I just wanted to thank everyone for the helpful advice. I called SSA this morning (finally got through after trying for 2 hours) and got confirmation that it's definitely WEP affecting my benefits. The agent walked me through my earnings record and confirmed I have 22 years of substantial earnings under Social Security. The good news: working just 3 more years would reduce my WEP penalty by about $300/month! That makes a huge difference, so I'm now planning to work until 2028 instead of retiring in 2025. Not ideal, but better than trying to live on significantly reduced benefits for the rest of my life. For anyone else in this situation - definitely call and ask for a detailed WEP calculation and how additional working years would change it. The differences can be substantial!

I'm so glad you were able to get through to SSA and get clarity on your situation! Your experience really highlights how important it is for people to understand WEP before making retirement plans. Just to add to what others have shared - you might also want to check if your state has any supplemental programs or if your teacher's pension system offers any additional benefits that could help offset the WEP reduction. Some states have created programs specifically to help public employees who are affected by WEP/GPO. Also, when you're planning those additional 3 years of work, consider whether maximizing your earnings during those years (if possible) could provide any additional benefit beyond just meeting the substantial earnings threshold. Every little bit helps when you're dealing with WEP reductions. Thanks for sharing your update - it's really helpful for others who might be facing the same shock you experienced!

I went through this exact transition with my dad last year when he turned 65. One thing that really helped was calling SSA and asking them to send a written summary of his specific situation - they can provide a personalized breakdown of how the transition will work for him, including any Trial Work Period months he's already used and exactly when his Full Retirement Age will be. The phone rep was able to look up his work history and tell us exactly how much he could earn without affecting benefits. Also, if your husband does start working, make sure the employer knows about his situation so they can help track hours and earnings to stay under the limits. The hardware store job sounds perfect since it's with friends who would probably be understanding about keeping his schedule flexible!

I just wanted to share my experience as someone who recently went through this transition at 65. The most important thing I learned is that you absolutely need to report ANY work activity to SSA BEFORE your husband starts working, not after. Even if he thinks he'll stay well under the limits, unexpected overtime or a busy week could push him over without realizing it. Also, something nobody mentioned yet - if your husband has any other income sources (like a small pension, rental income, etc.), make sure SSA knows about those too when calculating his situation. They look at all income sources when determining work capacity. One last tip: when you do call SSA, ask to speak with a disability specialist rather than general customer service. They're much more knowledgeable about the complex rules around SSDI-to-retirement transitions and Trial Work Periods. The regular reps often give conflicting information about these specialized situations. Your husband is smart to want to ease back into work gradually - that hardware store job sounds like it could be perfect for testing the waters!

Just to add some perspective here - claiming at 64 instead of 66+4mo (OP's FRA) means approximately a 13-14% permanent reduction in benefits. While that's significant, sometimes life circumstances make early claiming necessary, as was the case here. The good news is that working now won't change the existing benefit amount, but might lead to slightly higher benefits after the annual recalculation if this year's earnings are higher than one of the 35 years used in the original calculation.

As someone who recently navigated a similar situation, I wanted to add a few practical tips for your transition back to work: 1. **Set up quarterly tax payments** - Since you'll likely owe taxes on your SS benefits now, consider making estimated quarterly payments to avoid a big bill at year-end. Your accountant neighbor might be able to help with this! 2. **Keep detailed records** - Even though there's no earnings limit after FRA, I still track everything for my own peace of mind and tax purposes. 3. **Consider the timing** - Since you're starting mid-year, your 2025 income will be prorated. This might keep you well below any Medicare premium thresholds even with future raises. 4. **Health insurance coordination** - Make sure you understand how any employer health benefits might coordinate with Medicare if your new employer offers coverage. Congratulations on finding a position that works with your caregiving situation! It's wonderful that you can get back into the workforce while still being available for your husband. Best of luck with the new job!

I'm in a similar situation as you, Abby! I'm 64 and started taking my benefits at 62, getting about $1,200/month. My husband is 66 and just filed for his benefits last month. I had to specifically apply for the spousal benefit - it definitely wasn't automatic like I thought it would be. The process was actually pretty straightforward once I got through to someone at SSA (took a few tries though). They calculated my spousal benefit based on his PIA minus what I'm already getting, then reduced it because I filed early. I ended up getting an extra $89/month, which isn't huge but every little bit helps! One tip: when you call, have your Social Security statements handy for both you and your husband. They asked for specific numbers from our earnings records to verify the calculations. Good luck!

This thread has been incredibly helpful! I'm also navigating spousal benefits and had no idea about the deemed filing rule that Sadie mentioned. One thing I'm wondering about - if your husband is still working while collecting Social Security, does that affect your spousal benefit calculation at all? I know there are earnings limits that can reduce his benefits if he's under FRA, but I'm not sure if that impacts the spousal portion. Also, for those who've actually gone through the application process - did SSA require any documentation beyond the marriage certificate? My husband and I have been married for 15 years but I want to make sure I have everything ready before I call. The horror stories about wait times are making me want to be super prepared!

Don't forget that the taxable thresholds for Social Security have not been adjusted for inflation since they were introduced in 1984!!! The $25,000/$32,000 limits would be over $70,000/$90,000 if they had been indexed for inflation. More and more middle-class retirees get pushed into paying taxes on their benefits every year because of this. It's a total scam by the government!

I'm just starting to research this topic as I approach retirement in a few years, and honestly, this thread has been eye-opening! Like Lydia, I had no idea that Social Security benefits could be taxable. I always assumed they were completely tax-free since we pay into the system our whole working lives. Reading about those income thresholds from 1984 never being adjusted for inflation really puts things in perspective. It explains why so many retirees today are caught off guard by the tax implications. For those of you who've been through this already - what's your biggest piece of advice for someone who's still in the planning stage? Should I be adjusting my retirement savings strategy now to account for this, or is it better to just plan on having taxes withheld when the time comes? Also, does anyone know if there are any proposed changes to these rules in Congress? It seems like updating those 40-year-old thresholds would be a common-sense reform.