Since we're talking about strategies, here's a thorough approach based on your situation: 1) Speak with your doctor about potentially reducing your hours for medical reasons (documented medical necessity) 2) Check with your HR department about: - Whether reduced hours would maintain your health insurance - If you qualify for short-term or long-term disability through your employer - Whether FMLA might apply to give you protected time for surgeries/recovery 3) Create your my Social Security account to verify your SSDI estimate 4) Consult with a disability attorney about timing your application 5) Ensure all your medical records explicitly document: - Functional limitations (how long you can sit, stand, walk) - Failed treatments you've already tried - Pain levels and frequency - How symptoms affect your ability to work Many people make the mistake of applying too early without sufficient medical documentation or too late after struggling unnecessarily. Finding the right timing is key.

I'm dealing with similar spinal issues and wanted to share something that might help with your decision-making process. Since you mentioned your boss is starting to notice productivity issues, have you considered talking to HR about requesting reasonable accommodations under the ADA before making any major employment decisions? Things like a sit/stand desk, more frequent breaks, or even working from home a few days a week could help you maintain your job longer while you're going through the disability application process. This creates a paper trail showing you tried to continue working with accommodations, which can actually strengthen your SSDI case by demonstrating that even with workplace modifications, your conditions prevent you from maintaining substantial gainful activity. Also, given your upcoming laminectomy, make sure your surgeon documents in detail your current functional limitations and expected recovery timeline. Post-surgical complications or incomplete recovery can be significant factors in disability determinations, especially when you're already dealing with multiple conditions affecting different body systems. The fact that you're 59 with 35 years of work history puts you in a strong position under the medical-vocational guidelines if your conditions prevent you from doing any work you've done in the past 15 years. Don't lose hope - the process is daunting but your situation sounds like it has merit.

im confused about something else... if I was born in 1965 is my full retirement age still 67? i heard they might be changing it?

I went through this exact same situation last year when I turned 70! Can confirm what others have said - the SSA statement shows current dollar amounts without future COLA increases. When I actually started receiving benefits in 2024, my monthly payment was higher than the estimate because it included the COLA adjustment. One tip: when you file in March, make sure to ask them to confirm your exact benefit amount including any COLA adjustments. I also recommend setting up direct deposit and creating your my Social Security online account if you haven't already - it makes tracking everything much easier than waiting for paper statements.

Thank you all for the thoughtful responses! I really appreciate the different perspectives. I hadn't considered the survivor benefit angle at all, which is a major oversight on my part since my wife would likely outlive me based on our family histories. I'm going to take a closer look at that SSA life expectancy table and run some more specific calculations that include the survivor benefit impact. I'm still leaning toward claiming before 70, maybe at my full retirement age of 66 and 6 months, as a middle ground approach. But I feel much better equipped to make this decision now. It's comforting to know others struggle with the same questions!

Connor, you're making a smart move by considering the survivor benefit angle - that's often the biggest factor people overlook in this decision. Since you mentioned your wife is 61 and would likely outlive you, delaying your benefits (even just to FRA instead of claiming now at 63) could significantly increase her lifetime financial security. Here's something else to consider: at 63, you're still 3.5 years away from your FRA of 66 and 6 months. If you claim now, you'd face a roughly 25% permanent reduction in benefits. But if you can bridge the gap until FRA with other income sources, you'd avoid that early filing penalty while not having to wait all the way until 70. Also, don't forget about the earnings test if you're still working - if you claim before FRA and earn more than about $22,320 annually, they'll withhold $1 for every $2 you earn above that limit. That money gets added back to your benefit later, but it's another complication to factor in. The middle ground approach of claiming at FRA sounds reasonable given your family history concerns while still maximizing the survivor benefit for your wife. You might want to use SSA's online calculator to see the exact dollar differences between your options.

So sorry about both your husbands passing away. That must be really hard. Sending hugs!

I work as a benefits specialist and want to emphasize something important that might affect your planning: when you remarry, make sure your new husband understands that life insurance or other private retirement accounts might be crucial to supplement what would be a much lower Social Security survivor benefit based on your earnings record. Since you mentioned your earnings history is much lower than your deceased husbands', this gap could be significant. You might want to consider term life insurance or other financial products to help bridge that difference for his financial security. It's wonderful that you're thinking ahead about these issues - many people don't realize how remarriage affects survivor benefit calculations until it's too late.

I'm really sorry for your loss, Everett. It's encouraging to see your update that the Claimyr service worked so well for you! As someone new to this community, I've been learning so much from everyone's shared experiences with navigating SSA services. The phone wait times really are ridiculous - it's frustrating that people dealing with difficult life situations like losing a spouse have to jump through so many hoops just to speak with someone. Thank you for sharing what worked for you, and I hope the rest of your application process goes smoothly. It's clear this community really looks out for each other!

I'm so sorry for your loss, Everett. It's really heartwarming to see how this community came together to help you find a solution! As someone new here, I'm impressed by all the practical advice everyone shared - from the scheduling tips to the Spanish line workaround to the Claimyr service that ultimately worked for you. It's frustrating that dealing with government services has to be so difficult during an already challenging time, but it's encouraging to know there are resources and workarounds available. Thank you for updating us with what worked - that kind of follow-up is so valuable for other members who might face similar situations. Wishing you all the best with the rest of your application process!