The rules are RIDICULOUS with ex-spouse benefits!! My friend lost out on THOUSANDS because she didn't understand the remarriage rules. If you remarry at ANY point, you lose benefits from husband #1 WHILE you're married to husband #2. Once that marriage ends (divorce/death), you can go back to claiming on #1's record IF the second marriage ended. But only if you file properly!! The SSA doesn't volunteer this info!!

I just wanted to thank everyone for the helpful responses. I think I understand my options much better now. I'm going to: 1. Finish my current divorce process 2. Try to set up an appointment with SSA (will look into that Claimyr service if I can't get through) 3. Bring documentation for both marriages to get accurate benefit estimates 4. Make a decision about when to file based on the actual numbers It's still confusing, but at least I have a path forward now! I appreciate everyone's help.

I thought if you were married more than 10 years you automatically get half of their SS?? My friend gets her ex's SS payment and her own too, she told me this last week!

Just wondering... have u checked what ur survivors benefit would be if ur ex passes away? That's different from the ex-spouse benefit while he's alive. If he dies, u can get his FULL benefit amount (what he would get at his FRA) if that's more than your own. My mom got my dad's full benefit after he passed even though they were divorced.

My dad had something similar happen and it was becaus he filed taxes but didnt actually PAY the self employment tax!!! Just filing schedule SE isnt enough, you have to actually pay the tax. Is your husband sure he paid the actual SE tax and not just income tax? They're different things.

One more important thing I learned from my experience - the earnings review process has actually been centralized in recent years. Most local SSA offices don't handle the actual processing anymore - they just collect documents and forward them to processing centers. That's why so many documents get lost in transit. When I finally got through on the phone, the agent told me I could actually fax or mail my documentation directly to the processing center with my case number. This bypassed the local office entirely. If you can get a case started through the national number, ask specifically if you can submit documents directly to the processing center handling your case. Might save you another frustrating visit to the local office.

NOBODY at SSA can predict future COLAs!!! The numbers in ur account are TODAY'S DOLLARS ONLY!! The COLA changes every year based on some complicated CPI formula and they don't announce it until October for the next year. Last year it was 3.2% but it's been as high as 8.7% (2023) or as low as 0% (2016). Anyone who tells you they know what 2025 COLA will be is LYING!!

Thanks everyone for the helpful information! So to summarize: my estimate is in today's dollars, doesn't include future COLAs, and might actually be on the conservative side if I continue working and replace some lower-earning years. I'll plan my budget based on the current estimate but can reasonably expect it might be a bit higher when I actually claim. This community is amazing!

Just to add a bit more detail to what others have said - there are only specific life events you need to report to SSA: address changes, direct deposit changes, leaving the country for 30+ days, marriage/divorce, name change, becoming eligible for a pension from non-covered work, felony conviction, or death of a beneficiary. Stopping work when you're already receiving benefits and are past FRA isn't on that list. The SSA publication "What You Need to Know When You Get Retirement Benefits" (No. 05-10077) has a full listing if you want to double-check.

my sister said she reported when she stopped working and then got a letter about her medicare premium going down the next year so maybe theres some benefit to telling them? idk how it all works tbh

To clarify about the January payment: SSA follows what's called the "non-payment month of death rule" - this means benefits are not payable for the month of death if the person died anytime during that month. For tax purposes: If you do have to return the payment, you won't receive a 1099 for it (or it would be adjusted). If for some reason you're allowed to keep it, the payment is considered your husband's income for tax purposes, not yours, since it was for his entitlement period.

I just called SSA and you all were right - I do need to return the January payment. They said they'll send me instructions on how to repay it. The representative also helped me apply for the $255 death benefit and start my survivor benefits application. I'm 62 so she said I could start reduced benefits now or wait until later for a higher amount. So much to think about! But at least I know I won't be getting a 1099 for that January payment since I'm returning it. Thank you all for your help during this difficult time.

That could be a reasonable approach. Since you're already past your FRA, you'd get your full PIA if you file now. You're forgoing the delayed retirement credits (8% per year until age 70), but enabling your wife to start receiving spousal benefits sooner. One thing to consider: If you have longevity in your family and expect to live well into your 80s or beyond, those delayed credits can be valuable. But if you need the income now and want your wife to be able to access her spousal benefits, filing now makes sense. Also keep in mind that your continued earnings may actually increase your PIA if these are among your highest 35 years of earnings. This would also slightly increase any spousal benefit based on your record. Good luck with your decision!

My head is spinning with all these rules!!! I thought Social Security was supposed to be simple? Why do they make everything so complicated with all these different ages and percentages and rules about who can file when???? I'm turning 60 next month and now I'm terrified I'm going to mess everything up when it's my turn to figure this out!!

Everyone acts like waiting until 70 is always better, but that's NONSENSE! If you need the money at 62, take it! Life is short and UNPREDICTABLE. My brother waited to file and then died at 68 - got NOTHING after paying in his whole life! Plus the government keeps moving the goalposts - who knows if they'll change the rules again before you hit FRA? Take what you can get when you can get it!

Thank you all for the advice! This has given me a lot to think about. I'm definitely going to create that my Social Security account to see my actual numbers. Since I'm making good money right now and don't absolutely need to retire at 62, it sounds like waiting might be the better option for me. I think I need to do more research about how my taxes will work in retirement too. And I'll check out that Claimyr service to talk directly with SSA - I've tried calling before and it's impossible to get through! Really appreciate everyone sharing their experiences!

Update: I just realized there might be a small misconception here. The survivor benefit you'd be eligible for wouldn't necessarily be exactly what your husband received or would have received. It's generally based on his primary insurance amount (PIA), but there are adjustments based on several factors including when he started collecting benefits (if he did) and your full retirement age. Since you're well past your full retirement age at 76, you would receive 100% of the calculated survivor benefit amount. But that amount might not be exactly the $2,300 you mentioned - it could be somewhat different based on these calculations. This is why it's so important to have SSA do the exact calculation for your specific situation.

Just wondering - has anyone tried calling the SSA lately? Is it still super hard to get through? My mom waited 3 hours on hold last month before giving up!

To follow up on my earlier comment - one more thing to remember is that unemployment benefits DO count as income for SSI purposes, so if you're receiving unemployment, you still need to report that. But it sounds like you aren't getting unemployment since you mentioned just living on your SSI payment. Just wanted to clarify that point since it comes up often in these situations.

The good news is that your SSI should increase now that you don't have that income. The general calculation is that SSI reduces about $1 for every $2 you earn (after some exclusions). So if you were making $420/month, your SSI was probably reduced by around $167.50 or so each month. That means you should see your monthly payment increase by that amount going forward. As for back payments, yes, they should give you the difference for each month since you stopped working. When you call, just be honest about why you didn't report it earlier. Saying you didn't realize you needed to report it (especially if this is your first time making this kind of error) usually results in them just fixing it without penalties.