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I'm so glad you posted this question because I was literally wondering the same thing! I just started receiving Social Security benefits at 62 and have been terrified about accidentally going over the earnings limit. Reading all these responses has been incredibly educational - I had no idea there was such a clear distinction between "earned" and "unearned" income. It makes perfect sense that they only care about whether you're actively working, not about one-time asset sales or retirement withdrawals. This community is amazing for getting real-world experiences from people who've actually dealt with these situations. Thank you to everyone who shared their stories!
I completely agree! As someone who just started navigating all this Social Security stuff myself, it's so reassuring to see real people sharing their actual experiences. The whole earned vs unearned income distinction was totally new to me too - I wish the SSA website explained it this clearly! It's amazing how much peace of mind you can get from hearing "I went through the exact same thing and it was fine." Thanks to everyone for being so helpful and sharing their stories!
I'm glad this question got so many detailed responses! As someone who's been helping people navigate SSA benefits for years, I want to emphasize what others have said - the earnings test is very specific about what counts. Only "earned income" from active work counts toward the $22,320 limit. Your timeshare sale and 401k withdrawals are both considered "unearned income" and are completely exempt. The SSA Publication 05-10069 "How Work Affects Your Benefits" explains this clearly if you want the official source. You can sleep easy knowing you're well within the limits!
Thank you so much for mentioning that SSA publication! I'm new to all this and really appreciate having an official source to reference. It's reassuring to hear from someone with experience helping people navigate these benefits. I was getting overwhelmed trying to understand all the different rules, but this thread has been incredibly helpful. The distinction between earned and unearned income makes so much more sense now - I wish I had known about this resource earlier!
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When i started SS last year i had to quit my good payin job and find something with less hours cause of this stupid rule!! I'm still MAD they dont explain this stuff better!
I understand your frustration. The earnings limit can be confusing. One option for people in your situation is to wait until Full Retirement Age to claim benefits if they want to continue working substantial hours. That way there's no limit on earnings. But everyone's situation is different, and sometimes claiming early makes sense even with the earnings restriction.
Just wanted to add one more helpful detail - if you're tracking your earnings throughout the year, Social Security uses your gross wages (before taxes) when calculating against the earnings limit. So make sure you're looking at your gross pay from that part-time job, not your take-home pay. Also, if you get a raise or bonus during the year, factor that in too. The SSA website has a really helpful earnings test calculator where you can plug in your expected annual earnings to see exactly how it would affect your benefits if you do go over the limit.
Thank you for mentioning the earnings test calculator! I didn't know the SSA website had that tool. That sounds really helpful for planning purposes. I'll definitely check that out so I can see exactly where I stand and maybe even model what would happen if I did decide to pick up those extra hours at work. It's so much better to have concrete numbers rather than just guessing.
That's really helpful about using gross wages - I was actually looking at my net pay when doing my calculations! No wonder my numbers seemed off. And I had no idea SSA had an earnings test calculator on their website. That sounds like exactly what I need to figure out whether I can safely take on more hours. Thanks for pointing me in the right direction!
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I went through this exact situation with my disabled daughter two years ago! She was receiving DAC survivor benefits from her father who passed when she was 19. When I started my survivor benefits at 66, her payments stayed exactly the same - $1,640/month. The key thing is that your son is already established on his father's record as a disabled adult child, and that relationship doesn't change when you start collecting. The SSA rep I spoke with explained it like this: your son has his own "claim" on his father's work record that's separate from your survivor claim on the same record. When I switched to my own retirement benefits at 70, we actually got a pleasant surprise - my benefit was high enough that my daughter could switch to my record and get an extra $85/month! SSA handled the switch automatically and sent us a letter explaining the change. One tip: when you do talk to SSA, ask them to check if your son's disability onset date is correctly entered in their system. Sometimes there are data entry errors that can cause problems later. Also, keep copies of everything - benefit statements, letters, etc. It saved me a lot of headaches when I had questions later.
This is so helpful to hear from someone who went through the exact same situation! It's reassuring that your daughter's benefits stayed stable when you started survivor benefits, and what a nice bonus that she got an increase when you switched to your own record at 70. I'm curious - did SSA automatically check if your record would provide higher benefits for your daughter, or did you have to specifically ask them to compare the two records? Also, thanks for the tip about verifying the disability onset date - I'll definitely make sure that's correct in their system when I call.
