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My wife is also July 1958 and we just went through this whole thing with planning her retirement. Her FRA is definitely 66+8 months, so March 2025 is right. But remember that Social Security pays a month behind, so her first FULL payment at FRA would be in April 2025 (for March).
Oh that's a really good point about the month behind payment! I hadn't factored that into my cash flow planning. Looks like I need to account for that one-month delay. Thanks for mentioning it!
Everyone here is focusing just on your FRA date, but have you considered whether waiting until your FRA is actually the best strategy for you? Depending on your health, family longevity, current savings, and whether you're still working, filing before or after FRA might be better. I initially planned to file at my FRA (66+4mo), but after running the numbers, I decided to wait until 70 for the maximum benefit since I'm still working part-time and don't need the income yet. Just something to think about beyond just confirming your correct FRA date.
That's a really good point. I'm actually planning to work until 68, but I wanted to confirm my FRA first as a baseline. My financial advisor suggested I might want to start spousal benefits at FRA while delaying my own benefit until later. It's complicated but knowing the exact FRA date helps with the planning.
I should point out that restricted application for spousal benefits only (while delaying your own) is no longer available for people born after January 1, 1954. For someone born in 1958, when you file, you'll be deemed to be filing for all available benefits. This is a common misconception that persists among many financial advisors who haven't kept up with the rule changes from the 2015 Bipartisan Budget Act.
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did u know that if u work for a state that doesnt pay into SS (like some do and some dont) it can really mess up ur benefits? my cousin lost like half his SS because of something called windfall elimination provision. just mentioning in case ur state job is one of those???
Good point about WEP. To clarify: the Windfall Elimination Provision (WEP) reduces Social Security benefits for people who receive pensions from work where they didn't pay Social Security taxes (like some state/local government jobs). However, the reduction is eliminated if you have 30+ years of "substantial earnings" under Social Security. The Government Pension Offset (GPO) is a separate provision that can affect spousal/survivor benefits. Both are important considerations for state employees approaching retirement.
I'm just starting to think about my own retirement planning and this thread has been incredibly eye-opening! I had no idea about IRMAA or how complex the timing could be with Social Security and Medicare. @Chloe Mitchell - it sounds like you're being really smart to pause and recalculate everything before moving forward. I'm curious though - when you do withdraw your application with form SSA-521, do you have to wait any specific amount of time before you can reapply? Or can you turn around and file a new application right away for a different start date? Also, for everyone who's mentioned financial advisors - are there any specific certifications or specializations I should look for when finding someone who really understands Social Security and government pensions? I work for a local municipality and want to make sure I don't make the same mistakes when my time comes. Thanks to everyone for sharing their experiences - this is exactly the kind of real-world advice you can't get from the official websites!
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@original poster - did you ever get this resolved? I'm curious what you decided to do since I'm facing a similar decision next year. My financial advisor actually suggested the same strategy you're considering.
Yes! After weighing everyone's input and meeting with my financial advisor, I decided to go ahead with taking benefits at 62. The key factors in my decision were: 1) the relatively small difference between early and FRA benefits in my specific case, 2) learning that survivor benefits wouldn't be affected if my husband waits until his FRA, and 3) realizing I'd still get a partial spousal bump when my husband files even though I took my own benefits early. I'll be filing next month when I turn 62! Fingers crossed it works out.
Congratulations on making your decision! It sounds like you did your homework and considered all the important factors. Since you're moving forward with filing at 62, here are a couple of practical tips from someone who went through the process recently: 1. File online if possible - it's much faster than trying to get through on the phone 2. Keep good records of your investment strategy and returns for tax purposes 3. Consider setting up automatic investing for your SS payments so you stay disciplined with the plan One last thing - you mentioned being worried about Medicare premiums earlier. Just FYI, your Social Security benefit amount doesn't directly affect Medicare Part B premiums, but if your investment income pushes your total income above certain thresholds, you could face IRMAA surcharges on Medicare premiums later. Something to keep in mind as you manage those investments! Best of luck with your strategy - hope it works out well for you!
