One more important thing to understand: The earnings limit increases in the year you reach Full Retirement Age, and then disappears completely once you hit FRA. For example, if your FRA is 66 and 6 months, and you turn that age in 2025, the earnings limit in those months before your birthday is much higher (around $56,520 for 2024, and will be higher for 2025), and they only deduct $1 for every $3 over the limit (not $1 for every $2). Then once you reach your FRA month, there's no earnings limit at all - you can earn any amount without reduction. So depending on how close you are to FRA, you might want to factor this into your work planning.

I went through something very similar when I started collecting at 62 and then picked up some consulting work. The whole earnings test thing is really poorly explained by SSA - they make it sound like you're being "penalized" when really it's more like they're just collecting back an overpayment and will give you credit later. What helped me was thinking of it this way: when you collect early, SSA calculates your monthly benefit assuming you won't work much. If you do work and exceed the limit, they temporarily reduce your payments to account for that, but then when you reach full retirement age, they recalculate as if those "withheld" months never happened - so you get a permanently higher monthly benefit. It's actually not a bad deal in the long run, just really stressful when you're not expecting it! The key is just making sure you track your earnings carefully so you can budget for any reductions if you go over the limit again.

This is all really helpful information. I'm going to call SSA tomorrow to schedule my application. From what everyone's saying, it sounds like I'll get the full 50% of my husband's current benefit (which includes all the COLAs since 2020), not just 50% of what he was getting back then. Since I'm already past my FRA, I shouldn't have any reductions either. That's a nice relief! Thanks everyone for your help explaining this.

Just wanted to add one more point that might be helpful - if you're eligible for benefits on your own work record as well, make sure to ask SSA to check if your own benefit would be higher than the spousal benefit. They should automatically do this comparison, but it's worth confirming. Sometimes people are surprised to find their own benefit is actually better, especially with all the recent COLAs applied to their own earnings record too. The SSA will pay you whichever amount is higher, so you want to make sure they're checking both options when you file.

I'm glad you're feeling more confident about your situation! One thing I'd add - since you mentioned your husband only had about 7 years of Social Security-covered work, you might still want to double-check if there are any survivor benefits available on his record, even if they're small. Sometimes people are surprised by what's available, and you can always switch between your own retirement benefit and survivor benefits if circumstances change. Also, when you do create that my Social Security account, pay attention to the "break-even" analysis. It shows you at what age the total lifetime benefits from waiting longer would exceed taking benefits earlier. For many people, if you're in good health and expect to live into your 80s, waiting until full retirement age (or even longer) often pays off in the long run. Good luck with your retirement planning - you're being smart to research all this ahead of time!

As someone who works in retirement planning, I want to echo what others have said - you're absolutely right that your husband's Ohio state pension won't affect your own Social Security retirement benefits. The key distinction is that YOU worked jobs covered by Social Security for 40+ years, so you've earned your full benefit regardless of any pension income you receive as a beneficiary. One additional consideration: if you're currently receiving survivor benefits from his pension, make sure you understand how those might change if you remarry in the future. Most government pension survivor benefits have remarriage provisions, though this obviously may not be a concern for you right now. Also, since you mentioned serious financial planning, don't forget to factor in Medicare costs when you turn 65. Even if you decide to delay Social Security until your FRA, you'll still want to enroll in Medicare Part A (and possibly B) to avoid future penalties. The Medicare and Social Security claiming decisions can be made independently. You're wise to research this thoroughly before making your claiming decision!

After reviewing the numbers again, you should be fine for federal taxes on your SS benefits as long as you don't have other significant income sources this year. To avoid surprises, consider having 10-15% withheld from your IRA distribution for federal taxes. The financial institution will have a form for this. This way you won't face an unexpected tax bill next April. And Pennsylvania, where you mentioned you live, does NOT tax Social Security benefits or retirement account distributions if you're over 59½, so you're set on the state tax front as well.

Just want to add one more consideration - since you're reaching FRA in December, make sure the timing of your IRA withdrawal doesn't accidentally trigger any earnings test issues if you have any work income this year. Once you hit FRA, the earnings test goes away completely, but before then there are limits. Also, given that you're dealing with home repairs, you might want to check if any of those expenses qualify for tax credits (like energy efficiency improvements) that could help offset some of the tax burden from the IRA distribution. Every little bit helps when you're managing on a fixed income!

Great news! One more thing to consider: make sure you request a benefit verification letter after everything is processed. This will show your correct benefit amount and serve as documentation in case there are any future questions. You can request this through your my Social Security account online or by calling SSA directly.

Congratulations on getting this resolved! This is exactly why communities like this are so valuable - collective knowledge helps people navigate these complex systems. Your experience is a perfect example of why it's important to question SSA decisions and seek second opinions. The difference between 50% and 100% benefits is huge over a lifetime. Thanks for sharing the update - it will definitely help others who face similar confusion with SSA representatives mixing up divorced spouse vs divorced survivor benefits.