I'm in a very similar situation and this thread has been incredibly helpful! My disabled son (32) has been getting DAC survivor benefits from his father's record for about 5 years now. I'm 64 and have been delaying my own Social Security decisions because I was terrified of accidentally disrupting his benefits. Reading through everyone's experiences, especially @Adriana Cohn's story about the automatic switch to the higher benefit, gives me so much hope. My late husband was a high earner, but I also had a decent career, so there's a chance my son might benefit from my record when I switch at 70. One question I haven't seen addressed: Has anyone dealt with Medicare coordination in this situation? My son is on Medicare due to his disability, and I'm wondering if there are any changes or considerations when the parent starts collecting benefits. I know Medicare and Social Security are separate, but sometimes changes in one can affect the other. Also, thank you @CosmicVoyager for the advice about getting everything documented. After reading about your 6-month appeal process, I'm definitely going to be extra careful about getting written confirmation of everything before making any moves.
Regarding Medicare coordination - in my experience, there shouldn't be any changes to your son's Medicare coverage when you start collecting Social Security benefits. Medicare eligibility for disabled individuals is based on their own SSDI status, not their parent's benefit status. My son has been on Medicare for years due to his disability, and when I started my survivor benefits and later switched to my own retirement, his Medicare remained completely unchanged - same coverage, same premiums, same Medicare number. The only Medicare consideration for you might be if you're not yet 65 and start collecting survivor benefits - you'd still need to wait until 65 to enroll in Medicare yourself. But your son's Medicare is tied to his disability status and SSDI eligibility, which won't change regardless of what happens with your benefits. That said, it's always good to double-check with both SSA and Medicare when you make benefit changes, just to be absolutely sure nothing gets inadvertently affected in their systems.
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I'm also a retired teacher facing the GPO situation, and my heart goes out to you. Twenty-four years of waiting after losing your husband so young must feel overwhelming. What really bothers me about these cases is how the system treats our spouses' lifetime contributions to Social Security as if they never happened. From everything I've been reading, the proposed changes should definitely help your situation since you were only $237 over the threshold. That's exactly the kind of case where the reformed GPO rules would make the biggest difference. While we're all cautiously optimistic, I'd echo what others have said about not counting on anything until it's actually signed into law. One practical tip: start gathering all your documentation now - your TRS pension statements, your husband's Social Security earnings record, and any correspondence from your 2021 application. When the time comes to reapply, having everything organized will save you stress and time. After waiting this long, you deserve for the process to go as smoothly as possible. Keep advocating for yourself and don't give up hope. The fact that so many of us are in similar situations shows this isn't just an individual problem - it's a systemic issue that needs fixing.
Thank you for the encouragement and practical advice! You're absolutely right that it feels like our spouses' contributions just disappeared into thin air. I'm definitely going to start organizing all my documentation better - I have bits and pieces scattered in different files. It's reassuring to know that being just over the threshold by such a small amount puts me in a good position for when (hopefully when, not if) these changes take effect. The systematic unfairness of this whole situation really does highlight why reform is so desperately needed. Thanks for reminding me to stay hopeful while also being realistic about the legislative process.
I'm new to this community but facing a very similar situation - retired teacher with 30 years in the system, husband passed away 5 years ago, and I was denied widow's benefits due to GPO. It's both heartbreaking and encouraging to see so many of us dealing with the exact same unfair treatment. Reading through everyone's experiences, I'm starting to feel more hopeful about the potential changes than I have in years. What really strikes me is how knowledgeable this community is about the technical details of WEP/GPO reform. I've been struggling to understand the implications of the proposed legislation, but the explanations here about phased implementation and benefit calculations have been incredibly helpful. One question I have - for those who have successfully contacted SSA recently, did you find the representatives knowledgeable about the pending changes, or are they still giving information based on current rules? I'm wondering if it's worth calling now or if I should wait until there's more clarity on the timeline. Thank you all for sharing your stories and insights. After feeling so alone with this issue, finding a community that truly understands makes all the difference.
Ryder Greene
Fantastic outcome! This is such a great example of why it's worth asking HR about these timing issues. Many people don't realize they can often request changes to payout dates for exactly these reasons. Your story will definitely help others in similar situations. Enjoy your well-deserved retirement and congratulations on getting this sorted out before it became a problem!
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Jamal Carter
•This is such a helpful thread! I'm new here but facing a similar situation with my retirement planning. It's amazing how these seemingly small timing details can have such big impacts on Social Security benefits. Really appreciate everyone sharing their knowledge and experiences - it makes navigating these complex rules so much easier when you have a supportive community like this!
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Ava Rodriguez
Welcome to the community, Jamal! You're absolutely right about how these timing details can make such a huge difference. I've learned so much from threads like this one too. If you're facing a similar PTO payout situation, definitely start the conversation with your HR department early - as Dmitry found out, they often can accommodate these requests but need advance notice. The key thing to remember is that Social Security counts income when you receive it, not when you earned it. Feel free to ask questions here - this community has been incredibly helpful for navigating all the complexities of Social Security and retirement planning!
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