Thank you all for the helpful responses. I've learned a lot about my options. I do have a small life insurance policy that will help for now, and I'm going to see if I can increase my work hours for the next few years. I'll definitely contact SSA soon to make sure I'm in their system correctly as my husband's widow. And I'm going to start looking into the strategy of taking survivor benefits at 60 vs. waiting for a higher amount at my FRA. When the time comes, I'll check out that Claimyr service to get through to a real person at SSA. Thanks again everyone for sharing your knowledge and personal experiences - it's been really helpful during this difficult time.

I'm so sorry for your loss. As someone who went through this process myself two years ago, I want to emphasize a few practical steps that really helped me: First, definitely contact SSA now to report your husband's death and get yourself established in their system as his widow - this was crucial advice from Miguel. Don't wait until you're ready to claim benefits. Second, regarding the earnings limit that StarSeeker mentioned - since you're making $28,000, you're well above the threshold. But here's something I learned: you can actually request that SSA withhold benefits during months when you expect to earn more, rather than having them reduce your annual benefits. This gives you more control. Third, consider getting a Social Security statement to see your own projected benefits. You might discover that the strategy of taking reduced survivor benefits at 60, then switching to your own (potentially higher) benefit later could work in your favor, especially if you continue working and building up your own credits. The emotional and financial stress is overwhelming right now, but you have time to plan the best strategy. Take care of yourself first, then tackle these decisions one step at a time.

Just wanted to add one more consideration that might be helpful - since you're already on SSDI, you should also think about Medicare timing. If you've been on SSDI for 24 months, you're automatically enrolled in Medicare Part A and B. When you switch to any other type of Social Security benefit (like ex-spouse benefits), your Medicare coverage continues without interruption. This is important to keep in mind as you navigate these benefit decisions, especially if you have ongoing medical needs. The transition between benefit types won't affect your healthcare coverage, which is one less thing to worry about!

I work as a benefits counselor and see situations like yours frequently. One thing I'd add to all the great advice here is that you should also ask SSA about "protective filing" when you call. If there's any chance your ex-spouse benefit would be higher than your SSDI, you can establish an application date while they calculate the exact amounts. This protects you from losing any retroactive benefits if there are processing delays. Also, since you mentioned your ex-husband has always earned more than you, there's a good chance his PIA is high enough that 50% would exceed your current $1,450 SSDI. High earners often have PIAs in the $3,000-4,000 range, which would make your potential ex-spouse benefit $1,500-2,000. Don't forget that if you do switch to ex-spouse benefits, you'll still be protected by cost-of-living adjustments (COLAs) just like with SSDI. The benefit type changes but the annual increases continue.

The SSA website is TERRIBLE abt explaining this stuff clearly!! No wonder ppl get confused when it talks abt "earnings" limits but doesnt clearly say it means WORK income not pensions! Glad u asked and got good answers here!

As a new member here, I just wanted to say thank you to everyone who helped clarify this! I was in a similar situation last year - also a teacher with TRS pension and was completely confused about survivor benefits after my spouse passed. The distinction between earned income (from working) and pension income for the earnings test is SO important and not explained well anywhere official. I ended up getting my full survivor benefits on top of my pension once GPO was repealed. For anyone else in this situation - definitely explore those claiming strategies mentioned above about timing different benefits. It can make a huge difference in your total lifetime benefits!

I'm in a similar situation planning ahead - my daughter wants to buy our family home next year when I turn 65. Reading through all these responses has been incredibly helpful! A few additional thoughts from my research: 1. Make sure to keep detailed records of the entire transaction - purchase agreement, closing documents, proof of mortgage payoff, etc. Even though regular SS retirement benefits aren't affected by assets, having everything documented gives peace of mind. 2. Consider timing if you're close to any income thresholds. Since IRMAA looks at tax returns from 2 years prior, the timing of when you realize any capital gains could matter for future Medicare premiums. 3. If your son is planning major renovations for the mother-in-law suite, you might want to clarify upfront how much of the sale proceeds (if any) you'll contribute to those improvements, as this could affect your tax situation. 4. One thing I learned from my research - if you do end up paying your son some monthly amount for utilities/maintenance, make sure it's documented properly. The IRS likes clear paper trails for family financial arrangements. Thanks to everyone who shared their experiences - this thread has been a goldmine of practical information!

As a newcomer to this community, I want to thank everyone for sharing such detailed and helpful information! I'm not in this exact situation yet, but my aging parents have been talking about potentially selling their home and moving in with one of us kids in the next few years. Reading through this thread has been incredibly educational - I had no idea about the distinction between regular Social Security retirement benefits and SSI, or about the IRMAA Medicare premium adjustments. The point about keeping detailed documentation and the capital gains exclusion for primary residences is especially valuable. One question that comes to mind after reading all these responses: For those who have gone through similar family arrangements, how did you handle the emotional/family dynamics aspect? Obviously the financial and legal considerations are crucial, but I imagine there might be some adjustment challenges when parents move in with adult children, even with separate living spaces. Any advice on making that transition smoother for everyone involved? Thanks again to @Paolo Esposito for asking such a relevant question, and to everyone who shared their experiences and expertise!

I'm also in a very similar situation and wanted to add my experience for anyone following this thread. I'm a retired teacher with 28 years in the Illinois Teachers' Retirement System, and my husband passed away 2 years ago. I calculated that his $1,950 survivor benefit would be completely eliminated by GPO against my $3,200 TRS pension, so I never applied. What's giving me some hope is that I found an old email thread from 2023 with my financial planner where we specifically discussed survivor benefits and she advised against applying due to GPO. I also have documentation from a TRS pre-retirement seminar where they explained how GPO would affect Social Security benefits. One thing I haven't seen mentioned here is that some people in teacher retirement Facebook groups are reporting that certain SSA offices are asking for statements from retirement counselors or pension administrators confirming that members were advised not to apply due to GPO. I'm planning to contact my TRS representative to see if they can provide something like that. The inconsistency between different SSA offices is really concerning. It seems like your success might depend on which office you visit and how knowledgeable the representative is about these complex GPO repeal cases. Has anyone had success requesting a specific appointment with someone who specializes in these cases? I'm still trying to get through on the phone to schedule my appointment. This whole process has been incredibly stressful after already dealing with the grief of losing a spouse. But reading everyone's experiences here gives me hope that persistence will pay off.

I'm in almost the exact same situation and this thread has been incredibly helpful! I'm a retired federal employee (32 years with the VA) and my husband passed away 3 years ago. I never applied for his $2,400 survivor benefit because my FERS pension of $4,100 would have eliminated it completely under GPO. Reading through everyone's experiences, it's clear that documentation is going to be key. I'm going to dig through my emails to see if I have anything from retirement planning sessions or conversations with my financial advisor about not applying due to GPO. One question for those who have already had their appointments: Are SSA representatives asking for specific forms of documentation, or are they pretty flexible about what counts as evidence that you didn't apply because of GPO? I'm worried I might not have the "right" kind of paperwork. Also, has anyone tried contacting their congressman's office BEFORE their SSA appointment? I'm wondering if getting their office involved early might help ensure the SSA office treats the case more seriously. The waiting and uncertainty is really stressful, especially when we're talking about thousands of dollars in retroactive benefits. But I'm encouraged by some of the success stories mentioned here. We all deserve fair treatment after years of being excluded by this unfair rule!