One important clarification about ex-spouse benefits that sometimes confuses people: applying for benefits on your ex's record does NOT reduce their benefits or notify them that you've applied. This is a common concern, but your application is completely confidential. Your ex won't know you've applied or be affected financially.

Just wanted to add from my recent experience - I was in a similar situation last year and ended up doing the online application first, then when it asked for documents I chose to mail them. Here's what worked for me: I made copies of my certified divorce decree and marriage certificate, wrote a cover letter with my full name, SSN, and reference to my online application, and sent everything via certified mail with return receipt. It took about 2 weeks but they processed everything fine. The key is making sure you have CERTIFIED copies from the court, not just notarized photocopies. Also, start the online application even if you're not sure about the documents - you can always complete that part later and it gets your case in the system. Good luck with your retirement!

WAIT! I'm confused now. Does she get 32.5% of YOUR benefit amount, or 32.5% of what YOUR benefit WOULD HAVE BEEN at your full retirement age???? This matters a lot!!! I thought it was based on what you actually GET?

Just want to add one more important detail that might affect your planning - if your wife has her own Social Security earnings record from those 15 years of part-time work, she can actually file for her own reduced retirement benefit as early as age 62, even before you claim yours. Then when you file at 65, SSA will automatically check if her spousal benefit would be higher and switch her to that if it is. This strategy called "filing and switching" can sometimes provide a few extra years of income while you're both figuring out the optimal timing. The key is running the numbers on both scenarios to see what maximizes your household's total lifetime benefits.

After reading all these comments, it sounds like you need to: 1) Verify they have the correct pension amount, 2) Request a formal determination letter explaining their calculation, and 3) Ask if there are any appeal options if you believe there's an error. I went through something similar with my WEP determination last year. The key is getting someone knowledgeable on the phone who understands GPO/WEP calculations. Unfortunately, many front-line representatives aren't fully versed in these complicated provisions. When you call, politely ask to speak with a technical expert or someone who specializes in government pension offset cases.

As a newcomer here, I just wanted to say how helpful this thread has been! I'm in a similar situation - worked for the state for 30+ years and am trying to understand how GPO will affect my potential spousal benefits. @Andre Dubois, your explanation of the GPO calculation was incredibly clear and really helped me understand why the reduction can sometimes eliminate the entire benefit. @Carmen Flores, thanks for mentioning Claimyr - I had no idea there were services to help navigate SSA's phone system. @QuantumQueen, I hope you get the determination letter and clarification you deserve. It's frustrating that they don't automatically provide clear explanations for these complex calculations. Good luck with your call!

This thread has been incredibly educational! I'm in a similar situation (62, husband is 65 and took SS early) and had no idea about most of these rules. A few additional things I've discovered through my own research: 1. There's actually a "deemed filing" rule that might apply if you're eligible for both your own retirement benefit and survivor benefits - sometimes SSA automatically files you for both and you get the higher amount. 2. If you're still working and earning significant income, there might be earnings test implications for survivor benefits before your FRA, just like with regular retirement benefits. 3. Some people don't realize that survivor benefits aren't subject to the same "file and suspend" restrictions that were eliminated in 2015 - you still have more flexibility with survivor vs. retirement benefit timing. I'm planning to use the SSA's online retirement calculator first to get rough estimates, then schedule an appointment armed with specific questions. This thread has given me a much better understanding of what questions to ask! One last tip I heard: if you do visit SSA in person, try to go early in the morning or late in the day - apparently the wait times are usually shorter then.

I'm also in my 60s and have been trying to wrap my head around all these survivor benefit rules! Reading through everyone's responses, it's clear that this is way more complex than I initially thought. A few things I wanted to add based on my own experience dealing with SSA: 1. When you do visit the local office, consider bringing a trusted family member or friend with you. I found it helpful to have someone else listening and taking notes - there's a lot of information to absorb and it's easy to forget details. 2. Don't be discouraged if you get different answers from different representatives. I had to visit twice because the first person wasn't familiar with the RIB-LIM calculations that several people mentioned here. Ask specifically for someone who handles survivor benefits regularly. 3. I learned that you can actually request a written estimate of your survivor benefits while your spouse is still living. This can help with planning and gives you concrete numbers to work with rather than just rough percentages. The point about potentially receiving MORE as a survivor than what your husband currently receives really surprised me too. It makes sense when you understand the PIA concept, but it's definitely counterintuitive at first! Thanks to everyone who shared their experiences - this has been incredibly helpful for my own planning.

Welcome to the Social Security community! As someone who's been navigating benefits for a few years now, I can confirm what others have said - the waiting game for COLA updates is definitely frustrating but totally normal. The December timeline everyone mentioned is spot on. One thing I'd add is that if you're enrolled in Medicare Part B, remember that the premium changes will also be reflected in your net benefit amount, so your actual deposit might be different than just applying the 3.2% increase to your current payment. The good news is SSA is pretty reliable about getting the payments right even when the online display lags behind. Hang in there!

As a newcomer to this community, I really appreciate seeing all this helpful information! I'm in a similar situation - this will be my first COLA adjustment since I started receiving benefits earlier this year. It's reassuring to know that the December timeline for online account updates is normal and that the actual payments will be processed correctly in January regardless. The tip about calculating the approximate amount myself (multiplying by 1.032) is really practical for budgeting purposes. I'm also glad to learn about checking the SSA-1099 preview as another place to look for updates. Thanks everyone for sharing your experiences - it really helps those of us who are new to navigating the Social Security system!