NOBODY mentioned that survivor benefits taken at 60 are reduced by 28.5% FOREVER!!! she's only getting 71.5% of what she would get if she waited till her FRA!!! i hope the counseling job pays well because that's a big hit to take on lifetime benefits!!!

As someone who recently went through a similar earnings situation, I wanted to add that it's worth asking SSA about establishing a payment plan if you do end up with an overpayment next year. When I had to pay back benefits, they let me set up monthly payments rather than demanding a lump sum, which made it much more manageable on my budget. Also, keep detailed records of all your communications with SSA about this - dates you called, representative names if you get them, and what was discussed. This documentation can be really helpful if there are any discrepancies later when they process your final earnings report. Good luck with the rest of your counseling work! It sounds like you're handling this situation exactly the right way by being proactive.

Sounds like a solid plan. One more tip: when you log in to your mySocialSecurity account, look for the \

One thing I haven't seen mentioned yet is that you should also consider the impact of healthcare costs during those gap years from 60-67. Without employer insurance, you'll need to factor in the cost of private health insurance or ACA marketplace plans until you're eligible for Medicare at 65. For some people, those healthcare costs can eat into any potential Social Security benefit gains from working longer. It's another piece of the puzzle when weighing early retirement vs. continuing to work. Make sure to get quotes for individual health insurance in your area as part of your decision-making process!

As a newcomer here, I just wanted to say how helpful this entire discussion has been! I'm in a somewhat similar situation - planning to file for early retirement benefits next year and really worried about navigating the earnings limits correctly. Reading through everyone's experiences, it's clear that the key points are: 1) Only earnings from your entitlement month forward count toward the limit, 2) In your first year you get the monthly test which can be more forgiving, and 3) It's crucial to know your exact entitlement date from SSA, not just when you filed or received your first payment. @Sean - it sounds like you're getting some great advice here. The suggestion to check your my Social Security account online for your exact entitlement date seems really smart. And keeping detailed records like Andre mentioned sounds like a must-do. One question I have - for those of you who've been through this, is there any particular time of year that's better for calling SSA to get through faster? Or is it pretty much a nightmare year-round? I'm dreading having to call them when I file next year!

As someone who recently navigated this same situation, I can confirm what others have said - only earnings from your entitlement month forward count toward the annual limit. In your case Sean, if your entitlement date is February 2025, then your January wages don't count at all. I'd strongly recommend logging into your my Social Security account online to verify your exact entitlement date. This will give you the definitive answer you need. Also, since you mentioned starting a consulting business, remember that self-employment income is counted when you receive it, not when you earn it - which can actually work in your favor for timing payments. The monthly test in your first year is really helpful for people like us who retired mid-year. As long as you stay under $1,860/month in any given month you're entitled to benefits, you'll receive your full payment for that month regardless of your annual total. One last tip - I set up a simple spreadsheet to track all my earnings month by month. It's been invaluable for staying on top of where I stand with the limits and avoiding any surprises!

As someone who works in benefits administration, I want to emphasize how important it is to pursue this! The differential payment system is one of the most misunderstood aspects of Social Security child benefits. What's happening here is completely legitimate - your daughter isn't getting "double benefits" but rather getting adjusted to the higher benefit amount she was always entitled to. The timing makes perfect sense too. When you filed with retroactive benefits, it triggered a review of all potential child beneficiaries during that retroactive period. The system automatically flagged that your daughter might be entitled to a higher benefit amount on your record compared to what she received on your husband's record. Don't let the paperwork intimidate you - Form 1372 is standard procedure and schools handle these requests routinely. The key thing is that SSA reached out to YOU, which means their system has already identified a potential overpayment situation in your favor. That's money your family is legally entitled to, so definitely follow through!

I'm in a very similar situation right now! My daughter graduated last year and I just filed for my own benefits a few months ago. SSA called me last week about the exact same thing - Form 1372 and potential additional benefits on my record. I was so confused because like you, she already got benefits on my ex-husband's record until graduation. Reading through all these responses has been incredibly eye-opening. I had no idea about this differential payment system! It sounds like this is actually pretty common when one parent files later than the other. I'm definitely going to call her high school tomorrow too - seems like they're used to handling these forms for graduated students. Thanks for posting about this! Without seeing your question and everyone's helpful responses, I probably would have just ignored SSA's call thinking it was some kind of mistake. Now I realize I could be leaving money on the table for my daughter. Really appreciate everyone sharing their experiences here!

One final consideration: Double-check when your FRA actually is for survivor benefits. For retirement benefits, FRA for someone born in 1962 is 67. But for survivor benefits, the FRA can be different - it could be 66 and 10 months. This small difference matters for planning purposes if you want to completely avoid the earnings test.

I'm so sorry for your loss, Sofia. Losing a spouse at such a young age is heartbreaking, and navigating all these complex benefit rules while grieving just adds to the burden. Your strategy sounds solid based on what others have shared. I wanted to add one thing that might help with the SSA communication frustration - if you have a local SSA office, sometimes scheduling an in-person appointment can be more productive than trying to get through on the phone. You can use their online appointment system at ssa.gov, and having face-to-face time with someone who can pull up your records and walk through scenarios might give you more confidence in your planning. Also, since you mentioned your wife had about 25 years of SS-covered employment before switching to teaching, her benefit calculation should be pretty straightforward without WEP complications on her record. That's good news for your survivor benefit amount. Take care of yourself through this process - it's a lot to figure out, but you're asking all the right questions.