As a newcomer to this community, I'm amazed at how thorough and helpful everyone has been in explaining Carmen's situation! I'm currently 55 with a spouse who's 8 years older, so while not exactly the same gap, I'm definitely taking notes on all this advice. The thing that really stands out to me is how @Liam Fitzgerald broke down those exact reduction percentages - that makes the financial impact so much clearer than just hearing "you'll get less if you file early." I had no clue about deemed filing either, which seems like a critical piece that could really trip people up if they don't understand it. @GalacticGuru, thanks for sharing that Claimyr tip - I've been putting off calling SSA for months because of the horror stories about wait times. Carmen, it sounds like you've got some great guidance here, and I hope you'll update us on what you decide to do! This thread is going in my bookmarks for future reference.

As someone new to this community and Social Security benefits in general, I want to echo what others have said about how incredibly helpful and informative this discussion has been! I'm currently 52 with a spouse who's 7 years older, so Carmen's situation really resonates with me. What I'm finding most valuable is how @Liam Fitzgerald has provided such clear, official guidance with those specific reduction percentages - it makes the decision much more concrete when you can see exactly what filing at each age would mean financially. The deemed filing rule was completely unknown to me before reading this thread, and it seems like such a crucial detail that could really impact someone's strategy if they don't understand it. I'm also grateful to @GalacticGuru for sharing that Claimyr service tip - I've been dreading the thought of trying to get through to SSA by phone, so having an alternative that actually works sounds amazing. Carmen, I hope you'll keep us posted on what you ultimately decide! This whole conversation is going straight into my Social Security planning folder for future reference.

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.

I'm in a similar situation - turned 62 last month and dealing with reduced hours at work due to company cutbacks. One thing that helped me was creating a spreadsheet comparing different scenarios. For your situation with the knees and physical demands, have you looked into whether you might qualify for disability benefits? Sometimes that can be a bridge until you reach FRA, and disability converts to regular retirement at your full retirement age without the early retirement reduction. Also, regarding the golf course work idea - that sounds perfect for staying under the earnings limit while keeping active. Golf courses often need seasonal help and understand retirees' schedules. Quick tip: You can create a my.ssa.gov account to see your exact benefit estimates at different claiming ages. Much more accurate than the general calculators, and it's free directly from SSA. The asset protection piece is complex, but one simple step is making sure both you and your wife understand what assets are exempt in your state. Primary residence often has some protection, and retirement accounts have different rules than regular savings.

As someone who went through this decision recently, I'd suggest getting your exact benefit calculations from my.ssa.gov before deciding. The difference between $1,850 at 62 vs $2,650 at 67 is significant over time, especially with your wife's reduced SS due to WEP. Since your wife has the teacher's pension providing some stability, you might consider a hybrid approach: file for benefits at 62 but continue working part-time at that golf course you mentioned. The earnings limit for 2025 is around $23,880, so you could supplement your reduced SS benefit while keeping busy and easing the physical strain on your knees. For asset protection, definitely consult an elder law attorney sooner rather than later. With $285k home equity and $430k in retirement accounts, you have assets worth protecting. The 5-year lookback clock starts ticking from when you set up certain trusts, not when you need care. One thing to consider: if you're the higher earner, your claiming decision affects your wife's potential survivor benefits. Since she's dealing with WEP reducing her own SS, your survivor benefit could be crucial for her financial security later. The golf course job sounds perfect - outdoor work, less physical stress, and likely seasonal which gives you flexibility. Much better than those warehouse concrete floors!

As someone who just went through this process myself (applied in November for February start), I can completely relate to that anxiety! The waiting is the worst part. I had the exact same two-bar situation for what felt like forever, and then suddenly around mid-January the third bar filled and I got my award letter within a week. Your timeline is actually really good - applying in December for April gives SSA plenty of time. I've learned that retirement applications are much more straightforward than other types of claims since they mainly just need to verify your work history and age, both of which are already in their system. One tip that helped my peace of mind: set up Informed Delivery with USPS if you haven't already. That way you'll know immediately when your award letter is coming in the mail. The letter will have your exact benefit amount and payment schedule, which really helps with the budget planning you mentioned. Try not to check your account more than once a week - I was obsessively checking daily and it just made the anxiety worse! You're going to be fine.

I'm going through the exact same thing right now! Applied in early December for April benefits and I've been at two progress bars for weeks. Reading everyone's experiences here is so reassuring - it sounds like this is completely normal timing. What really helped me was when someone mentioned that SSA processes about 6 million retirement applications per year, so they have this process down to a science. The fact that we haven't been contacted for additional documents is actually a really good sign that our applications are straightforward. I've also been reminding myself that they have every incentive to process these on time since delayed payments create more work for them with backpay calculations and customer service calls. Hang in there - sounds like we're both going to be fine!

my aunt got widows benefits even tho she worked and had her own ss. they told her something about FRA and delayed retirement credits? i dont really understand it but maybe theres exceptions?

Just to add some clarity from someone who recently went through this process with my parents - the timing of when you contact Social Security after a death is important. You need to report the death promptly to avoid overpayments that would need to be returned later. Also, if you're currently receiving spousal benefits instead of your own worker benefits (which can happen if your spouse's benefit was higher), the calculation changes. The surviving spouse would then compare their own worker benefit to 100% of the deceased spouse's benefit and take whichever is higher. In your case with identical amounts, you'd definitely want to verify both of you are receiving your own worker benefits rather than spousal benefits, as this could affect the survivor calculation.