another thing to think about is that once u hit full retirement age none of this matters anymore! at 67 u can earn as much as u want with no penalties. so maybe just wait til then if u can?? that's what my neighbor did with his business

Just wanted to add something that might help with your record-keeping - I use a simple phone app to track my hours in real-time while I'm working. Takes literally 2 seconds to start/stop the timer each day, and at the end of the month I have exact hours worked without having to guess or reconstruct from memory. For income tracking, I also recommend setting up a separate business checking account if you don't already have one. Makes it super easy to track monthly income and expenses when tax time comes around, and SSA loves clean records if they ever audit your monthly earnings. One more tip - consider getting your earnings estimate from SSA.gov before you start collecting. That way you'll know exactly what your monthly benefit will be, which helps with budgeting around the earnings limits. Good luck with your lawn care business!

Remember, whatever you decide, document EVERYTHING. Keep records of all your communications with SSA, any calculations you do, and the reasoning behind your decisions. It'll save you a headache if you ever get audited or have to appeal anything.

Just wanted to add another perspective here - I actually did a partial Roth conversion while on SSDI about two years ago. I worked with a CPA who specializes in disability benefits, and we did it in smaller chunks over three years to keep the taxable income manageable each year. The key thing that helped me was calculating exactly how much I could convert each year while staying well under the SGA limit and avoiding the income thresholds that would make my SSDI taxable. It's definitely doable, but you really want to run the numbers carefully first. The peace of mind from having professional guidance was worth every penny!

I'm new to this community but going through a similar situation with my own benefit planning. Reading through everyone's responses has been incredibly helpful! It sounds like the key takeaway is that you need to get the exact monthly benefit amounts in writing for both scenarios before making any decision. From what I'm understanding, the $10k retroactive payment might sound attractive upfront, but if it permanently reduces your monthly benefit by even $100-200, that could cost you tens of thousands over your lifetime. At your current survivor benefit of $2,260 and projected retirement benefit of $3,125 at 70, you're already looking at a significant monthly increase - don't let them pressure you into giving up part of that increase for a one-time payment. I'd definitely recommend the in-person appointment suggestion someone mentioned above. Having everything written down and being able to ask follow-up questions face-to-face seems like the best way to avoid any confusion or misunderstandings about such an important financial decision.

I went through this exact decision two years ago and I'm so glad I waited until 70! The SSA agent was very persistent about the retroactive benefits - kept emphasizing the immediate $8,500 I could get. But I did the math and realized it would have cost me about $180/month for life. Here's what helped me make the decision: I asked the agent to mail me a written comparison showing both scenarios - my monthly benefit if I took retroactive vs. waiting until 70. Seeing those numbers on paper made it crystal clear. In my case, I would have broken even at around age 74, but since I planned to live well beyond that (and thankfully am in good health), waiting was the obvious choice. The key is don't let them rush you into a decision during that phone call. Ask for everything in writing, take time to review it, and maybe even bring it to a financial advisor or trusted family member to look over. This is one of the biggest financial decisions you'll make - a few extra days or weeks to think it through is worth it for a choice that affects the rest of your life.

Great to see you got through to SSA and have an appointment scheduled! Just wanted to add a couple things that might be helpful for your meeting: 1. If you can find any old tax returns from when you were married, those might have his SSN on them (joint returns would show both). Even if you don't have them, it's not necessary since SSA confirmed they can find his record without it. 2. Since you mentioned he earned "almost triple" what you did, you're likely looking at a significant increase. At FRA, survivor benefits aren't reduced, so you should get 100% of what he was entitled to (or what he was receiving if he had already claimed). 3. Don't forget to ask about Medicare implications if you're eligible - sometimes survivor benefit changes can affect Medicare premiums. Really hoping this works out for you and provides the financial relief you need. Keep us posted after your appointment!

So glad you were able to get through and have an appointment scheduled! This is exactly the kind of situation where the SSA's ability to locate records with basic information really shines. Since you mentioned you were married for 17 years (well over the 10-year requirement) and never remarried, you're in a strong position for approval. One thing to keep in mind - since you're already receiving your own reduced benefit that you took at 62, the survivor benefit calculation will be separate. You'll essentially switch from your current benefit to the higher survivor benefit if eligible. The good news is that taking your own benefit early won't reduce the survivor benefit amount. Wishing you the best of luck at your appointment! This could be life-changing financially, and it sounds like you have all the documentation you need.

One last thought - your sister should consider scheduling an appointment with SSA now, even though she's not eligible yet. They can provide an estimate of what her survivor benefit amount will be at different claiming ages, which will help with financial planning. Also, they can explain the earnings limit if she plans to continue working while receiving benefits before her full retirement age. The earnings limit is quite restrictive and can cause benefits to be withheld if she earns too much.

I'm so sorry for your family's loss. This is such valuable information being shared here. I wanted to add that your sister might also want to check if her late husband had any life insurance through his employer or if there are any union benefits she might be entitled to. These aren't Social Security benefits, but they could provide some immediate financial relief while she waits until age 60 for survivor benefits. Also, if he was a veteran, there may be VA survivor benefits available that have different eligibility requirements than Social Security. It's worth checking all possible sources of support during this incredibly difficult time.