You guys are all confusing me more!!! So is it better to take SS at 65 or wait?? I'm in the same situation retiring next year and now I don't know what to do!!!

I want to thank everyone for their helpful responses! I've learned that my FRA is actually 67, not 66 like I thought. So waiting from 65 to 66 reduces my early retirement penalty but isn't actually delayed credits yet. I still get about 7.5% more monthly benefit even without working, which sounds worth it to me. And I'll definitely remember to sign up for Medicare at 65 regardless of when I take SS benefits. This has been incredibly helpful for my retirement planning!

THE SSA REPRESENTATIVES LIE!!! When I filed they told me one thing and then did another. GET EVERYTHING IN WRITING! And record the calls if your state allows it!!!! They'll tell you anything to get you off the phone and then you have NO RECOURSE when they mess up your benefits. I'm still fighting them 7 months later!!!

Thank you all for the helpful information! After reading everyone's responses, I think I'll wait until my FRA to file for benefits since my own retirement amount will be higher than the spousal benefit anyway. I'll try using that Claimyr service to actually speak with SSA and confirm all this information. It's frustrating that this strategy is no longer available to people my age, but at least now I understand the rules better.

my dad always says he needs a secret decoder ring just to read his SS statements lol

One more important acronym to know is AERO - Automatic Earnings Recomputation Operation. This is when Social Security automatically recalculates your benefit amount to include recent earnings that might increase your benefit. It happens every year, and you don't need to request it. Also, MBR (Master Beneficiary Record) is your official record in the SSA system that contains all your benefit information. If you ever hear a representative mention checking your MBR, that's what they're referring to.

To clarify the earlier discussion about the Monthly Earnings Test: The commenter was correct that the monthly test only applies for the calendar year you first become entitled to benefits. Since you started receiving in September 2024, the monthly test would only apply for the remainder of 2024. For 2025, you'll be subject to the regular annual earnings test of approximately $22,320 if you're under Full Retirement Age for the entire year. This is why it's important to know that December 2024 work paid in January 2025 counts toward your 2024 earnings total.

also dont forget they only count WAGES and SELF-EMPLOYMENT toward the limit!! investment income, pensions, etc DONT count against the earnings test. that really helped me maximize my survivors check

My aunt just went through this whole ordeal last month! She ended up having to reschedule her SSA appointment twice because of delays getting her docs. So annoying!

UPDATE: Success! I wanted to update this in case anyone has a similar problem. I went to the Cook County Clerk's office in person yesterday with my SSA appointment letter. The clerk was super helpful and processed my request as an emergency. Got my certified marriage certificate on the spot! Cost was $15 for the first copy and $4 for an extra one (get extras, folks!). Thank you all for your help and suggestions. My SSA appointment is still on for next week and now I have everything I need!

by the way tell ur sister to call her representatives in congress and DEMAND they pass this!!! they've been promising to fix this for YEARS and nothing ever happens!!!

To answer your question about notifications - your sister should: 1. Sign up for email updates from advocacy groups like the National Active and Retired Federal Employees Association (NARFE) or the National Education Association (NEA) who track this legislation closely 2. Set up alerts on congress.gov for the specific bill numbers (though these change each session) 3. Follow her congressional representatives on social media as they'll likely announce when it passes If her question is specifically about applying for benefits should the law change, she should create a my Social Security account online where SSA posts important notices and updates.

Wait I thought the whole WEP repeal thing didn't pass?? My father in law was telling me Congress was talking about it but nothing actually happened. Are you sure its actually repealed?

Since several people have pointed out that the WEP repeal hasn't actually happened yet, your husband's current situation remains unchanged. His benefit is still reduced by WEP, and if that amount ($1,375) is higher than half of your PIA at your FRA, then he wouldn't qualify for spousal benefits at this time.

Oh, I stand corrected! Thanks for explaining that. I wish someone had told me about the limited widow's benefit when my wife passed. The SSA rep never mentioned it.

Thank you for this discussion! I had no idea the calculation could be so complicated. It sounds like we really need to talk with a knowledgeable SSA representative to understand exactly what amount Dad would receive under different scenarios.

Have u checked if u can get more on ur husbands record NOW? My wife got more on my record even before i retired! Worth checking!!

Thanks everyone for the advice! After reading all your comments, I'm leaning toward waiting until my FRA to claim any benefits. It seems like the math works out better long-term, even though it's tempting to take something now. I'm going to try that Claimyr service to talk directly with SSA and get the exact numbers for my situation. I'll also talk with my husband about our overall retirement strategy to make sure we're coordinating our claiming decisions properly. It's such a relief to get all this information!

I'm really curious about this. When did everyone receive their extra payment? Was it all on the same day or different days? I wonder if this is happening nationwide or just in certain regions. And is it affecting both retirement and disability payments? Maybe it's related to the COLA increase this year? So many questions!

UPDATE: I finally got through to SSA after using the Claimyr service someone suggested below (it actually worked!). The agent confirmed there was a system error affecting some beneficiaries and they are aware of the duplicate payments. She documented everything in my account and said I should just leave the money alone - they will automatically withdraw it within 2-3 weeks. She said I won't face any penalties since it was their error, but it was important that I reported it. Thanks everyone for your help!