As someone who works with disability cases, I want to emphasize that your sister should definitely pursue this now rather than assuming she has to wait until 62. The disabled divorced spouse benefit is a real provision that many people (including some SSA representatives) aren't familiar with. Since both she and her ex-husband are receiving disability benefits, the calculation can be tricky, but she may be entitled to the difference between her current SSDI amount and 50% of her ex-husband's Primary Insurance Amount (PIA) - not his reduced disability amount, but what his full retirement benefit would be at his full retirement age. When she calls, she should specifically mention she's asking about "disabled divorced spouse benefits under Section 202(b)(4) of the Social Security Act" - using that specific legal reference might help get her to someone who knows these rules. The fact that they were married 20 years and divorced 12 years ago puts her in a strong position eligibility-wise. Also, don't let one "no" discourage you - these cases sometimes require persistence and speaking with multiple representatives to find one who understands the specialized rules for disabled divorced spouses.

I just wanted to share my experience since I went through something very similar with my brother last year. He was 58, on SSDI for 4 years, and his ex-wife had just started receiving her own disability benefits. Initially, the SSA representative told him he'd have to wait until 62, but after we pushed back and specifically asked about disabled divorced spouse benefits, they connected us with a technical expert who confirmed he WAS eligible for additional benefits immediately. The key was getting to someone who actually understood these specialized rules. It took three phone calls and about 6 weeks to get it sorted out, but he ended up getting an additional $280/month retroactive to when his ex-wife first became eligible for benefits. Your sister's situation sounds even stronger since they were married for 20 years (vs my brother's 12 years). Definitely have her mention the specific legal provision that Zoey referenced - that really seemed to help get us to the right person. And don't give up if the first representative says no!

That makes PERFECT sense and explains the confusion! His benefit is right around $3,100 and she said the family max was about $5,200. So she was saying the family would get about 67% MORE in total, not that each dependent would get 67% of his benefit. Thank you for helping me make sense of this!

I'm glad you got that sorted out! Just wanted to add one more thing that might be helpful - when you do call SSA back to confirm everything, ask them to mail you a written benefit estimate that shows the breakdown for each family member. Having it in writing can prevent any confusion later and gives you something to reference if there are discrepancies when payments start. I learned this the hard way when our family went through the SSDI process. The written estimates are usually pretty accurate and can save you a lot of headaches down the road.

I'm so sorry to hear about the change in your retirement strategy! The deemed filing rule really did eliminate a lot of flexibility for people in your situation. But don't give up hope yet - there might still be some options worth exploring. Since you're planning to retire at 62 and your own benefit will be higher at 67, you might want to consider: 1. Working part-time until your FRA to avoid the early filing reduction penalties 2. If you do need income before 67, remember that the earnings test goes away completely once you reach FRA, so any benefits withheld due to excess earnings get added back to your future payments 3. Consider doing some Roth conversions now while you're still working and in potentially lower tax brackets, to reduce future RMDs that could push you into higher SS taxation brackets Also, make sure to get an updated benefit estimate from SSA that shows both your own projected benefit and the divorced spousal benefit, so you can see exactly what the numbers look like under deemed filing. The silver lining is that at least you found out about this now and can adjust your planning accordingly!

Just wanted to chime in as someone who went through a similar situation a few years ago. The deemed filing rule really is a game-changer for retirement planning, and it sounds like you're getting great advice here about adapting your strategy. One thing I'd add - when you do get those updated benefit estimates from SSA, pay close attention to your earnings record to make sure it's accurate. I found several years where my earnings weren't properly credited, which would have significantly affected my benefit calculation. You can dispute and correct errors, but it's much easier to do while you're still working and have access to your old tax records. Also, regarding the taxation thresholds that were mentioned earlier - don't forget that those dollar amounts ($25k, $34k, etc.) haven't been adjusted for inflation since they were set in the 1980s! So more and more retirees find themselves paying taxes on their Social Security benefits than was originally intended. Definitely factor that into your withdrawal strategies. The good news is you still have several years to optimize your approach. Take advantage of that time to really understand all your options!

My sister-in-law just went through this exact situation last year! Her situation was almost identical - teacher pension and husband had claimed early. One thing no one mentioned yet - if your husband's benefit increased due to COLAs over the years since he claimed at 62, those increases ARE included in the survivor benefit calculation. So that might give you a bit more than you're expecting.

I'm dealing with a similar situation as a retired school counselor. One thing that helped me was creating a simple spreadsheet to track all the calculations. I listed my monthly pension amount, multiplied by 2/3 for the GPO reduction, then subtracted that from my estimated survivor benefit. Also, don't forget that if you're not yet receiving your teacher pension when you apply for survivor benefits, the GPO won't apply until you actually start receiving the pension payments. So there might be a window where you get the full survivor benefit before your pension kicks in. The timing can make a real difference in your overall financial planning, especially if you have flexibility in when you start your pension. Good luck navigating this maze!

Have you spoken with anyone at CalSTRS about this? When my mother-in-law went through something similar (CA teacher, husband died), a CalSTRS counselor helped her understand all the implications and provided some resources. They can't change the federal law, but they're often more knowledgeable about how it intersects with their pension system than general SSA reps are.

I'm so sorry for your loss and for this additional financial stress during an already difficult time. The GPO situation is unfortunately very real and affects thousands of educators and other public servants. One thing that might help: consider contacting your congressional representatives about this issue. While previous legislation hasn't passed, there's often renewed interest in WEP/GPO reform, especially when constituents share their personal stories. The National Education Association and other teacher unions also maintain advocacy efforts around this issue and might have resources or updates on current legislative efforts. It won't help immediately, but your voice could contribute to future change for others in similar situations.