Something else worth mentioning: if your brother has already hit his 62nd birthday, he doesn't have to wait until July to apply. He can apply up to 4 months before he wants benefits to begin. So if he wants July benefits, he could apply now and specify July as his benefit start month. This gives SSA time to process the application, which can sometimes take a while. The first payment for July would arrive in August.

Just wanted to add a quick note about timing for anyone else in a similar situation - if your brother is planning to start benefits in July, he should also consider what his earnings will look like for the remainder of 2025. Since he'll only be collecting SS for 6 months this year (July-December), the monthly earnings test might actually work out better than the annual test would in future years. Also, when he does his initial application, they'll ask about expected earnings for the year. Make sure he gives them realistic estimates including those quarterly commissions - it's better to overestimate slightly than to have surprise income that triggers overpayments later. SSA hates having to claw back money they've already paid out!

To directly answer your original question - yes, the maximum benefit for someone filing at FRA is increasing for 2025, and yes, this is separate from the COLA adjustment. The COLA applies to people already receiving benefits, while the maximum benefit calculation applies to new filers. However, this doesn't mean you'll get more than a 2.5% increase overall. Your benefit is calculated based on your own earnings history, not on what the maximum potential benefit is. The only way this affects you personally is through small adjustments to the PIA calculation formula that happens each year. For most people, these formula adjustments result in very small differences - we're talking about maybe $5-15 per month different than if you had filed with the exact same earnings history the previous year. Your claiming age and earnings history are FAR more important factors in determining your benefit amount.

Just to add another perspective here - I work in benefits consulting and help people navigate SS claims regularly. The confusion around maximum benefits vs COLA is super common, but here's the key thing to remember: unless you've been a very high earner for most of your career, these year-to-year changes in the maximum benefit calculation won't meaningfully impact your actual benefit amount. What WILL impact your benefit significantly is making sure you have an accurate earnings record with SSA before you file. I always tell my clients to create a my.ssa.gov account and review their earnings history at least 6 months before filing. I've seen cases where missing or incorrect earnings records cost people hundreds of dollars per month in benefits. Also, don't stress too much about timing your application to the exact month - focus more on whether you want to claim at FRA, delay for delayed retirement credits, or claim early with reduced benefits. That decision will have a much bigger impact on your monthly payment than any formula adjustments.

I'm in a very similar situation and this thread has been incredibly helpful! I'm 64 and still working, earning about $80k annually, while my husband just turned 65 and his SSDI converted to retirement benefits. Reading through all these responses, it seems like the key factors are: 1. Your own benefit amount vs. spousal benefit amount 2. Your current earnings level 3. Whether you plan to keep working past FRA Based on what everyone's shared, it sounds like for most people still working with decent salaries, waiting until FRA makes the most sense. The earnings test would just wipe out most benefits anyway, and if your own benefit is higher than spousal, there's really no advantage to filing early. Has anyone here actually tried using that my.ssa.gov benefit calculator to compare scenarios? I've looked at mine but find it confusing to figure out exactly what I'd get under different timing options.

I'm new to this community but going through almost the exact same situation! I'm 65, still working full-time making about $68,000, and my husband's SSDI just converted to retirement benefits when he turned 65 last month. Reading through all these responses has been so enlightening - I had no idea about the "deemed filing" rule or how the earnings test actually works. I've been stressing about whether I should apply for something NOW, but it sounds like with my salary level, most benefits would just get withheld anyway. One question I haven't seen addressed - if I wait until my FRA to file, will there be any issues with the fact that my husband's benefits converted from SSDI to retirement? Does that timing affect my eligibility for spousal benefits at all, or is it just treated the same as if he had regular retirement benefits all along? Also, has anyone here actually received those calculation worksheets that were mentioned? I called SSA twice but couldn't get through, and I'm wondering if it's worth trying that Claimyr service that was suggested or if I should just be patient and keep trying the regular number. Thank you all for sharing your experiences - this has been more helpful than anything I found on the SSA website!

just want 2 add - make sure u keep good records! my mom had issues proving my dads income when he passed & it took MONTHS to sort out with SS. keep copies of EVERYTHING

This thread has been super helpful! I'm in a similar situation where I'm considering delaying my benefits to maximize what my husband would get as a survivor. One thing I'm curious about - does anyone know if there are any tax implications we should consider? Like, would the higher survivor benefit amount put my husband in a different tax bracket that might affect the overall value? I know Social Security benefits can be taxable depending on other income, but I'm not sure how that works with survivor benefits specifically.

UPDATE: I ended up keeping my original November 18th appointment, but I did verify the call was actually from SSA by calling their main number. Apparently they're trying to process survivor benefits faster and had a cancellation. Thanks everyone for the quick advice - it really helped me figure out what to do while at work without all my documents!

Glad you were able to verify it was legitimate! This is such a good reminder for everyone - when in doubt, always call the official SSA number directly rather than trusting incoming calls. Even if they sound official, scammers are getting really sophisticated. You made the right choice keeping your original appointment so you can be fully prepared. Having all your documents ready will make the process much smoother. Sorry for your loss, and I hope the survivor benefits process goes smoothly for you in November.