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Quick tip: If you've worked enough quarters to qualify for your own retirement benefits, they'll automatically give you whichever is higher - your own benefit or the divorced spouse benefit (which is up to 50% of your ex's full retirement amount). Make sure to ask about this if you have your own work history. Also, if your benefit amount seems unexpectedly low, ask if they're applying the Government Pension Offset (GPO) due to your teaching pension. This can significantly reduce spousal/divorced spouse benefits.
Grace Patel
•This is extremely important advice! The GPO can reduce spousal benefits by 2/3 of your government pension amount. Many applicants are shocked when they discover this reduction. Also, if you're taking benefits before your Full Retirement Age, the amount will be permanently reduced.
When I had my interview, I found it helpful to have prepared a timeline of my marriage, divorce, and work history with all the dates written down. The claims specialist really appreciated this and it made the process go much smoother. As for the payment timeline - I had my interview on March 12th, received my award letter on April 6th, and got my first payment (including some backpay to my application date) on April 21st. So about 5-6 weeks from interview to money in my account.
Creating a timeline is a brilliant idea! I'm going to do that tonight. And thanks for sharing your timeline from interview to payment - that helps set my expectations. Did they backdate your application to when you first called to schedule the appointment?
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Luca Russo
I heard they look at your lifetime top 3 years not 35 years. My cousin is an accountant and he told me this.
That's not correct for Social Security retirement benefits. SSA definitely uses the highest 35 years of earnings (indexed for inflation) to calculate your benefit amount. Your cousin may be thinking of some other program or perhaps a pension system that uses a "high-3" calculation, but that's not how Social Security works.
Diego Flores
I just wanted to thank everyone for the helpful information. I have a much better understanding now. It sounds like my husband should definitely continue with his plan to work part-time, as it may increase his benefit somewhat (even if it's modest) since he has fewer than 35 years of earnings. And there's no downside since he's at his full retirement age and can earn unlimited amounts without any reduction in benefits. It's great to know the recalculation happens automatically too. One less thing to worry about!
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i went thru this with my mother last year!!! the SSA people told her she wasnt eligible but that was WRONG!! we had to talk to a supervisor to get it fixed. they kept saying she remarried but she NEVER did. if they give u trouble, ask for supervisor right away dont take no for answer.
Ella Russell
•This happens more than people realize. The front-line representatives sometimes make errors on more complex cases like divorced survivor benefits. Always escalate if something doesn't seem right. And get the name of everyone you speak with, along with dates and times of conversations.
Gavin King
One more thing to consider - if your mother is receiving any SSI (Supplemental Security Income) or other means-tested benefits in addition to her Social Security retirement, the increased income from survivor benefits could affect her eligibility for those programs. It's almost certainly still worth applying for the higher survivor benefit, but be aware there might be effects on other benefits she receives.
Zara Perez
•She's not on SSI, just regular Social Security retirement, so hopefully that won't be an issue. She does get a small pension from a factory where she worked for about 15 years, but I don't think that will be affected.
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why is everyone ignoring that shes so close to 60??? its only a few months away just wait its not worth the hassle trying to get exceptions trust me
Another consideration for your sister: if she's struggling financially while waiting to turn 60, she might want to look into whether she qualifies for any state-level widow assistance programs. These vary by state but can sometimes provide temporary support. Also, if her husband had a pension, life insurance, or other retirement accounts, make sure she's explored all those potential income sources while waiting for Social Security eligibility.
Liam Murphy
•That's a great suggestion! I'll help her look into state-level programs. She did receive his life insurance, but it wasn't a huge policy. I think he had a small 401k too that we need to follow up on. These are good reminders to explore everything available to her.
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CosmicCowboy
To give you some concrete numbers about WEP, with 23 years of substantial earnings, your WEP reduction won't be the full amount. The maximum WEP reduction for someone reaching 62 in 2025 is about $613 per month, but with 23 years of substantial earnings, your reduction would be significantly less - about 70% of that maximum. Delaying until 70 still increases your WEP-reduced benefit by 8% per year beyond FRA. Since GPO is likely eliminating most or all of your spousal benefit anyway, focusing on maximizing your own benefit might be your best strategy. Consider requesting a detailed benefit calculation from SSA that shows your WEP-adjusted amounts at different claiming ages. This will give you the specific numbers to make your decision.
Paolo Longo
•Thank you for these specific numbers! This is exactly what I needed. I had no idea the WEP reduction would be less with 23 years of substantial earnings. I'm going to request that detailed calculation as you suggested. This makes me feel much better about my options.
Amina Diallo
i think everybody born after 1954 got screwed by that law change!! my brother in law was born in december 1953 and got to do the restricted thing but my sister missed it by 3 months. not fair!!
EXACTLY!!! The whole system is rigged against us. My cousin got to do this because she was born in 1952 and saved like $40,000 by using that strategy. Then they pull the rug out from under the rest of us. And now we're stuck with all these complicated WEP/GPO penalties too!!!
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SS Survivor Benefits at 63 - No waiting until FRA due to RIB/LIM rule saving me thousands
Just wanted to share a win with this group that might help others in my situation. I'm 63 and started my own SS retirement benefits about 6 months ago. My ex-husband (we were married 22 years but remained close after divorce) passed away unexpectedly in February. I initially thought I'd have to wait until my full retirement age (66 years, 8 months) to claim survivor benefits without penalties. But then I remembered reading about some exceptions here.I scheduled an appointment at my local SSA office and mentioned the RIB/LIM rule. The agent wasn't familiar with it at first (had to consult with a supervisor), but it turns out I CAN switch to the higher survivor benefit NOW without any reduction penalty! Because I had already claimed my own retirement benefit first, the RIB/LIM rule applies in my case.This means I'll receive almost $1,250 more per month starting immediately rather than waiting 3+ years. That's over $45,000 I would have left on the table if I hadn't learned about this from you all.So grateful for the knowledge shared in this group. The Social Security rules are so complex, and even some SSA agents aren't familiar with all the exceptions. Has anyone else had success with the RIB/LIM rule or other lesser-known provisions?
