I'm in a very similar situation! I also claimed at 62 (I'm now 68) and my husband is planning to file next year at his FRA. From what I've learned through my own research and talking to SSA, here's what you can expect: The "top-off" your church friend mentioned is real, but the amount depends on several factors. Since you claimed at 62, your current $1,375 benefit is already reduced from your full PIA. When your husband files, SSA will automatically check if you're eligible for spousal benefits. Here's roughly how it works: They'll take 50% of your husband's PIA (not his actual benefit amount), then reduce that spousal benefit because you claimed early. If that reduced spousal amount plus your current benefit exceeds what you're getting now, you'll get the difference. With your husband's estimated $3,200 benefit, his PIA is probably around $3,000-3,100. Half of that would be $1,500-1,550, but after the early filing reduction on the spousal portion, you might end up with something like $1,500-1,600 total (so maybe a $125-225 increase from your current $1,375). The exact amount really depends on your specific earnings records and your husband's exact PIA, so definitely get that SSA calculation! Good luck - I know how confusing this all is!

I just want to echo what others have said about not being hard on yourself for claiming at 62! I see so many people in these forums beating themselves up about their timing, but honestly, most of us who claimed early did it because we HAD to, not because we wanted to. I was in a similar boat - got laid off at 61, couldn't find decent work that would hire someone my age, and had to claim early just to keep the lights on. Yes, I knew there would be a reduction, but I didn't fully understand how it would affect spousal benefits down the line. The SSA materials don't exactly spell this stuff out in plain English! What I've learned from my own experience and from reading posts like yours is that the spousal benefit "top-off" is usually much smaller than people expect, especially when you've claimed early. But every little bit helps, and at least it's something automatic - you don't have to apply for it separately when your husband files. One thing that might help while you're waiting to get through to SSA: check if your local Social Security office offers in-person appointments. Sometimes that's actually faster than trying to get through on the phone, and they can pull up both your records right there. Just a thought! Best of luck with getting your exact numbers.

Since you started your benefits early at 62 rather than waiting until your FRA, you're receiving a permanently reduced benefit (probably around 70-75% of your full benefit amount). While this isn't related to your earnings limit question, it's worth knowing that any benefits withheld due to exceeding earnings limits don't count toward recovering that reduction. The early claiming reduction is separate from earnings test withholding. When you reach FRA, SSA will adjust your benefit to give you credit for months benefits were completely withheld due to work, but the early claiming reduction remains for life.

I went through something very similar when I reached my FRA a few years ago! The good news is you're getting solid advice here. Just wanted to add that I found it helpful to contact my local SSA office directly rather than calling the main number - the wait times were much shorter and the staff seemed more knowledgeable about these specific situations. One thing that really put my mind at ease was asking them to send me a written confirmation of my earnings limit for 2025. That way I had documentation showing exactly what I could earn before my FRA month. It saved me so much stress! Also, since you're in healthcare, you might want to check if any of your earnings come from tips or other sources that could be treated differently for SSA purposes. Most hospital jobs are straightforward W-2 income, but it's worth double-checking. You're so close to September - hang in there! Once you hit FRA, all this earnings limit stress just disappears completely.

Another thing to consider with your phased retirement timing - if you start the reduced hours in January 2025 instead of July, your total annual earnings would be much lower. Working 3 days a week for the full year would put you around $43,200 annually, but starting mid-year means you'd earn your full salary for 6 months PLUS the reduced amount for 6 months. I'd calculate it like this: $72,000/2 (Jan-June) + $21,600 (July-Dec at 3 days/week) = roughly $57,600 total for 2025. At that income level, you'd still be about $33,600 over the limit, meaning they'd withhold around $16,800 in benefits. Starting the phased retirement in January would save you over $7,000 in withheld benefits! Definitely worth asking HR if you can move up that timeline. The monthly test still probably wouldn't apply since you're staying with the same employer, but the lower annual earnings would make a huge difference.

Just wanted to add one more consideration that hasn't been mentioned yet - don't forget about the tax implications of your timing decision! If you file for Social Security in 2025 while still earning $72k (or even the reduced amount from phased retirement), you'll likely have to pay taxes on a portion of your Social Security benefits too. With your income level, up to 85% of your Social Security benefits could be subject to federal income tax. So even after dealing with the earnings test withholding, you'll still owe taxes on whatever benefits you do receive. This double-hit (withholding + taxes) makes the financial case for waiting until FRA even stronger. I'd definitely recommend running the numbers with a tax professional before making your final decision. Sometimes the "tax strategy" financial advisors suggest for claiming early doesn't work out as well in practice when you factor in both the earnings test AND the tax burden on benefits.

One important thing no one's mentioned yet - when your husband does eventually file (whether at 62 or 70), if your SSDI converts to retirement benefits by then, the SSA will automatically check if he's eligible for the higher of either his own benefit or a spousal benefit. If 50% of your primary insurance amount (PIA) is higher than his own benefit would be, he'll automatically get the higher spousal amount. But with your husband's FRA benefit estimated at $2,700, it's unlikely the spousal benefit would be higher unless your SSDI benefit is over $5,400/month, which would be unusual.

I understand your frustration with getting through to SSA - it's incredibly difficult right now. Just to add one more perspective: even though the restricted application strategy is gone, there might still be some value in having your husband speak with a Social Security representative or a fee-only financial planner who specializes in Social Security optimization. While he can't collect spousal benefits separately, there could be other considerations like survivor benefits planning that might influence timing decisions. With your SSDI situation and his higher expected benefit, maximizing his benefit by waiting until 70 is likely the right move, but getting a personalized analysis could give you both peace of mind that you're making the optimal decision for your specific circumstances. The earnings test issue that Keisha mentioned is also huge - at $85k annually, he'd lose most early benefits anyway due to the earnings limit.

Update: I finally got through to SSA after trying that Claimyr service someone mentioned. The rep explained that since I reported my expected earnings now, they'll reduce my monthly checks for the rest of 2025 instead of stopping them completely. Each check will be about $600 less than normal. Not great, but at least now I can budget for it! She also confirmed I need to submit the SSA-795 form right away. Thanks for all the advice everyone!

That's such great news that you got through and have a plan now! It really shows how important it is to be proactive about reporting expected earnings. I'm dealing with a similar situation myself - went back to work part-time after starting benefits at 62. The uncertainty of not knowing when or how they'll adjust your payments is the worst part. For anyone else reading this, I'd definitely recommend getting that SSA-795 form submitted ASAP if you think you'll exceed the earnings limit. Having $600 less per month is definitely manageable compared to suddenly having NO check for two months like some people experienced. Thanks for updating us on how it worked out!