Thank you all for the helpful responses! I was able to reset my password and log into my my Social Security account. Found the SSA-1099 under the Replacement Documents section just like you said. I printed it out and now I'm good to go with my taxes. Really appreciate everyone's help!

glad u got it! dont forget u might have to pay taxes on ur benefits if ur other income is high enough. my brother didnt know that and got a big tax bill surprise lol

my aunt got remarried at 61 and still gets her dead husbands ss check every month so i know this is true for sure

I just want to thank everyone for the helpful responses! I feel so much more confident now about our future plans. It seems like I've been operating under outdated information all this time. I'm going to go ahead and try to confirm with SSA directly, but it's such a relief to know that I won't have to choose between love and financial security at this stage of my life. Looks like I might be saying 'yes' sooner than I thought!

One more thing to clarify about SSI fair share arrangements: When your son pays his fair share of household expenses, he should receive the full SSI Federal Benefit Rate (currently $943/month in 2025) before any deductions for wages. For his wages, SSI has a specific calculation: - They disregard the first $85 in monthly earnings - Then reduce SSI by $1 for every $2 earned above that So if he works 12 hours weekly at say $15/hour, that's about $780/month. The countable income would be $695 ($780-$85), and the reduction would be $347.50 (half of $695). His SSI should be approximately $595.50 ($943-$347.50) if everything is calculated correctly with the fair share arrangement. If he's receiving significantly less, that confirms they haven't properly coded his living arrangement. If your reconsideration doesn't resolve this quickly, consider requesting an informal conference with a technical expert rather than just a case review.

Just a warning - even when you get this fixed, be prepared for a mess. When they finally fixed my brother's case, they issued back payments for the months they had incorrectly reduced his benefits, but then sent ANOTHER letter a month later claiming those back payments were issued in error!!! It took another 3 months to sort that out. Save EVERY letter they send you.

To clear up some confusion I'm seeing: the $255 death benefit is separate from survivor benefits. It's a one-time lump sum payment to a qualifying widow(er) or dependent child. You should apply for this as well as the monthly survivor benefits. Regarding the GPO calculation: If your CSRS pension is $4,200/month, then 2/3 of that is $2,800. This amount will be subtracted from whatever survivor benefit you would otherwise receive. If your husband's Social Security benefit was substantial (which sounds likely based on his 40+ year work history), you may still receive a partial benefit after the GPO reduction. Apply as soon as possible, as benefits are only retroactive for 6 months from application date. And you're correct that there's no advantage to waiting until 70 for survivor benefits.

When you apply, be very clear about your CSRS pension. They'll ask about government pensions not covered by Social Security. Bring documentation showing your CSRS pension amount. Be prepared to wait for processing - these GPO cases often take longer to calculate. Don't be surprised if they request additional information after your initial application. Based on what you've shared, there's a good chance you'll receive some survivor benefits, even after the GPO reduction. Your husband's 40+ years of substantial earnings means his benefit was likely significant enough that even after a $2,800 reduction, you may still receive a monthly payment worth pursuing.

dont social security beneifts only get taxed if you make over a certain amount? i forget what it is but i think most people dont even pay tax on ss

Update: I found the form and checked box 5 like someone suggested. Turns out these payments aren't even my taxable income since I'm just the representative payee for my nephew! I feel silly now but glad I asked. Thanks everyone for your help!

Thank you all for the helpful responses! This clarifies a lot. From what I understand, my wife will be able to claim spousal benefits (up to 50% of my benefit) but only after I file for my own retirement. And she'll qualify for Medicare at 65 through my work record. I'll definitely look into the timing carefully since I was planning to delay claiming until 70 for the increased benefit, but now I need to factor in when she should start receiving her spousal benefit. Might need to run some calculations to see what makes the most financial sense for our situation. Appreciate everyone's input and the tips about contacting SSA - will definitely help when we're ready to apply!

You've got it right! One strategic consideration: If your wife needs benefits before you want to claim, you might look into a

Based on the discussion so far, let me clarify the timing for your husband: - Born November 1958 - FRA = 66 years + 8 months = July 2025 - Apply online 3-4 months before benefits start - If starting at FRA in July 2025, apply in March/April 2025 Since his employer wants him to stay through 2025, he has excellent options: 1. He can reach FRA in July 2025, apply for benefits, AND continue working with no earnings limit penalties. 2. He could delay applying past FRA while working, earning delayed retirement credits of 8% per year (prorated monthly at 2/3% per month) until age 70. Option #2 could significantly increase his lifetime benefit if he has average or above-average life expectancy. Many financial advisors recommend this approach if you don't need the money immediately, especially for the higher-earning spouse.

Yes, Medicare enrollment at 65 is separate from your Social Security retirement benefit decision. He should absolutely sign up for Medicare during his Initial Enrollment Period (3 months before his 65th birthday month, his birthday month, and 3 months after). Failing to enroll in Medicare Part B during this window can result in permanent late enrollment penalties, even if he's still working. However, if he has creditable employer health insurance from a company with 20+ employees, he can delay Medicare Part B enrollment without penalty until that coverage ends. He should still enroll in Medicare Part A at 65 though, as it's premium-free and can serve as secondary insurance to his employer coverage.

I just got my annual Social Security statement and had EXACTLY ZERO increase even though I worked all last year! Pretty sure this is related to the trust fund issues they're not telling us about. They can't afford to pay us what we deserve anymore!!

Thank you all for the helpful responses! This makes a lot more sense now. I was expecting the same pattern of increases I saw before, but I didn't understand all the factors involved. Sounds like: 1. The recalculation only helps if my current earnings are replacing much lower earnings years 2. At my income level, additional earnings only impact benefits at 15% of the value 3. The October 2024 recalculation might still show a small increase from my 2023 earnings I appreciate everyone taking the time to explain this. The Social Security system is so much more complicated than I realized!

I kept working until 74 and my benefit went up about $175/month from when I was 70. But remember you're also paying FICA taxes on those earnings with no additional delayed retirement credits. Do the math for your situation to see if it makes financial sense.

After reading through all these comments, I just wanted to summarize the key points for anyone else with this question: 1. Yes, SSA continues to recalculate benefits based on new earnings AFTER age 70 2. Recalculations happen automatically, usually in October of the following year 3. You'll only see an increase if current earnings replace a lower year in your top 35 4. This is separate from delayed retirement credits, which stop at 70 5. The actual increase depends on your specific earnings history Hope that helps!

As others have mentioned, your husband might be eligible for a spousal supplement if 50% of your PIA exceeds his own PIA. One more thing to consider—has your husband checked his earnings record on ssa.gov to make sure all his work years are correctly recorded? It's not uncommon to find errors, especially for jobs from many years ago. If he has 35+ years of work history, also consider whether his current earnings might be higher than some earlier years. Working even just a few more months could potentially increase his benefit if he's replacing a lower-earning year in his top 35.

I wish I could get a straight answer from SSA!!! Their website says one thing, the phone people say another, and then when you go to the office they tell you something completely different! No wonder we're all confused about what benefits we can get. The whole system needs to be simplified!!!