a lot of headaches down the road.

One last tip - when you talk to SSA, ask them to run a benefits calculation called the "maximize my benefits" scenario, where they look at all possible filing strategies. Also, request a copy of your deceased ex-husband's Primary Insurance Amount (PIA) - that's the base figure they'll use for your potential survivor benefit before any reductions. Good luck, and feel free to come back with questions after your call!

Just wanted to add one more important point that hasn't been mentioned - make sure to ask SSA about the timing of when you can switch between benefits. If you do qualify for survivor benefits despite the GPO, you might be able to take a reduced survivor benefit as early as age 60, then switch to your own retirement benefit at 70 when it reaches maximum value. Or you could do the reverse - take your own benefit early and switch to survivor benefits later. The timing strategy can make a huge difference in your total lifetime benefits, especially with complex situations involving pensions. Also, don't let them rush you into making a decision on the phone - ask for time to review all the numbers they give you!

As someone new to this community, I've been following this discussion with great interest since I'm approaching the age where I'll need to navigate Social Security benefits myself. Reading through everyone's experiences has been incredibly educational! What strikes me most is how consistently these scary-sounding "review both records" letters have resulted in positive outcomes - it seems like the SSA's communication department really needs to work on making their letters less anxiety-inducing. The pattern of people discovering missing quarters, uncredited earnings, and eligibility for higher benefits is fascinating. It's clear that their systems aren't perfect at capturing all work history initially, especially for people who had multiple jobs, worked in different states, or had employment in sectors with complex reporting requirements like education. For anyone else dealing with similar confusing SSA correspondence, this thread is a goldmine of practical advice - call at 8 AM, have all documents ready, and remember that these reviews are usually routine maintenance that often work in your favor. Thanks to everyone for sharing their experiences so openly!

As a newcomer to this community, I've been following this discussion and I'm really impressed by how supportive everyone has been! Reading through all these experiences has completely transformed my understanding of these SSA letters. What started as Aisha's understandable panic about a confusing notice has turned into this amazing collection of success stories - people getting extra $85, $94, $127, even $320 per month after these "scary" reviews. It's clear that the SSA's letter-writing department could use some serious improvement in their communication style! The fact that these reviews consistently uncover missing earnings, uncredited quarters, and eligibility for higher benefits shows that their initial processing isn't always perfect, especially for people with complex work histories like teachers, seasonal workers, or those who moved between states. The practical advice here is golden - call right at 8 AM, have all your documents ready, and remember that these reviews are usually routine maintenance designed to help you get every penny you deserve. This thread should be required reading for anyone dealing with confusing SSA correspondence!

I forgot to mention - make sure you get any information in WRITING from SSA. They have a process where they can send you an official Benefits Statement that outlines what everyone is eligible for. That way you have documentation in case there's confusion later.

As someone who's navigated similar SSA confusion, I'd recommend being very specific with terminology when you call back. Ask specifically about "mother's benefits under Section 202(g)" - that's the official code for what happens when a surviving spouse cares for a child under 16. Also, don't just ask one question - walk through the entire scenario: "If I marry my child's mother and then pass away while our child is under 16, would she be eligible for mother's benefits immediately?" This forces them to think through the complete situation rather than giving you a partial answer. The key point everyone's making is correct - your financial advisor knows what he's talking about regarding survivor benefits. The SSA rep was probably only thinking about current benefits while you're alive (where there wouldn't be additional spouse benefits unless she qualifies based on age).