Will do! They said it might take 30-45 days for processing. The extra $300 will make a big difference for us.

Congratulations on getting this sorted out! Your success story will definitely help others in similar situations. I'm curious - when you called SSA, did they mention anything about whether the spousal benefit increase will be retroactive to when your husband first started receiving SSDI 8 months ago, or does it only start from when you applied? I know sometimes there can be retroactive payments depending on the timing, and this might be helpful information for others reading this thread who are in similar situations.

I researched this extensively when planning my own retirement. The confusion comes from mixing up two different reductions: 1. The reduction to YOUR own benefit from filing early 2. The reduction to YOUR SURVIVOR BENEFIT based on when you claim it They're calculated differently! If your husband waits until 70 and gets (let's say) $3,500/month, then dies, that full amount becomes the basis for your survivor benefit. But how much of that you get depends on YOUR age when you CLAIM SURVIVOR BENEFITS. If you're already past your survivor FRA when he dies, you get 100% of his $3,500. If you're 60 when he dies, you'd get about 71.5% of his $3,500. The fact that you claimed your own benefit early doesn't directly reduce your survivor benefit. What matters is YOUR AGE when you APPLY for survivor benefits.

As someone new to this community but dealing with similar retirement planning questions, I want to thank everyone for this incredibly helpful discussion! The distinction between early filing reductions on your own benefit versus survivor benefit reductions based on when you claim survivor benefits is something I had completely misunderstood. Carmen, your situation really resonates with me - my spouse and I are also close in age with similar earnings, and I've been getting conflicting advice about optimal claiming strategies. The clarification that your husband's delayed retirement credits DO carry over to survivor benefits, but the reduction to YOUR survivor benefit depends on YOUR age when you claim it (not when you claimed your own benefit) is a game-changer for my planning. One follow-up question for the group: For couples with very similar benefit amounts like Carmen's situation, has anyone done the math on whether it's better to have both spouses delay to 70, or stick with the traditional "higher earner delays, lower earner files early" approach? It seems like when the benefit amounts are nearly identical, the survivor benefit protection might be similar either way, so maybe cash flow needs should drive the decision more than survivor planning? Thanks again for all the detailed explanations - this is exactly the kind of real-world insight that's so hard to find elsewhere!

One last thing to consider: any benefits withheld due to excess earnings aren't permanently lost. When you reach Full Retirement Age, SSA recalculates your benefit amount to give you credit for months when benefits were withheld. It's not a simple 1:1 return, but you do eventually recoup some of what was withheld. Many people don't realize this aspect of the earnings test!

I'm new to this community but wanted to share my experience since I went through this exact situation last year. I was also confused about the earnings test when I started collecting at 62 while still doing some freelance work. The key thing that helped me was understanding that SSA looks at when you EARN the money, not when you receive it. So if you do contract work in January but don't get paid until March, it counts toward January's earnings for the monthly test. This matters because if you go over the annual limit, they look at it month by month to see which months to withhold benefits. Also, just wanted to add that if you're thinking about timing when to start benefits, remember that your monthly benefit amount increases by about 8% for each year you delay past your full retirement age (up to age 70). So even though the earnings test goes away at FRA, there's still a financial incentive to wait if you can afford to. But everyone's situation is different - sounds like you've done your homework on what income counts!

One last tip: If you want to verify the numbers yourself, you can use the AnyPIA software that SSA uses internally. It's available for public download from the SSA website. It's not user-friendly at all, but if you're technically inclined and want to check their math, it's an option. Just search for "AnyPIA download" on SSA.gov. The other alternative is to consult with a financial advisor who specializes in Social Security claiming strategies. They typically charge $200-300 for a comprehensive analysis, but it might be worth it if you're making decisions that affect decades of benefits.

This is such a helpful thread! I'm in a similar situation and have been putting off dealing with this because it seems so overwhelming. Reading through everyone's experiences, it sounds like the key is being really specific about what you ask for when you contact SSA. I'm definitely going to try Giovanni's advice about requesting a RETRY computation and asking for a Technical Expert. The fact that people are getting wildly different numbers from different reps is terrifying - I can't afford to base my retirement planning on incorrect information. One question for those who have been through this: How far in advance of when you want to claim should you start this verification process? I'm wondering if I should get my calculations verified now even though I'm not planning to claim for another 2-3 years, just so I have time to sort out any discrepancies. Also, thank you Aiden for mentioning the NSSA certification - I had no idea that existed! That seems like a much better way to find qualified help than just googling "financial advisor.

just remebered something else - my neighbor said she had to provide marriage certificate when applying for survivor benifits. make sure u know where yours is! they are super strict about documentation

Great advice from everyone here! I'm also navigating Social Security planning and wanted to add one more resource that might help. You can create a my Social Security account online at ssa.gov to get personalized benefit estimates and see your earnings history. This can help you verify the numbers you're working with before making any claiming decisions. Also, regarding the documentation Sarah mentioned - yes, you'll definitely need your marriage certificate for survivor benefits, but also make sure you have your husband's death certificate when that time comes (hopefully far in the future!). The SSA is very particular about having original documents or certified copies. Your plan to wait 18 months and get everything in writing sounds very smart. The earnings test really can complicate things if you're still working, and the permanent reduction from claiming early is significant. Better to be patient and maximize your benefits!