Quick question related to this - I'm 63 and taking SS early but still working part time. Is it the same for me? Will they recalculate my benefits if I'm earning good money now?

Just wanted to add my experience - I was in almost the exact same situation as you two years ago. Hit FRA in March 2023, started benefits in May, and worked through December making about $180k that year. The automatic recalculation did happen, but like others mentioned, it took until December 2024 to see the increase. My monthly benefit went up by $147, which replaced one of my zero-earning years from the early 1990s when I was out of the workforce. One thing I learned is that you can actually check your Social Security Statement online at ssa.gov to see if your most recent year's earnings have been posted. They usually update it by late summer/early fall after you file your taxes. It's worth checking to make sure your high earnings year shows up correctly in their system! The wait is frustrating, but the automatic system does work eventually. Good luck with your continued work - sounds like you're making a smart financial move!

Just sharing my experience - I'm getting survivor benefits now at age 66 (my FRA) after taking my own reduced benefits at 62. When my husband passed last year, SSA automatically gave me the higher amount (his benefit). I didn't have to do anything special because they already had his death certificate from the funeral home. Maybe it varies by state though.

One thing that hasn't been mentioned yet is that you might want to consider using the SSA's online benefit calculators before making your final decision. The Retirement Estimator can show you exactly how much your benefit would be reduced by filing at 63 versus waiting until FRA. Since you mentioned your husband's benefit will be about 60% higher than yours, you can also estimate his survivor benefit amount if he waits until 70. Having those specific dollar amounts will help you make a more informed decision about whether the early filing strategy makes sense for your household. The calculators are free on ssa.gov and don't require creating an account.

After you submit the withdrawal form, make sure you get written confirmation that it was processed! When I did mine, I assumed everything was fine until I suddenly got a direct deposit three weeks later. Turned out they had a backlog and hadn't processed my withdrawal. Created a huge headache having to return the payment.

Hey Genevieve! Just wanted to add that timing is really critical here. Since you mentioned you applied back in March and it's now nearly April, your first payment could be processed any day now. The SSA typically processes retirement applications within 3-4 months, so you're right at that window. I'd recommend calling first thing Monday morning (or using that Claimyr service others mentioned) to get the ball rolling on your withdrawal ASAP. Even if you can't get through by phone immediately, I'd also suggest going to your local office in person with the SSA-521 form as a backup plan. Better to have multiple approaches going than risk missing your window! