I'm really sorry for your loss, Nia. This is such a difficult situation to navigate while you're still grieving. One thing that might help with your decision-making is to get your actual survivor benefit estimate from SSA before you decide. You can create a my Social Security account online to see what your monthly survivor benefit would be at different ages. That way you can do the math more precisely rather than guessing. Also, don't forget that if you do decide to claim survivor benefits now, you can always reassess later. For example, if your work situation changes or you decide the earnings test is too much of a hassle, you could potentially suspend your survivor benefits and restart them later, or switch to your own retirement benefit if that becomes more advantageous. The most important thing is not to rush into a decision. Take time to understand all your options, maybe even consider meeting with a financial advisor who specializes in Social Security planning. Your situation with the rental income actually gives you more flexibility than many people have.

I'm so sorry for your loss, Nia. This thread has covered the earnings limit really well, but I wanted to add one more consideration that might help with your planning. Since you mentioned you're 62 and about 5 years from FRA (so FRA at 67), you might want to look into whether your own retirement benefit at age 70 would be higher than your survivor benefit. If your own benefit would be significantly higher, you could potentially use a "claim and switch" strategy: 1. Claim reduced survivor benefits now (even with the earnings test reducing them) 2. Let your own retirement benefit grow with delayed retirement credits until age 70 3. Switch to your own higher benefit at 70 This only works if your own benefit at 70 would exceed the survivor benefit, but it's worth checking. Your own benefit grows by about 8% per year from FRA to age 70, so it can get quite substantial. Given your rental income providing some financial cushion, you have more options than many people. The online benefit estimator others mentioned will show both your survivor benefit and your own retirement benefit projections, which will help you see if this strategy makes sense for your situation.

Since several people have mentioned the earnings test, let me provide some clarity on that since it might affect your decision: 1. For 2025, the earnings limit is projected to be around $22,800 if you're under full retirement age for the full year (this is an estimate based on current trends). 2. If you earn over that amount, $1 in benefits will be withheld for every $2 you earn above the limit. 3. However, it's important to understand that this isn't a penalty - it's a deferral. After you reach FRA, your benefit will be recalculated to give you credit for months when benefits were withheld. 4. If you're planning to continue working full-time at a job with significant earnings, you might want to calculate whether it makes sense to claim at 60 or wait until your earnings decrease or you reach FRA. I strongly recommend discussing these specifics with an SSA representative who can look at your exact situation and provide personalized guidance.

I'm in a similar situation and wanted to share what I learned from my SSA appointment last month. One thing that really helped me was creating a simple spreadsheet to compare different scenarios before my meeting. I calculated: 1. What I'd receive at 60 with the earnings test reduction 2. What I'd get if I waited until I could reduce my work hours 3. My break-even point for when the withheld benefits would be made up With your $65K salary, you're looking at about $42K over the earnings limit, which means roughly $21K in withheld benefits annually. Even though you get credit later, that's a significant cash flow impact. Another option to consider: some people reduce their work hours or negotiate part-time arrangements around age 60 to stay under the earnings limit while still collecting survivor benefits. It's not feasible for everyone, but worth exploring if your job allows flexibility. The SSA representative was very helpful in running through different scenarios with actual numbers from my husband's record. Don't feel like you have to figure it all out beforehand - they have tools that can show you exactly how different timing decisions would affect your benefits.

Thank you all for the helpful responses! I think I'll try the online application first since my case is straightforward, but I'll leave plenty of time before my 70th birthday in case something goes wrong and I need to reach a real person. Having that Claimyr service as a backup option is reassuring too if I can't get through. I really appreciate all the different perspectives - it's given me a much clearer picture of what to expect!

Just wanted to add my experience as someone who went through this exact transition 18 months ago. I successfully switched from survivor benefits to my own retirement benefit at 70 using the online system. The key things that helped me: 1. I applied exactly 3 months before my 70th birthday as recommended 2. Had all my documents ready (even though they already had them on file) 3. Double-checked that I selected "I am currently receiving Social Security benefits" when prompted 4. Made sure to print the confirmation page with my receipt number The transition was seamless - my survivor benefits stopped automatically the month my retirement benefits began, with no gap in payments. My first retirement payment was about $1,100 more than my survivor benefit, so waiting until 70 was definitely worth it. One tip: after you submit, you can check the status of your application online through your mySocialSecurity account. I checked mine weekly just for peace of mind. The whole process took about 6 weeks from application to first retirement payment. Good luck with your switch - it sounds like you've done your homework and will see a nice increase in your monthly benefit!

I'm so sorry to hear about your mother's declining health - that's such a difficult situation to navigate emotionally while also trying to manage practical concerns about your benefits. As a newcomer to this community, I've been reading through all the responses and I'm impressed by how knowledgeable and supportive everyone has been. The consensus is absolutely clear: your inheritance will have zero impact on your Social Security retirement benefits. It's completely separate from the earnings limit you're carefully tracking with your part-time job. What really stands out to me is how organized and thoughtful you're being about managing your benefits. The fact that you're already monitoring your work hours to stay under the $21,240 earnings limit shows you understand the system well. The inheritance is essentially "found money" that won't complicate any of that careful planning. I hope this thread has given you the peace of mind you were looking for during an already stressful time. It's one less thing to worry about as you focus on what's most important - spending time with your mother and supporting your family through this transition.

I'm so sorry to hear about your mother's health situation - my thoughts are with you and your family during this difficult time. As a newcomer to this community, I've been reading through all the responses here and I'm amazed by how helpful and knowledgeable everyone has been. The consensus is absolutely clear: your inheritance will NOT affect your Social Security retirement benefits in any way. What really strikes me is how responsibly you're managing your benefits already. The fact that you're carefully tracking your part-time hours at the garden center to stay under the earnings limit shows you have a solid understanding of the system. That $125,000 inheritance is essentially a financial blessing that won't complicate any of your careful planning. I'm also facing the possibility of inheriting property from aging parents in the future, so this entire discussion has been incredibly educational for me. It's reassuring to know that inheritance money is completely separate from Social Security's earnings calculations. You can receive that inheritance with complete peace of mind knowing your monthly benefits will continue unchanged. Wishing you strength during this challenging time with your mother.

Just wanted to add one more important detail that hasn't been mentioned yet - when you do make the switch from survivor benefits to your own retirement benefits at 67 or 70, you'll want to time it carefully based on your birthday month. If you're switching at your FRA (67), you can receive both benefits for the month you turn 67, then your own higher benefit going forward. But if you're waiting until 70, you'll continue getting survivor benefits until the month you turn 70, then switch to your own maximized benefit. Also, keep all your W-2s and pay stubs from your working months in 2025 - SSA may ask for documentation later to verify your earnings were properly calculated under the monthly test. Having everything organized will make any future interactions much smoother!

Great question! I went through something very similar when I started collecting survivor benefits at 62. The key thing to remember is that SSA will ask you during your application whether you plan to work and what your expected monthly earnings will be after you start collecting benefits. When you tell them you're retiring in August and starting benefits in September, they should automatically apply the Monthly Earnings Test for your first year. But here's what I learned the hard way - don't just assume they'll do it correctly. After you apply, call them back about a month later to confirm they have you coded as "retired" and using the monthly test rather than the annual test. Also, since you mentioned you're still deciding between claiming your own benefits at 67 vs 70 - I'd recommend running the numbers on both scenarios. The survivor benefit might be higher than your own benefit even at 70 if your husband had significantly higher earnings. You can switch back and forth between survivor and your own retirement benefits to always take whichever is higher, but you can only make that election once per benefit type. The earnings limit confusion is real - the SSA website definitely could be clearer about these nuances!