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Xan Dae
@profile4 - Yes, but with strict limitations. You can withdraw your Social Security application (Form SSA-521) within 12 months of first receiving benefits. However, you must repay ALL benefits you've received so far, including Medicare premiums and any benefits family members received on your record. After 12 months, or if you can't repay benefits, withdrawal isn't an option.Alternatively, if you've reached FRA, you can suspend benefits, which doesn't require repayment but just stops current and future payments until you restart them (or reach 70 when they automatically restart). This allows your benefit to grow with delayed retirement credits.But neither of these affects the RIB/LIM rule being discussed here, which specifically applies to people who took their own retirement first, then became eligible for survivor benefits later.
Nalani Liu
I don't think I can pay back everything! Ugh, I should have researched more before filing. I just assumed taking it at 62 was best because I needed the money then. Nobody told me about all these exceptions and special rules!
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StarStrider
i had this same problem!!!!! i paid double for like 3 months and then had to wait forever to get my money back....so annoying
Ugh, it seems like this happens to everyone! I can't believe they don't have a better system for this by now.
Omar Zaki
As an update to my previous comment - when you call Medicare, make sure you specifically request a refund for any duplicate payments. They processed my refund as a paper check rather than direct deposit, so watch your mail carefully after you make the request. And just to prepare you, the hold times when calling can be really long. I waited almost an hour when I called, so try to call early in the day if possible.
Thanks for the additional tips! I'll make sure to specifically ask about the refund process and how I'll receive it. I'll try calling first thing in the morning to avoid the long wait times.
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Alana Willis
im surprised nobody asked about your overall financial situation?? do you own your home? have other assets? just SS isn't a complete retirement plan so maybe that extra $183 isn't your biggest concern...
Haley Stokes
•Fair point. I own my home with about $75K left on mortgage. Have around $850K in retirement accounts and $42K emergency fund that's slowly draining. Was planning on working until 72-73 originally.
Serene Snow
Based on your additional details (good health, family longevity, home ownership, and reasonable retirement savings), here's my recommendation: File for your benefits now at 69. The immediate income will preserve your emergency fund during this uncertain period. The difference between 69 and 70 is only an 8% increase in benefits, which is significant but not dramatic enough to justify financial stress now. Focus on protecting your larger retirement accounts from premature withdrawals, as those have greater long-term implications than the difference in your SS benefit.
Asher Levin
•I fully agree with this. And don't forget that your SS benefit will still get COLA increases. Last year's was 3.2%, so even claiming now, your benefit will grow over time.
Haley Stokes
•Thank you all for the thoughtful advice. I think I'm going to file now and preserve my savings. The break-even analysis and the retroactive benefits option were particularly helpful. I appreciate everyone's input!
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Olivia Kay
WAIT I THINK EVERYONE IS MISSING AN IMPORTANT POINT!!! Even if you use the annual limit, if you earn over the ENTIRE annual limit in a single month, ALL your benefits for the year could be withheld! SSA regulations say if you earn more than your annual limit, they withhold $1 in benefits for every $2 you earn over the limit. If you earn the whole $25,410 in January, they'd withhold your ENTIRE annual benefit!!!! BE CAREFUL!!!
This is incorrect. If you qualify for the Annual Earnings Test, it doesn't matter WHEN during the year you earn the money. You could earn $25,000 in January and $0 the rest of the year, and as long as your total stays under the annual limit ($25,410), there's no reduction in benefits. If you exceed the annual limit, then yes, SSA withholds $1 in benefits for every $2 over the limit, but this is calculated based on total annual earnings, not month-by-month. The Monthly Earnings Test (which doesn't apply in OP's case if they follow the plan) is the only scenario where the timing of earnings matters.
Just wanted to give a quick update. I called SSA today and spoke with a rep who confirmed what most of you have said. As long as I apply in January WITH January as my benefit month, I can use the annual earnings test for all of 2025. I made sure to specifically tell them I wanted January 2025 as my benefit month, not February. The rep did initially try to set it for February saying "that's our normal procedure" but I politely insisted on January, and they were able to do it. So relieved I don't have to track monthly earnings! Thanks for all your help everyone.
Great news! Glad you stood your ground. This will make your year SO much easier, especially with variable income. Make sure to keep track of your annual earnings though - if you do go over the annual limit, you'll need to report it.
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Khalid Howes
My situation almost identical to yours!!! I got SSDI approval in January, first payment in February, then waited and waited for backpay. Called SSA multiple times and always got different answers! The backpay finally showed up in my account with NO NOTICE about 6 weeks after first payment. For my son it took another 3 weeks after that. So frustrating but it does come eventually.
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Edward McBride
•This is typical of how SSA processes payments. The beneficiary payment comes first, then auxiliary benefits (like children's benefits) are processed separately and often arrive weeks later. They really should improve their communication about this process.
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Liam Duke
One other important thing to mention: backpay sometimes comes in installments if it exceeds certain amounts. However, in your case with only a few months of backpay, it should come as a single payment. Just be aware that SSDI backpay deposits don't always have clear identifiers on bank statements - sometimes they just show as "US TREASURY" deposit without specifically saying "SSDI backpay."
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Summer Green
•That's really helpful to know! I'll keep a close eye on our account. Looks like we should expect about 4 months of backpay for both my husband and daughter, so hopefully that's a single payment each. Thanks again for all this great information!
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