I work for a disability advocacy organization and see cases like yours regularly. One thing that might help is requesting your husband's Social Security Statement to get a clearer picture of his potential benefits. You can do this as his spouse - SSA Form SSA-7050-F4 allows you to request another person's earnings record if you're married to them. Also, don't overlook that his recent steady employment at $25/hr could significantly boost his benefit calculation since Social Security uses your highest 35 years of earnings. If he works until his full retirement age, those final years of higher earnings will replace some of his earlier lower-earning years in the calculation. Given your health issues that forced early retirement, you might also want to explore whether you qualify for Social Security Disability benefits, which aren't reduced for early filing like retirement benefits are. It's worth investigating all your options!

Just wanted to add that even though you've been separated for 23 years, your legal marital status is what matters for Social Security purposes. The length of separation doesn't affect your eligibility for spousal or survivor benefits - only divorce would change that. One thing to keep in mind is timing. If your husband files for his own Social Security benefits, you can immediately apply for spousal benefits (assuming you meet the other requirements). You don't have to wait for him to reach full retirement age - he just needs to have filed for his own benefits first. Also, since you mentioned money is tight, remember that if you do qualify for additional benefits through his record, they can sometimes pay retroactive benefits for up to 6 months from when you apply. So don't delay in contacting SSA once he becomes eligible or if he passes away. The calculations can be complex, but given that he's had several recent years of decent earnings, there's definitely a chance his benefit could be high enough to increase your monthly payment. Good luck navigating this!

Does anyone know when these changes actually start? I heard 2025 but not sure exactly when during the year?

I just remembered something IMPORTANT! If you have 30+ years of "substantial earnings" under Social Security, you might be COMPLETELY EXEMPT from WEP even under the current rules!!!! You should check if your 35 years of SS work all count as "substantial earnings" - the threshold changes each year. For 2023 it was around $28,050 I think?? If you have 30+ substantial years you might not even need to worry about WEP at all!!!!

Thank you all for the advice! I think I'll try to reach SSA using that service someone mentioned because I really need to understand my specific situation. It sounds like I was wrong about several things - especially about my husband needing to stop working to collect benefits. If he can file at 70 while still working, that changes our planning quite a bit. I also didn't realize that taking my benefit early would permanently reduce my spousal benefit later. Lots to think about!

I'm in a very similar situation at 63 with my husband being 67. What really helped me was creating a spreadsheet to compare different scenarios - claiming now vs waiting until FRA vs waiting until 70 (though that doesn't apply to spousal benefits). One thing that might be worth considering is your household's overall financial picture. If you don't need the income immediately and have other retirement savings or your husband's business income to cover expenses, waiting until your FRA could maximize your lifetime benefits significantly given the large gap between your benefit and potential spousal benefit. Also, I learned that if you're still working and earning above the earnings limit ($22,320 for 2024), your benefits would be reduced anyway if you claim before FRA. So factor that in if you're still employed. The file-and-suspend strategy that used to exist is no longer available for people born after 1954, so don't get confused by older advice online. The current rules are what matter for your decision. Good luck! This stuff really is unnecessarily complicated.

my cousin did somthing smart, he worked jan-oct full time then retired in nov and got 2 SS checks that yr becuz he didnt go over monthly limit for those 2 months even tho the yearly total was over

Just wanted to add something important about working for your brother's landscaping business - make sure you're clear on whether you'll be classified as an employee or independent contractor. If you're doing regular landscaping work and he controls when/how you work, you're likely an employee even if it's family. This affects how your earnings count toward the limit and how taxes are handled. Also, since landscaping can be seasonal, you might want to plan your work schedule around the earnings limit - maybe work more hours in months when you're under the limit rather than spreading it evenly throughout the year.

Thank you everyone for all the helpful information! I feel much clearer on what to do now. I'll wait until after my husband receives his first payment in 3 months, then call SSA to make sure my spousal benefits are being processed correctly. I'll have our marriage certificate ready just in case they need it. The deemed filing information was particularly helpful - I didn't realize that would automatically tie everything together.

Just wanted to add one more tip that helped me when I went through this process - keep detailed records of every phone call you make to SSA, including the date, time, and the name of the representative you spoke with (if they give it). Also write down any reference numbers they provide. I had to call back twice because of conflicting information from different reps, and having those details helped me get everything sorted out more quickly. The system can be frustrating, but most of the SSA staff really do want to help once you get through to them. Good luck with everything, and congratulations again on starting your retirement benefits!