I'm sorry for your loss, Gael. What you're experiencing is unfortunately common with the RIB-LIM rule that others have mentioned. I went through something similar when my mother passed - the initial estimate was much higher than what I actually received due to these complex calculations. One thing I'd recommend is requesting your husband's complete earnings record (Form SSA-7050-F4) along with that technical explanation others mentioned. This will help you verify that they're using the correct earnings history in their calculations. Sometimes there are errors in the earnings record that can affect benefit amounts. Also, if you do decide to request the detailed calculation, be prepared that it might take several weeks to receive it. The SSA doesn't generate these explanations routinely, so they have to create them specially upon request. But it's worth having for your records, especially since you're planning to switch to your own benefits at 70. The good news is that your survivor benefit strategy still makes sense - you're essentially getting paid to delay your own retirement benefits until they max out at 70, even if the survivor amount is less than you initially expected.

I'm so sorry for your loss, Gael. The RIB-LIM rule is one of the most confusing aspects of Social Security that many people encounter unexpectedly. What you're describing sounds exactly right - when a deceased spouse claimed early AND had dependent children receiving benefits, it creates this complex limitation that reduces survivor benefits. I went through something similar after my father passed. He had claimed at 62 and my younger brother had received child benefits for several years. The initial estimate they gave my mother was about $400 higher than what she actually received, and like you, she was told it was due to "system calculations" without any clear explanation. The key thing to remember is that this isn't an error - it's an actual Social Security provision, just one that's poorly explained. Since you're planning to switch to your own benefits at 70 anyway, you're still maximizing your lifetime benefits even with this reduction. The survivor benefit is essentially bridging you to age 70 when your own delayed retirement credits will kick in. Definitely push for that technical explanation others have mentioned. It took my mother three requests over two months, but she finally got a document that showed exactly how they calculated her benefit amount.

my father in law got burnt by GPO so bad... worked 40 years for the county and gets zero ss even though he paid in for 10 years at a second job. this whole system is garbage

I'm in a very similar situation as a newer CSRS retiree! Filed for spousal benefits at 62 but they were immediately suspended due to GPO. I've been following the GPO reform closely and from what I understand, the new law creates a more favorable calculation but doesn't change your original month of entitlement. However, I'd strongly recommend calling SSA in early 2025 to specifically ask about your case since you never received actual payments. Some field offices are more knowledgeable about complex CSRS cases than others - if the first person doesn't seem to understand GPO thoroughly, ask to speak with someone who specializes in government pension cases. Also keep detailed notes of who you speak with and when, as you may need to reference previous conversations. The reform should at least get you some benefit instead of zero, which is progress!

Hi there! This is a great question and a common situation many families face. Yes, your son can potentially receive both DAC benefits and partial SSI to make up the difference - this is called "concurrent benefits." Here's how it typically works: SSA will pay the higher of the two benefits first (in your case, the DAC), and then SSI can supplement up to the federal benefit rate if your son meets all SSI eligibility requirements. Since his DAC will be about $60 less than the full SSI amount, he should be eligible for that $60 difference in SSI. The good news is that since your son already receives Medicaid through a waiver, he likely meets the disability requirements for SSI. During your Monday appointment, make sure to ask specifically about: - Concurrent benefits eligibility - How the SSI supplement calculation works - Whether his current Medicaid waiver will transition smoothly - Any required documentation for the SSI application Having that waiver already in place should help streamline the process. Good luck with your appointment on Monday!

I'm facing a similar decision at 63 and this thread has been incredibly helpful! One thing I'd add is that you might want to consider getting a personalized benefit statement from SSA that shows your projected benefits at different claiming ages. You can create an account at ssa.gov/myaccount and run the numbers yourself. Also, since you mentioned your husband will get the maximum benefit, that suggests his PIA will be around $4,000-$4,400 (the 2025 maximum). So your spousal benefit at YOUR FRA would be roughly $2,000-$2,200 (50% of his PIA). If your own benefit at FRA is $2,500, you'd stick with your own benefit since it's higher than the spousal amount. But here's the key point others have made: if you file early now, you'd get $2,200 permanently, AND if you later became eligible for spousal benefits, those would ALSO be reduced because you filed early. So you could end up with less than $2,200 total even when he files. Given that your husband is healthy and plans to work into his 70s, waiting until your FRA seems like the clear winner financially. Those extra few hundred dollars per month really add up over 20+ years of retirement!

I'm glad you're taking the time to research this thoroughly before making your decision! One additional consideration that might be helpful: since you're 64.5 now and your FRA is likely around 66-67, you're only looking at waiting about 1.5-2.5 years to get your full benefit. During that waiting period, your benefit will continue to grow due to delayed retirement credits until you file (though these stop at age 70). More importantly, you'll avoid the permanent reduction that would affect both your retirement benefit AND any future spousal benefits. Given that your husband is planning to work well into his 70s and you mentioned he's in good health, it sounds like you both have time on your side to maximize your benefits. The peace of mind knowing you'll get your full entitled amounts might be worth more than the immediate income from filing early. Have you also considered what you'll do for health insurance if you're not currently working? Sometimes that factors into the filing decision as well, since Medicare doesn't start until 65.

Thanks everyone for the advice! I've decided to file when I turn 70 in a few months. I'll make sure to set aside enough for taxes since I'll be dealing with both work income and SS benefits. Really appreciate all the insights!

Just want to echo what others have said here - there's definitely no financial advantage to waiting past 70! I made this mistake myself and didn't file until I was 71 because I thought there might be some additional benefit for high earners who continue working. Nope! I basically threw away a year of payments that I can never recover. The good news is that once you do file at 70, you can absolutely continue working without any penalty. I've been collecting for 3 years now while still running my small business, and the SSA automatically recalculates my benefit each year if my current earnings are higher than one of my previous 35 years. It's actually pretty seamless. One thing to consider for tax planning - you might want to talk to a CPA about quarterly estimated payments once you start receiving both SS and business income. The tax withholding can get tricky when you have multiple income sources, but it's definitely manageable. Don't let tax concerns keep you from claiming what you've earned!