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I'm in a very similar situation! I'm also a widow receiving child-in-care benefits for my disabled adult son who became disabled at age 19. I turned 63 last year and chose to stay on the child-in-care benefits rather than switch to survivor benefits, specifically because of the earnings limit issue. One thing that really helped me was requesting a benefit estimate comparison from SSA showing what I'd receive under each option. They can calculate your survivor benefit amount at 62 (reduced) versus your current child-in-care benefit amount, and factor in how the earnings limit would affect you based on your expected income. Also, don't forget that if you do switch to survivor benefits at 62, you can always switch back to your own retirement benefits later if that becomes more advantageous. But you can't undo the permanent reduction from taking survivor benefits early. I ended up staying on child-in-care benefits and now work part-time without any earnings restrictions. It's been a huge relief not having to worry about calculating earnings limits every month!
This is incredibly helpful to hear from someone who's actually been through this decision! The benefit estimate comparison sounds like exactly what I need to make an informed choice. Did you have to request that in writing or were they able to provide it over the phone? I'm so relieved to know that staying on child-in-care benefits worked out well for you - it sounds like that might be the best path for me too since I really want the flexibility to work without constantly worrying about earnings limits.
As someone who works with Social Security disability cases, I want to emphasize something that hasn't been mentioned yet - make sure you document your caregiving role thoroughly. SSA may periodically review whether you're still providing "care" for your disabled adult daughter, especially as she gets older. Keep records of medical appointments you attend with her, assistance you provide with daily activities, financial management, etc. This documentation becomes crucial if SSA ever questions your eligibility for child-in-care benefits. Also, if you do decide to work, consider how your work schedule might affect your ability to provide care. SSA defines "care" pretty broadly, but they want to see that you're still actively involved in her daily needs, not just living in the same household. The flexibility of child-in-care benefits with no earnings limit is definitely valuable, but just make sure you can demonstrate ongoing caregiving if SSA asks.
Luca Russo
I just went through this exact same frustrating experience two months ago! Here's what finally worked for me: I called the SSA national number (1-800-772-1213) at exactly 7:59 AM on a Tuesday and got through in about 35 minutes. The trick is to call literally right as they open - even a few minutes later and you're stuck in the endless hold queue. When you do get through, have your Social Security card, birth certificate, and current insurance information ready. The agent was actually able to help me enroll in Medicare Part A and B over the phone without needing an in-person appointment. They explained that since I wasn't taking Social Security benefits yet (like you), I needed to actively enroll rather than being auto-enrolled. One important thing they told me: if you have current health insurance through the marketplace, make sure to coordinate the timing so you don't have a gap in coverage. They can help you figure out the best effective date for your Medicare to start. Don't panic about the penalties - you're still in your Initial Enrollment Period and have time to get this sorted out. Good luck!
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Jamal Brown
•This is exactly the kind of detailed advice I was hoping for! Thank you for breaking down the timing and what to have ready. I'm going to try calling at 7:59 AM tomorrow (Tuesday) with all my documents organized. It's reassuring to know that they might be able to handle the Medicare enrollment over the phone - I was starting to think an in-person visit was unavoidable. Did they give you a confirmation number or any paperwork after completing it over the phone? I want to make sure I have proof that everything was processed correctly.
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Dylan Mitchell
I'm dealing with this same frustrating situation right now! I've been trying to get through to SSA for my Medicare enrollment for over a week. The wait times are absolutely insane - I've been disconnected twice after waiting over 2 hours each time. One thing that's helped me stay somewhat organized while going through this process is keeping a call log with dates, times, and how long I waited before giving up or getting disconnected. It's maddening but at least I can track patterns. I'm definitely going to try that 8 AM sharp strategy everyone keeps mentioning. Has anyone had success with the local SSA office phone number instead of the national 800 number? I'm wondering if calling my local office directly might have shorter wait times, though I know they probably route everything through the same system anyway. Also, for anyone else in this boat - make sure you're calling from a phone that won't automatically hang up after a certain time on hold. I learned that the hard way when my cell phone cut me off after 2 hours!
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Isabella Brown
•I feel your pain! I've been through this exact same nightmare. One tip about calling the local office directly - I tried that too and you're right, they usually just transfer you to the national line anyway, so you end up waiting twice. The call log is actually a great idea though - I wish I had thought of that when I was going through this mess. Have you tried the online application route that some people mentioned? I'm starting to think that might be the way to go instead of torturing ourselves with these phone calls. At least then we'd have something started in their system while we keep trying to get through by phone.
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