Just remember that these webinars are designed to give you the BARE MINIMUM information! They DON'T tell you about all the loopholes and special filing strategies that could get you thousands more in benefits. My financial advisor showed me how to optimize my benefits in ways the SSA never mentioned. They're not going to tell you how to maximize your payout!

I attended the webinar about 6 months ago when I was 62 and considering early retirement. It's definitely worth the hour, especially if you're new to Social Security planning like I was. They do a good job explaining the relationship between your full retirement age and benefit amounts, and the breakeven analysis for early vs delayed filing was eye-opening. One thing I found particularly useful was their explanation of how continuing to work affects your benefits - both the earnings test limits and how additional earnings can potentially increase your benefit amount if they're higher than previous years in your top 35. My advice: attend with specific questions ready. The Q&A portion was where I learned the most, including details about Medicare enrollment timing that I hadn't considered. Even though it's basic level, it gives you a solid foundation to build on when you start diving deeper into your personal strategy.

Another thing to keep in mind - if you're planning to work past your Full Retirement Age (67 in your case), you might want to consider whether it makes sense to keep benefits suspended even after this contract ends. Once you hit FRA, there's no earnings limit, but if you continue working, you could earn delayed retirement credits (8% per year) by keeping benefits suspended until age 70. Of course, this depends on your overall financial situation and health, but it's worth running the numbers. Given that you're already comfortable suspending benefits for this contract, you might find the math works in your favor to stay suspended longer if you plan to keep working. Just something to discuss with a financial advisor when the time comes!

Just wanted to share my experience since I went through something very similar last year. I was 65 and took a consulting gig that would put me over the earnings limit. The suspension process was actually pretty straightforward once I got through to SSA (took about a week of trying different times to avoid the busy periods). One tip that really helped me - when you call, have your exact start date for the new job ready, and be prepared to tell them approximately how much you expect to earn for the year. They'll want to know this for their records. Also, I found that calling first thing in the morning (8 AM EST) or late afternoon gave me the best chance of getting through without crazy hold times. The whole process took about 2-3 weeks from my phone call to actually seeing the benefits stop. Make sure you budget for that transition period! When I restarted benefits 8 months later, it was much quicker - only took about 10 days to get payments flowing again. Best of luck with your new position!

I want to thank everyone for their helpful responses. This has clarified so much for me during a really difficult time. I'm going to try to get through to SSA to discuss my specific situation, and I'll make sure to gather all those documents mentioned. It's a relief to know that my survivor benefits will be based on his SSDI amount rather than an early retirement calculation. At least that's one less thing to worry about while we focus on making the most of our remaining time together.

I'm so sorry to hear about your husband's diagnosis. What a difficult situation to navigate while dealing with such heartbreaking news. I wanted to add one important detail that might help with your planning: Since your husband is receiving SSDI and is 65, his benefits will automatically convert to regular retirement benefits when he reaches his full retirement age (67 for someone born in 1960 or later). This conversion happens seamlessly without any reduction, so the amount stays the same. For your survivor benefits, you have some strategic options to consider. Since you mentioned your own benefit would be small, you might want to explore taking your own reduced retirement benefit first (as early as 62 if needed) and then switching to the higher survivor benefit later. This strategy sometimes maximizes total lifetime benefits, especially if there's a significant gap between your benefit and his. Also, if you're still working, be aware of the earnings test limits if you claim benefits before your full retirement age. The SSA representative can walk you through these calculations when you meet with them. Take care of yourself during this incredibly difficult time. The community here is very supportive if you need to ask follow-up questions.

As someone new to this community, I really appreciate all the detailed explanations here! I'm in a similar situation where my spouse is planning to delay until 70, and I was also confused about how spousal benefits work. What I found particularly helpful was learning the distinction between spousal benefits (while both are alive) versus survivor benefits (after one spouse passes). I hadn't realized that the delayed retirement credits my spouse earns by waiting until 70 will eventually benefit me as a survivor, even though they don't increase my current spousal benefit. One thing I'm still wondering about - if my spouse files at 70 but I want to claim my spousal benefit earlier (say at my FRA), can I do that? Or do I have to wait until he actually starts collecting his benefits? The timing aspect seems like another layer of complexity to navigate. Thanks to everyone who shared their experiences and knowledge. This thread has been incredibly educational!

As a newcomer to this community, I want to thank everyone for this incredibly informative discussion! I'm facing a very similar situation - my husband is planning to delay until 70, and I was also confused about whether spousal benefits would be based on his FRA amount or his enhanced age-70 benefit. What really helped me understand was the distinction several people made between spousal benefits (based on PIA/FRA amount) and survivor benefits (which DO get the delayed retirement credits). That's such an important difference that I don't think gets explained clearly anywhere else. I also appreciated the real-world examples from people who have actually gone through this process. It's one thing to read the rules, but hearing from someone like Jacob Lee who shared his actual numbers really helps it click into place. One follow-up question - for those who have dealt with SSA directly, is there a best time of day or method to call to actually reach someone knowledgeable? I'm dreading having to navigate their phone system based on some of the experiences shared here!

my sister tried doing the thing where she only filed for spousal and they AUTOMATICALLY filed her for her own benefits too even though she told them not to. she was so mad! but the SSA person said the law changed and they had no choice. this was in 2020.

As someone who just went through this process last year, I can confirm what others are saying about the deemed filing rules. My wife and I had the exact same confusion! One thing I'd add that hasn't been mentioned much - make sure you get your benefit estimates updated from SSA before making your final decision. The $2,950 and $2,250 estimates you mentioned might have changed based on recent earnings or COLA adjustments. Also, consider creating accounts on ssa.gov for both of you if you haven't already. You can run "what if" scenarios there to see exactly how different claiming strategies would affect your monthly benefits. It really helped us visualize the trade-offs. The strategy of having your husband file at FRA while you wait until 70 is solid given your numbers, especially with family longevity on your side. Just remember that once you make the decision, you generally can't change it (except for a limited withdrawal option within 12 months). Good luck with your planning!