Just wanted to add one more thing that might be helpful - since you mentioned your work record is solid, make sure to check if you might qualify for delayed retirement credits by waiting past your full retirement age to claim. If you're the higher earner between you and your fiancé, maximizing your benefit through delayed credits (up to age 70) could really boost the survivor benefit he'd eventually receive. It's worth running the numbers to see if delaying your claim makes sense for your overall household strategy, especially with that 7-year age gap!

One thing I haven't seen mentioned yet is the importance of keeping good records of your marriage date once you do get married. SSA will need proof of your marriage for any spousal or survivor benefit claims, and having your marriage certificate readily available will make the process much smoother down the road. Also, if either of you has children from previous relationships, getting married could potentially affect their ability to claim benefits on your records in certain situations (like if they're disabled adult children). It's probably worth asking SSA about that specific scenario if it applies to your situation. Overall though, it sounds like marriage won't negatively impact your Social Security benefits - just make sure you both understand the timing of when different benefits become available!

Sean, I went through a very similar situation as a retired police officer with a non-SS pension and subsequent SS-covered employment. A few additional points that might help: 1. **Documentation is key** - When you contact SSA for your WEP calculation, bring documentation of your firefighter disability pension amount and start date. Sometimes there are discrepancies between what SSA has on file and your actual pension details. 2. **Consider your spouse's situation** - If you're married, remember that WEP only affects your own earned Social Security benefit, not spousal benefits. However, if your spouse will receive benefits based on your record, the Government Pension Offset (GPO) might come into play separately. 3. **Health insurance considerations** - Since you mentioned you're 63 now, factor in health insurance costs when deciding between filing at 64 vs waiting. Medicare doesn't start until 65, so you'll need coverage for that gap year if you retire early. 4. **State-specific resources** - Many states have retired firefighter associations that maintain resources about Social Security and pension interactions. They might have state-specific guidance or advocacy efforts you should know about. The $558/month estimate others calculated sounds about right given your situation. It's frustrating after paying into SS for 22 years, but at least you have substantial non-covered pension income to rely on. Best of luck with your decision!

I'm a benefits counselor and wanted to add some perspective on your timeline decision. Given your age (63) and the complexity of your situation, you might benefit from what we call a "delayed decision strategy." Since you're not yet 64, you have time to optimize your position. Consider: 1. **Work one more year in SS-covered employment** - If you can earn at least $29,700 in 2025 at an SS-covered job, you'd add a 23rd year of substantial earnings, reducing your WEP penalty by approximately $69/month. That's $828/year for life. 2. **File and suspend strategy** - While this was mostly eliminated, you can still file for benefits and then withdraw your application within 12 months if you change your mind (though you'd need to repay benefits received). 3. **Tax planning** - With your non-taxable disability pension, your Social Security benefits might be largely tax-free depending on your other income. This could make the reduced benefit more valuable than it appears on paper. The math everyone's provided is solid - you're looking at roughly $558/month at 64 vs $698/month at 67. But don't forget that waiting until 70 would give you delayed retirement credits on top of your WEP-adjusted benefit, potentially bringing you to around $870/month. One more year of covered work + waiting until 70 could potentially get you close to $950/month instead of $558 - that's a $391/month difference, or nearly $4,700 annually. Something to consider given your relatively good health.

I'm glad to see you got such helpful answers here! As someone who went through a similar situation with my late husband's benefits, I can confirm that land contract payments won't affect your survivor benefits. One small tip I learned the hard way - when you do get that lump sum, consider setting aside a portion for taxes if there's any gain involved. Even though it won't affect your SSA benefits, depending on how the original sale was structured, there might be capital gains implications when the contract pays off early. Your tax preparer will know for sure, but it's good to be prepared so you're not surprised come tax time. Also, congratulations on having that financial cushion coming your way. Losing a spouse is hard enough without worrying about money constantly. This should give you some peace of mind.

I'm so sorry for the loss of your husband. Dealing with financial uncertainties while grieving is incredibly stressful. The community here has given you excellent advice - your land contract payoff won't affect your survivor benefits since it's unearned income, not wages from employment. I wanted to add one more consideration that might be helpful: if you're not already working with one, this might be a good time to establish a relationship with a fee-only financial planner who has experience with widows and Social Security planning. With $125,000 coming in, you'll want to think strategically about how to make that money work for you long-term while preserving your current benefits. They can help you understand the optimal timing for potentially switching from survivor benefits to your own retirement benefits down the road, and help you invest this lump sum in a way that provides additional income security. Keep all the documentation from this land contract transaction in a safe place. While you shouldn't need to report it to SSA, having clear records will be helpful for taxes and any future financial planning decisions.

I just went through this exact same situation a few months ago when I first started receiving benefits! Got an early deposit with confusing bank labeling and immediately thought something was wrong. After calling SSA (took forever to get through) and doing some research, I learned this is completely standard for holiday schedule adjustments. What really helped me was setting up notifications through MySocialSecurity - now I get alerts about any payment date changes which eliminates the guesswork. For anyone new to the system like Diego, I'd recommend creating that account if you haven't already. The early deposits are actually convenient once you understand they're intentional adjustments to avoid holiday banking delays. Your regular payment schedule will resume normally next month!

I'm really glad I found this discussion! I'm also new to receiving SS benefits and experienced the exact same thing - got an early deposit last week that was labeled strangely in my bank account. I was so worried I'd have to pay it back or that my regular payment wouldn't come! Reading through everyone's experiences here has been incredibly helpful and reassuring. It sounds like this is just standard procedure for holiday adjustments, which makes sense but I wish they'd communicate it better to new beneficiaries. I'm definitely going to set up that MySocialSecurity account and the text alerts that people mentioned. Thanks to everyone for sharing their knowledge - this community is a lifesaver for those of us still learning how the system works!

Thanks for posting this question! I was wondering the same thing when I saw an unexpected $89 deposit in my account yesterday. After reading through the comments and seeing Malik's update about the Medicare Part B premium adjustment, it all makes sense now. I'm relieved to know this is a legitimate refund and not an error that I'd have to pay back later. It's frustrating that SSA doesn't send out clear notifications before these deposits hit our accounts - would save everyone a lot of worry!

Just wanted to chime in as someone who's been receiving Social Security for about 12 years - these Medicare Part B premium adjustments happen more often than people realize, especially when there are significant changes to the projected vs. actual premium amounts. What's particularly frustrating is that SSA's communication about these adjustments is always delayed. The deposits usually hit accounts 1-2 weeks before any written explanation arrives in the mail. For future reference, if you ever get an unexpected deposit like this, the best approach is exactly what Malik did - wait a few days for the online account to update, then call if no explanation appears. It's also worth noting that these adjustments can work both ways - sometimes they collect additional premiums if the actual rate ends up higher than projected. Thanks for sharing the resolution, it'll definitely help others who see similar deposits!