I think everyone's missing something important here. If your own benefit at 70 will be higher than your husband's, you should look at whether your own reduced benefit now would be higher than the survivor benefit at 91.86%. It's complicated math, but if your own benefit at FRA is significantly higher than your deceased husband's, then your own benefit reduced at age 65 might still be better than the survivor benefit. Have you checked what your own benefit would be if you claimed right now vs. the survivor benefit amount?

I'm in a somewhat similar situation and found it really helpful to use the Social Security website's benefit estimator to run different scenarios. You can create an account at ssa.gov/myaccount and see estimates for both your survivor benefits and your own retirement benefits at different ages. One thing that might be worth considering - since you're unemployed right now, this could actually be a good time to claim the survivor benefits even if they're reduced. You won't have to worry about the earnings test while you're job hunting, and if you do find work later, you can always reassess whether it makes sense to continue or pause the benefits depending on your new salary. Also, don't forget that any benefits withheld due to the earnings test aren't lost forever - SSA will recalculate and give you credit for those months once you reach FRA. So even if you go over the limit later, it's not as bad as it initially seems. The key thing is you've got the right strategy of preserving your own benefit until 70 if it will be higher. That 8% per year growth is hard to beat!

I'm in a very similar situation with my Italian pension! Just wanted to add another perspective from someone who went through this process recently. With your 29 years of substantial US earnings, you're in much better shape than most people facing WEP - the reduction should be minimal as others have mentioned (around $60-70/month). One thing I learned that might help: when you do contact SSA, specifically ask them to run a "totalization calculation" alongside the standard WEP calculation. Sometimes the totalization method can result in a higher benefit than the WEP-reduced amount, and SSA is supposed to give you whichever calculation is more favorable. Not all representatives know about this, so you might need to ask specifically. Also, regarding the remote work idea that others mentioned - I was able to structure some freelance work through a US payroll company while living in Italy, which allowed me to pay into Social Security. It's definitely worth exploring if you can get that 30th year! The paperwork was a bit complex but completely eliminated WEP for me. Good luck with everything - the international benefit coordination is confusing but you're asking all the right questions!

I went through almost exactly the same situation with my Swiss pension and US Social Security! With 29 years of substantial US earnings, you're actually in a really good position - the WEP reduction will be minimal (around $60-70/month as others have mentioned). The totalization agreement between US and Germany helps ensure you qualify for both benefits, but it doesn't eliminate WEP entirely. Here's what I wish I had known earlier: definitely verify all 29 years actually meet the substantial earnings threshold by requesting Form SSA-7050, and seriously consider that remote work angle to get your 30th year. I ended up doing consulting work for a US company while abroad, paid Social Security taxes on it, and completely eliminated WEP. It was absolutely worth the effort! Also, when you contact SSA, ask them to run both the standard WEP calculation AND the totalization calculation - they're supposed to give you whichever is more favorable. Not all reps know this, so be specific. Get everything in writing since phone reps often give conflicting info on international cases. You're asking all the right questions - this process is confusing but very manageable with the right information!

they never sent me ANYTHING about increases and Ive been working part time for 3 years since I got my ss!!!!

Just wanted to add my experience here - I've been in a similar situation for the past two years. Started collecting at FRA in 2022 and continued working as a freelance graphic designer. My earnings in 2023 were about $78K, which was higher than several of my earlier career years. I did get an automatic recalculation that showed up in January 2024, but like others mentioned, the increase was modest - about $41/month. What I found helpful was creating an account on ssa.gov and checking my earnings record regularly to make sure everything was posted correctly. One thing I noticed is that it can take quite a while for self-employment earnings to show up in their system compared to W-2 earnings, probably because of how SE taxes are processed. So don't panic if you don't see changes right away after filing your return. The increase is definitely worth it even if it seems small - that's an extra $492 per year, and it compounds over time with cost-of-living adjustments. Plus you're still building your earnings record which could help with future recalculations too.

This is an excellent point about survivor benefits. While spousal benefits are capped at 50% of the worker's PIA (FRA amount), survivor benefits can include 100% of the deceased spouse's benefit, including delayed retirement credits. For couples with significant differences in earnings history, this survivor benefit protection is often the most compelling reason for the higher earner to delay benefits until age 70.

I'm new here but going through a very similar situation! My husband is 69 and still working, planning to file at 70, and I'm 63 trying to figure out the best timing for my benefits. Reading through all these responses has been incredibly helpful - especially learning that spousal benefits are based on his FRA amount, not his age-70 amount. That was news to me! One thing I'm still wondering about though - if I start my own benefits early (say at 64), would that reduce the spousal benefit calculation later? Or would I still get bumped up to the full 50% of his PIA when he files at 70, even if my own benefit was reduced for filing early? Also, has anyone here actually used that Claimyr service mentioned above? I'm getting desperate trying to reach SSA directly and might be willing to pay for help at this point!

Has anyone calculated exactly how long you need to live to break even if you wait from 67 to 70? I keep getting confused trying to do the math.

As someone who recently went through this exact decision process, I can share what ultimately helped me decide. I'm 68 now and chose to delay until 70 after being on the fence for months. The key factors that swayed me were: 1) I genuinely enjoy my work and don't need the money immediately, 2) My health is good and I have longevity in my family, and 3) The guaranteed 8% return is unbeatable in today's market. What really sealed the deal was running different scenarios with a fee-only financial planner who showed me that even if I only live to 85, the extra monthly income in my later years when I might have higher healthcare costs would be invaluable. The peace of mind knowing I maximized my benefit has been worth the wait so far. Since you're in a similar situation - still working and enjoying it - the math seems to favor waiting in your case too.