When you apply for retirement benefits, the SSA will ask if you've ever been married and if any spouse has died. Be honest about this, but you can explain that you want to apply for your own benefits now and potentially survivor benefits later. They'll make a note in your record. Just be clear about your intention, and they'll process your retirement claim without waiting for the survivor documentation.

Just wanted to add a practical tip from my own experience - when you do apply for your retirement benefits, ask the SSA representative to put a note in your file about your potential future survivor benefit claim. This can help streamline the process later when you're ready to apply for survivor benefits, since they'll already have context about your situation. Also, since your husband worked mostly in state government jobs, you might want to check if he had a state pension that could affect your survivor benefits through the Government Pension Offset. Even if the survivor benefit ends up being small, having all the information will help you make the best decision when the time comes. Good luck with your application process!

When you apply, be very clear about your CSRS pension. They'll ask about government pensions not covered by Social Security. Bring documentation showing your CSRS pension amount. Be prepared to wait for processing - these GPO cases often take longer to calculate. Don't be surprised if they request additional information after your initial application. Based on what you've shared, there's a good chance you'll receive some survivor benefits, even after the GPO reduction. Your husband's 40+ years of substantial earnings means his benefit was likely significant enough that even after a $2,800 reduction, you may still receive a monthly payment worth pursuing.

That's great news that you got through to SSA! Looking forward to hearing how your appointment goes. For others reading this thread who might be in similar situations, this is a perfect example of why it's worth applying even when GPO seems discouraging. With a CSRS pension of $4,200/month and a husband who had 40+ years of substantial Social Security earnings, there's a real possibility of receiving meaningful survivor benefits after the GPO reduction. The key takeaways here are: 1) Apply as soon as possible (benefits only go back 6 months), 2) Don't wait until 70 since survivor benefits don't increase after FRA, and 3) Be persistent about getting through to SSA - services like Claimyr can help bypass the phone wait times. Good luck with your appointment!

my mom went thru this last year with my dad...the hospice social worker helped her with all the ss paperwork before he passed which was super helpful maybe ask if they have someone who can assist you?

I'm sorry for what your family is going through. One additional thing to keep in mind - if your mom was receiving spousal benefits based on your dad's record instead of her own work record, the situation would be different. But since she's already receiving her own higher benefit ($2,450 vs $1,750), she'll continue getting that amount. Just make sure when you contact SSA to report the death, you specifically ask them to confirm that her payments will continue uninterrupted. Sometimes there can be brief processing delays, so it's good to get written confirmation of what to expect.

Just wanted to add another perspective here - while waiting until FRA definitely maximizes the monthly benefit amount, don't forget to factor in the "break-even" analysis. If your wife claims at 65, she'll receive 12+ months of benefits before she would have received anything by waiting until FRA. Those early payments can add up to around $11,000+ (using the $917/month example from earlier). It takes about 11-12 years of receiving the higher FRA payment to "break even" with taking the reduced benefit early. If she's in good health and expects to live well into her 80s, waiting makes sense. But if there are health concerns or you need the income now, claiming at 65 might still be the right choice. Just make sure you're looking at the complete picture, not just the monthly payment difference!

As someone who's been researching Social Security benefits for my own family, I wanted to add that it's also worth considering whether your wife has any gaps in her work history or lower-earning years that might affect her own benefit calculation. Sometimes people are surprised to find their own retirement benefit is higher than they expected, which could change the spousal benefit calculation. Also, if your wife is still working, she should be aware of the earnings test - if she claims benefits before her FRA and continues to work, her benefits might be temporarily reduced if she earns over the annual limit ($22,320 for 2024). The SSA will give those benefits back later, but it's something to factor into your timing decision. Definitely recommend she create that my Social Security account mentioned earlier to get the most accurate benefit estimates for both scenarios!

One additional consideration: tax implications. Since both of you are working and potentially drawing Social Security, be aware of how this might affect the taxation of your benefits. Up to 85% of your Social Security benefits can be taxable depending on your combined income. This is another reason why delaying benefits while you continue to work can be advantageous - you avoid having benefits that would be subject to higher taxation during your working years.

Just wanted to add my experience as someone who went through this exact scenario two years ago. I was born in 1958 (so subject to the new rules) and my spouse had already maximized her benefit at 70. I initially thought I could be clever and collect spousal benefits first, but quickly learned that's no longer possible for our birth year cohort. What really helped me make the decision was running the break-even analysis. Even though waiting until 70 meant giving up 3+ years of benefits, the higher monthly amount ($600 more in your case) meant I'd break even around age 82-83. Given life expectancy and the fact that we didn't immediately need the income, it was a no-brainer to wait. Also worth mentioning - I kept working part-time until 70, and those continued earnings actually boosted my final benefit calculation slightly since they replaced some lower-earning years from earlier in my career. The SSA recalculates your benefit annually if you continue working, so that's a nice bonus on top of the delayed retirement credits. The peace of mind knowing I maximized our household's guaranteed income for life was worth the wait. Best of luck with your decision!