btw u should apply like 3 months before u want benefits to start cuz processing takes forever these days!!!

One additional consideration: If you're planning to work while receiving benefits and you haven't reached your Full Retirement Age, be aware of the earnings limit ($21,240 in 2025). If you earn over that amount, $1 in benefits will be withheld for every $2 you earn above the limit. This might influence your decision about when to start benefits if you're continuing to work.

Update: I showed my husband all your comments and the SSA link about delayed retirement credits. He was surprised but still skeptical. We logged into his my Social Security account together and looked at his projected benefit amounts at different ages. Seeing the actual dollar difference ($475 more per month if he waits until 70!) finally convinced him. He's now planning to use some of our savings to bridge the gap between 68-70 and wait to claim his Social Security. Thank you everyone for your help explaining this! And special thanks to the person who mentioned the survivor benefit aspect - that was something we hadn't considered at all.

Congratulations on getting through to your husband! That $475/month difference is huge - you're absolutely right to have pushed for this understanding. Just wanted to add one more thing that might be helpful for others reading this thread: if you're using savings to bridge the gap between retirement and claiming SS, make sure you're withdrawing from the right accounts tax-wise. For example, if you have traditional 401k/IRA money, those years before claiming Social Security might be a great time for Roth conversions since your income will be lower. A financial advisor can help optimize which accounts to tap during that 68-70 bridge period. The tax savings could be substantial and make the delayed claiming strategy even more beneficial!

Congratulations on getting your application submitted! That's such a relief when you're worried about timing. Just wanted to add that when SSA calls you for that verification interview, they'll typically ask about your work history and might need clarification on some of the information you provided. Don't worry if you don't remember exact dates - they have access to your earnings record and can help fill in any gaps. The call usually takes about 15-20 minutes and they're pretty helpful about walking you through anything you're unsure about.

Just wanted to chime in as someone who went through this process recently! I applied online in December for a February start and it was surprisingly smooth. The website saves your progress automatically, so you don't have to worry about losing your work if you need to step away. One tip - when they ask about your work history, don't stress if you can't remember every single employer or exact dates. They have your earnings record and will help verify during the follow-up call. The most important thing is getting your application in before the end of March so you can still get that April start date. Also, make sure your bank account info is exactly right for direct deposit - any errors there can cause delays in your first payment. Good luck with your retirement!

You can find the exact reduction percentages on the SSA website here: https://www.ssa.gov/benefits/retirement/planner/agereduction.html For spousal benefits, the reduction is 25/36 of 1% for each month before FRA (up to 36 months) and 5/12 of 1% for each additional month. If you need help with this calculation, you can also call SSA directly or use their retirement calculator on the website.

I'm going through a similar situation and wanted to share what I learned from my SSA appointment last week. The representative explained that even though your husband's current benefit is reduced because he claimed early, your spousal benefit calculation starts with his full PIA (Primary Insurance Amount) - what he would have gotten at full retirement age. So you might actually get more than half of his current $2,150! However, the timing of when YOU claim matters a lot. I'm 64 now and was considering claiming early, but after seeing the reduction calculations, I'm planning to wait until my FRA at 67. The difference is substantial - we're talking about potentially $300-400 less per month for the rest of your life if you claim at 62 versus waiting. One tip: ask SSA for a written estimate showing your benefit amount at different claiming ages. It really helps with the decision-making process!

I'm going through this exact same situation with my wife who was a state employee for 30 years! We applied for her spousal benefits in January and got a number that made no sense to us either. After reading all these responses, I think I understand better now - we weren't aware of the phased implementation at all. The SSA representative we spoke with just said "this is what you qualify for" without any explanation of the transition period or how they calculated it. I'm definitely going to request that detailed benefit calculation that several people mentioned here. It's frustrating that they don't automatically provide this breakdown when the rules are so complex during this transition period. Thanks to everyone who shared their experiences and explanations - this thread has been more helpful than our actual conversation with SSA!

I'm dealing with this exact confusion too! My husband was a postal worker for 35 years and we just got his spousal benefit determination last week. The amount was about 40% less than what we calculated based on the "new rules." After reading through all these explanations, I now understand we're still in the transition period where only 2/3 of the GPO reduction has been eliminated so far. What's really frustrating is that the SSA notice we received didn't mention the phase-in schedule at all - it just stated the benefit amount with no context. I'm going to follow the advice here and request a detailed calculation breakdown. Has anyone had success getting SSA to provide a written explanation that shows exactly how they applied the 2025 phase-in percentages to your specific case? I want to make sure they're using the right formulas before we get to the final phase in 2026.