One important thing that no one has mentioned is that you should still be aware of Required Minimum Distributions (RMDs) for your 401k. Starting at age 73, you're required to take minimum withdrawals from traditional retirement accounts regardless of whether you need the money. Those withdrawals won't affect your Social Security earnings test, but they are taxable income and can impact how much of your Social Security benefits get taxed.

Just wanted to add another perspective as someone who went through this exact situation. I retired at 62 and was also worried about the 401k withdrawals affecting my Social Security. Everyone here is absolutely right - 401k distributions do NOT count toward the earnings limit. However, one thing to watch out for is if you have any stock options or deferred compensation from your previous employer that vest after retirement. Those CAN count as earnings for the test depending on how they're structured. I almost got caught by this when some restricted stock units vested a few months after I retired. Luckily my HR department flagged it for me. Also, if you're married, make sure your spouse understands these rules too if they're also collecting early benefits. The earnings limits apply individually, not to household income.

i heard that if u do 1099 work u can do the thing where u put all money into a solo 401k and then it doesnt count for SS earnings test. my tax guy told me that last year but i didnt try it

Thanks everyone for all the helpful information! I'm going to call SSA directly to confirm everything before making my decision. I'll definitely keep careful records of all my business expenses if I go the 1099 route, and make sure to set aside money for quarterly taxes. It seems like self-employment might actually work better for me since I can deduct legitimate business expenses from my countable income. I really appreciate all your insights!

If u do decide to work part time just make sure its real employment where they take out SS taxes. Some contractor jobs don't do that automatically and then you'd have to pay self employment tax yourself.

Just wanted to add one more thing that might be helpful - since you mentioned you're waiting until closer to your full retirement age, make sure you understand the earnings test if you do decide to work part-time. If you claim benefits before your FRA and earn too much from work, SSA will temporarily reduce your benefits (though you get credit for this later). But if you're not claiming benefits yet, you can earn as much as you want without any penalty. This might actually be the perfect time to do some part-time work to boost those final years in your calculation!

Based on everything you've shared - your continued part-time work, your good health, and your husband already receiving benefits - waiting until at least your Full Retirement Age would likely be more advantageous than claiming early. This would avoid both the permanent early claiming reduction and the earnings test reduction. You might even consider waiting until 70 for your maximum benefit, especially if family longevity suggests you'll live well into your 80s or beyond. I recommend using the calculators on SSA.gov to compare different scenarios based on your exact earnings record, or consulting with a financial advisor who specializes in Social Security claiming strategies.

I'm glad you found this discussion helpful! Just to reinforce what others have said - the old "claim and switch" strategies are definitely off the table now. One additional thing to consider: since you mentioned you're in good health and planning to work part-time, you might also want to look into whether those continued earnings could potentially increase your benefit calculation. Social Security uses your highest 35 years of earnings, so if your current part-time work years are higher than some of your earlier lower-earning years, it could bump up your Primary Insurance Amount. The SSA recalculates benefits annually if you have qualifying earnings. Just another factor to weigh as you decide on your timing!

Thank you all for the helpful information! I've got a much better idea of what to expect now. I'll definitely bring all the documentation mentioned (death certificate, marriage certificate, my latest tax returns, etc.) to my appointment. It sounds like I should expect my survivor benefit to be based on my wife's SSDI amount of $2,750, but reduced to about 91% of that (roughly $2,500) if I claim at age 65. Then the earnings test would further reduce it while I'm still working. I'm thinking the smart strategy might be to file the paperwork now so it's in the system, but only actually claim the benefits if I lose my job. Otherwise, I might be better off waiting until either my FRA or even taking my own benefit at 70. I'll update after my appointment in case it helps anyone else in a similar situation.

I'm so sorry for your loss, Levi. I went through something very similar when my husband passed away at 62 while on SSDI. The good news is that survivor benefits are indeed based on the full SSDI amount your wife was receiving, not what she would have gotten with early retirement. One thing I wish someone had told me earlier - when you go to your SSA appointment, ask them to run both scenarios for you: taking survivor benefits now (reduced) versus waiting until your FRA, and also ask them to calculate what your own retirement benefit would be at 70. Having those numbers side by side really helped me make the best decision. Also, if you do end up needing to apply due to layoffs, the effective date can be the month after your wife passed away, but you have to apply within certain time limits to get retroactive payments. Don't let them tell you it can only start from when you apply - that's not always true for survivor benefits. Keep all your documentation organized and make copies of everything before you go. The process can take a while, but having everything ready upfront helps avoid delays. Wishing you the best with your appointment.