quick question - does anyone know if the 82.5% gets any cost of living adjustments? or is it frozen at that amount forever?

I'm so sorry you're dealing with this stressful situation during an already difficult time. Based on what others have shared here, it sounds like the survivor benefit calculation is indeed separate from what your husband is currently receiving. One thing that might help is requesting a written benefit estimate from SSA that specifically shows both scenarios - what you'd receive if you claim your own benefits at 62, and what the projected survivor benefit would be at 82.5% of his PIA. Having those numbers in writing could make this decision much clearer. Also, given the conflicting information you received at the SSA office, you might want to consider scheduling a follow-up appointment and bringing some of the documentation from SSA's website about survivor benefits to reference during your meeting. Sometimes having the official rules printed out helps ensure everyone is on the same page. Wishing you and your husband all the best during this challenging time.

so sorry about your husband. this stuff is so complicated!! i wish the SS website explained things better

I went through something similar when my husband passed in 2022. One thing that helped me was creating a spreadsheet to track my monthly earnings and projected totals. Since you're earning $58K annually, your January-June earnings would be around $29K, which should be well under the 2025 earnings limit (probably around $59K based on the 2024 limit of $56,520). However, I'd strongly recommend calling SSA or visiting your local office to get a personalized calculation. They can run the numbers based on your specific situation and give you a clearer picture of whether filing in March would trigger any benefit reductions. The "pre-adjudication" service mentioned earlier might be worth looking into as well. Also consider that even if you do go over the earnings limit slightly, the reduction is temporary - you'll get those benefits back when you reach FRA through higher monthly payments. Sometimes it's still worth filing early even with a small penalty, especially if you need the income.

After you get this sorted out, you might want to check if you made the optimal claiming decision. At FRA, you receive 100% of your primary insurance amount (PIA), but each year you delay past FRA (up to age 70) adds 8% in delayed retirement credits. If you're in good health and have other income sources, sometimes it's more beneficial to delay even past FRA. Just something to consider for others reading this thread - in your case, definitely claim those retroactive benefits!

Just wanted to add another perspective here - I work as a benefits counselor and see this situation frequently. Miguel, you're definitely entitled to those 4 months of retroactive benefits. When you call SSA, be very specific and say "I want to request retroactive Social Security retirement benefits back to my full retirement age." Sometimes it helps to reference the SSA Program Operations Manual (POMS) section RS 00615.003 if the representative seems unsure. Also, don't be discouraged if the first person you talk to doesn't seem knowledgeable - ask to speak with a supervisor or technical expert if needed. The retroactive payment typically processes within 30-45 days once approved. Make sure to keep documentation of your request!

does anyone know how much theyll take back if you go over? is it like dollar for dollar or some weird calculation?

Thanks everyone for your help! After checking my W-2 more carefully, I see the auto allowance is included in Box 1, so it does count toward my earnings. I calculated that I exceeded the limit by about $3,200, which means SSA will probably withhold around $1,600 of my benefits based on the $1-for-$2 rule. I called my employer and confirmed the auto allowance is considered additional compensation, not a direct reimbursement of expenses. I'm going to try using that Claimyr service to reach SSA and ask about my options. Would it be better to proactively pay back some benefits now, or wait for them to send me a notice? I'd rather deal with this before filing my taxes if possible.

Just wanted to add something important that might affect your sister - if she's working at all while on SSDI (even part-time under the SGA limits), she should be aware that the earnings test for retirement benefits works differently than SSDI work rules. Once she converts to retirement benefits at her FRA (67 for someone born in 1960), there's no limit on how much she can earn from work. But if she decides to take early retirement before her FRA, different earnings limits would apply. Since she's only turning 65 this year and her FRA is 67, she'll continue on SSDI for two more years with the same work restrictions until the automatic conversion happens.

This thread has been incredibly helpful! I'm actually in a similar situation with my mom who's been on SSDI for 6 years and is turning 64 next month. Reading through all these responses, I'm realizing I need to figure out her exact FRA since it sounds like the conversion won't happen at 65 like I assumed. One question I haven't seen addressed - does SSA send any kind of annual statement or summary to SSDI recipients like they do for people who haven't filed for benefits yet? My mom used to get those statements in the mail before she went on disability, but I don't think she's gotten one since. Would be helpful to have that information to plan ahead for the conversion.