I'm in a very similar situation - also a retired teacher from Texas who was affected by GPO. I applied for spousal benefits about 3 weeks ago after the repeal and completely forgot about retroactive benefits until I saw your post! I called SSA this morning using the regular 1-800-772-1213 number and surprisingly got through after only about 45 minutes on hold (maybe I got lucky with the timing). The representative was very helpful and said they could absolutely add the retroactive benefits request to my existing application since it hasn't been finalized yet. She added a note to my file requesting 6 months retroactive benefits and gave me a confirmation number. The whole process took less than 10 minutes once I got through to someone. She also mentioned that since the GPO repeal is recent, my retroactive benefits would only go back to the effective date of the repeal, not the full 6 months, but that's still a decent amount of money! Don't give up on calling - maybe try early morning or late afternoon when call volume might be lower. Good luck!

As someone who just went through this exact process last month, I can confirm that you absolutely can still request retroactive benefits! I was also a teacher (in Michigan) affected by GPO and forgot to mention retroactive benefits during my initial application. I ended up going to my local SSA office in person because I couldn't get through on the phone after trying for a week. The wait was about 2 hours, but the representative was able to add the retroactive benefits request to my pending application immediately. She explained that since I was past FRA, I was eligible for up to 6 months retroactive, but due to the timing of the GPO repeal, mine would only go back to the repeal effective date. The key is getting to them BEFORE they finalize processing your application. Since you just applied last week, you should have plenty of time. I'd recommend trying both the phone and in-person options - whichever you can access first. Make sure to ask for a confirmation number and written documentation of the request. The retroactive amount ended up being substantial for me - definitely worth the effort to pursue it! Good luck!

As a newcomer to this community, I'm finding this discussion incredibly valuable! I'm in a similar situation where my spouse has a teacher's pension and we've been trying to understand how GPO might affect our Social Security planning. The point about monthly vs. annual increases for delayed retirement credits was really eye-opening - I had assumed it was calculated yearly too. And the sequencing advice about filing the primary application first before the spousal application makes total sense from a systems perspective. I'm also curious about the GPO repeal timing that was mentioned. Like others, I thought any potential changes were still in the proposal stage. It would be great to get clarity on what's actually been enacted vs. what's still being discussed in Congress. Thanks to everyone for sharing their experiences and knowledge - this is exactly the kind of real-world insight that's so hard to find elsewhere!

As someone new to this community, I really appreciate how thorough and helpful everyone has been with their responses! I'm currently dealing with my own Social Security timing questions and this thread has clarified several misconceptions I had. The point about monthly DRC calculations was particularly valuable - I had also assumed it was an annual adjustment. And the sequencing advice about filing the primary application first before spousal benefits makes perfect sense from an administrative standpoint. Regarding the GPO situation mentioned in the original post, I think there might be some confusion about current vs. proposed legislation. From what I've researched, GPO is still in effect as of 2025, though there have been various bills introduced in Congress to modify or repeal it. It would definitely be worth clarifying this directly with SSA during your appointment. One additional suggestion for your phone appointment: consider asking about the "six-month retroactive limit" rule and how it might interact with your specific timing strategy. Sometimes there are nuances in how retroactive benefits are calculated that aren't immediately obvious. Best of luck with your appointment! Please consider updating us on what you learn - these real-world experiences are so valuable for others navigating similar situations.

Just wanted to add that you might also want to consider the timing of when you apply within your birth month. If you're born early in the month, you can actually start receiving benefits the month you turn 70. But if you're born later in the month, you might want to apply the month before to avoid any delays in processing. Also, make sure to keep receiving your survivor benefits right up until your retirement benefits kick in - don't stop the survivor payments early thinking you need to "make room" for the new benefit. SSA will handle the transition automatically once your retirement benefit application is approved.

One more thing to keep in mind - when you apply for your retirement benefits at 70, you'll want to specify that you want to switch from survivor benefits to retirement benefits. Sometimes people accidentally apply for both or don't make it clear they want to switch, which can cause processing delays. I'd recommend being very explicit about this when you submit your application. Also, if you're still working when you turn 70, make sure SSA has your most recent earnings information, as this could potentially increase your benefit amount even further. The earnings from your 69th year might not be fully reflected in the online estimate yet.

Thank you all for the helpful responses! This makes a lot more sense now. I was expecting the same pattern of increases I saw before, but I didn't understand all the factors involved. Sounds like: 1. The recalculation only helps if my current earnings are replacing much lower earnings years 2. At my income level, additional earnings only impact benefits at 15% of the value 3. The October 2024 recalculation might still show a small increase from my 2023 earnings I appreciate everyone taking the time to explain this. The Social Security system is so much more complicated than I realized!

You've got a really good grasp of it now! Just to add one more piece that might be helpful - you can actually estimate whether your current earnings will make a difference by looking at your Social Security statement. If you have the annual earnings history, find your 35th highest year (after adjusting for wage indexing, which is complex). If your current salary is significantly higher than that 35th year, you'll see some increase. If it's only moderately higher, the impact will be minimal due to those bend points everyone mentioned. Also, since you're still working full-time, don't forget that you're still paying into the system and building up credits that could help with future Cost of Living Adjustments (COLAs). Even if the recalculation doesn't boost your benefit much, you're still contributing to the overall stability of your retirement income.

another thing - when u do apply at 60, apply like 3 months before ur birthday. they dont backdate survivor benefits very far and u dont wanna lose any payments

I'm so sorry for your loss. Going through this at 54 must be incredibly difficult, especially while trying to navigate all these benefit rules during such a painful time. From what I understand, you're unfortunately in that gap where you're too young for regular survivor benefits (which start at 60) but don't qualify for the earlier exceptions since you don't have young or disabled children in your care. The disability status of your late husband doesn't change the age requirements for you as the survivor. One thing you might want to explore is whether you could qualify for disabled widow benefits starting at age 50. The criteria are strict - you'd need to become disabled within 7 years of his death (or within 7 years of when mother's benefits would end if you had been receiving them). It's a long shot given that you're currently working full-time, but if your health situation changes, it could be worth investigating. Also, make sure when you do eventually apply for survivor benefits that you understand how it will interact with your own Social Security record. You'll want to run the numbers to see whether it makes more sense to take survivor benefits first and switch to your own later, or vice versa, depending on which would be higher. Hang in there - I know these next 6 years are going to be challenging financially and emotionally.