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!

KEEP FIGHTING!!! Don't let them get away with this! When this happened to me I had to call my congressperson's office to get help when SSA was dragging their feet. The congressional inquiry lit a fire under them and suddenly they were VERY responsive. Don't be afraid to escalate if you're not getting answers.

I'm so sorry you're dealing with this - what a stressful situation! Based on what others have shared here, it definitely sounds like an administrative error during your conversion. One thing I'd suggest is also requesting a "benefit verification letter" from your mySocialSecurity account if you can access it - this sometimes shows more detail about how they calculated your current payment amount and might give you clues about what went wrong. Also, if you do end up needing to escalate to your congressperson, having documentation of multiple failed attempts to reach SSA by phone will strengthen your case. I really hope you get this resolved quickly - that's a huge difference in your monthly income and you shouldn't have to stress about this when the conversion was supposed to be seamless!

Everyone's talking about the website but my grandson helped me call the Social Security number (1-800-772-1213) and they mailed me a statement that showed all my options. Took about 2 weeks to get it. Shows what I'd get at 62, 67, and 70. I'm going with 67 since my health isn't great and I need the money. Don't believe what the financial advisors say about always waiting - sometimes taking it earlier makes sense!

Hi Miguel! I went through this exact same process about 6 months ago when I was planning my retirement. The my Social Security account on ssa.gov really is the gold standard - it shows your actual earnings history and gives you personalized estimates based on your real work record. For the identity verification issues others mentioned, I had better luck doing it during off-peak hours (like mid-afternoon on a weekday). The system seems less overloaded then. You'll need your Social Security card, a photo ID, and be able to answer questions about your credit history or past addresses. Since you mentioned working consistently since 22 with about 6 years off, you likely have close to 30+ years of earnings, which puts you in a decent position. The calculator will show you exactly how those gap years affected your benefit calculation. And regarding your brother-in-law's estimate of $2,500 - that's not unrealistic depending on your earnings history. The national average is lower, but if you had steady middle-class income for most of your career, you could definitely be in that range at full retirement age (67 for you). One tip: if you do decide to work a few more years, even part-time income can help replace some of those zero-earning years from the 90s in your calculation!

Thank you all for the thoughtful responses! I'm seeing that personal circumstances really do matter more than the pure math. I'm leaning toward taking it at 62 since my part-time work will stay under the earnings limit, and my health concerns make me question if I'll hit that break-even point in my 80s. Plus, I'd rather enjoy the money while I'm young enough to use it for travel. Really appreciate everyone sharing their experiences - this has been super helpful!

I'm in a similar boat at 61 and have been wrestling with this decision for months. Reading everyone's experiences here really helps! One thing I'd add is to consider getting a personalized Social Security statement from ssa.gov to see exactly what your benefits would be at different claiming ages. Mine showed some surprising differences in the calculations that weren't obvious from the general rules. Also, if you do decide to claim early, consider setting up automatic investments with part of that monthly payment into a conservative portfolio. Even though you're getting less per month, you could potentially grow some of that money over time. I know it's not the same as waiting for the full benefit, but it's something to think about. The peace of mind factor is huge too - knowing you have that guaranteed income coming in every month, especially with the uncertainty in the economy and job market these days. Thanks for starting this discussion - it's exactly the kind of real-world perspective I needed to hear!

Oh meant to say, when your husband files at FRA, make sure he specifically mentions the kids' eligibility. Sometimes the claims specialists forget to ask about eligible children, then you have to start the whole process over again. Ask me how I know lol

Just wanted to add from personal experience - when you go to apply for the children's benefits, bring extra copies of all your documents! I made the mistake of only bringing one copy of each and they needed to keep copies for their files. Also, if you can, try to schedule your appointment for first thing in the morning - the wait times are usually shorter then. And don't forget that the benefits will be backdated to when your husband first becomes eligible (his FRA), so there might be a nice lump sum payment when everything gets processed. Good luck with everything!