This is really helpful information everyone! I had no idea about the FAFSA impact - that's a huge consideration since we're hoping she'll qualify for need-based aid. It sounds like I need to run the numbers on whether the 5 years of child benefits would be worth the potential reduction in college financial aid. Does anyone know if there's a way to estimate what the family maximum would be in my situation? I only have one child and no ex-spouse collecting benefits, so I'm hoping we'd get closer to the full 50%. Also, when you all applied for the child benefits, did you need to bring any specific documentation beyond the birth certificate? I think I'm going to try that Claimyr service someone mentioned - after two failed attempts at calling SSA, I really need to speak with someone who can walk me through all these calculations before I make any decisions.

As a newcomer to this community, I wanted to share some additional resources that might help with your decision-making process. I recently went through a similar situation and found that the SSA's online Retirement Estimator tool (ssa.gov/benefits/retirement/estimator.html) can give you preliminary estimates for both your retirement benefits and potential auxiliary benefits for dependents. One thing I learned that hasn't been mentioned yet is that you can actually apply for retirement benefits up to 4 months before you want them to start. This gives you more time to gather documentation and plan the timing, especially if you're trying to coordinate with college financial aid considerations. Also, regarding the FAFSA impact that several people mentioned - I discovered that some states have different rules for how Social Security benefits are treated in their state financial aid programs. It might be worth checking with your state's higher education agency to understand the full picture of how these benefits could affect aid eligibility beyond just federal aid. The local SSA offices can provide a personalized benefit statement that shows projections for different claiming ages, including estimates for dependent benefits. When I made my appointment, I specifically asked for a "benefit projection worksheet" and they were able to print out scenarios showing benefits at 62, full retirement age, and age 70, along with the corresponding child benefit amounts. Hope this helps with your planning! This community has been such a great resource for navigating these complex decisions.

Thank you all for the incredibly helpful advice! I'm definitely going to wait until January 2025 to start my benefits, but I'll apply in November 2024 to get the ball rolling. I'm relieved to understand that my 2024 earnings won't affect my 2025 benefits as long as I start in January. And I'll look into that Claimyr service to speak with an SSA agent about the specifics of my situation. For my wife, we'll need to compare her own benefit at 62 versus the reduced spousal benefit to see which would be higher. Looks like we have some calculations to do! I really appreciate everyone taking the time to explain everything so clearly. This stuff is complicated and it's easy to make costly mistakes when you don't fully understand the rules.

Great thread with lots of solid advice! Just want to add one thing about Medicare enrollment since you mentioned turning 65 in January 2025 - make sure you sign up for Medicare Part A and B during your Initial Enrollment Period (3 months before your 65th birthday through 3 months after). Even though you're retiring early, you'll need Medicare coverage starting at 65. Also, if you have employer health insurance through COBRA or retiree benefits, you'll want to coordinate the timing so there's no gap in coverage. Medicare and Social Security enrollment are separate processes, so don't assume applying for one automatically handles the other. The January 2025 start date for Social Security benefits that everyone's recommending is definitely the smart financial move given your 2024 earnings!

Just be careful about the rules for spousal benefits. When they changed the laws in 2015 a lot of strategies went away. My friend thought she could get spousal and then switch to her own higher benefit later but they don't allow that anymore. I think it's called "deemed filing" now where they automatically give you whichever is higher but you can't choose anymore. The whole system is needlessly complicated if you ask me!

I went through this exact same decision process about 2 years ago! My situation was very similar - small benefit vs. my husband's much larger one. After running the numbers with an SSA representative (took several calls to get consistent info), we decided I should wait. One thing that really helped was using the SSA's online benefit calculators at ssa.gov to model different scenarios. You can see estimates for claiming at different ages. Also, don't forget to factor in Medicare timing - you'll want to sign up for Medicare at 65 even if you're not claiming SS yet to avoid penalties. The math really does favor waiting in most cases when there's such a big difference in benefits. The spousal benefit reduction from early filing can be substantial and permanent. Good luck with whatever you decide!

good luck with everything... losing a spouse is so hard... the benefits stuff is just extra stress nobody needs

I'm so sorry for your loss, Yara. Based on what others have shared here, it sounds like you're on the right track understanding that survivor FRA is different from regular retirement FRA. One thing I'd add that might help with your planning - since you mentioned budget concerns about waiting those extra 6 months - you might want to calculate exactly what the monthly difference would be between taking survivor benefits now versus waiting until your full survivor FRA. Sometimes seeing the actual dollar amounts over your expected lifetime can help make the decision clearer. Also, when you do contact SSA (whether by phone, online, or in person), ask them to send you a written confirmation of your survivor benefit FRA date and the benefit amounts at different claiming ages. Having it in writing can be really helpful for your records and peace of mind. Wishing you strength as you navigate both the grief and these complicated benefit decisions.

my condolances on your loss. when my mom died they did deposit her last check then took it back out a few days later!!! then put it back again after my dad called them. its so confusing i think even the ssa people dont know there own rules sometimes

I'm sorry for your family's loss. I work in benefits administration and can clarify the confusion here. Your father-in-law's February payment (received in March) should absolutely be payable since he lived through the entire month of February. The key rule is that beneficiaries must be alive for the complete calendar month to receive benefits for that month. However, Social Security may initially freeze or recall the payment when they process the death report, even if it's legitimately owed. This is a protective measure while they verify details. Your mother-in-law should specifically mention this February payment during her survivor benefits appointment and ask them to verify it wasn't improperly withheld. One important note: if the payment does get recalled initially, don't panic. She can file Form SSA-1724 to claim any benefits properly due to the estate. The SSA representative should be able to help with this during her appointment. Also make sure she asks about the $255 lump-sum death payment - it's a small benefit but every bit helps during this difficult time.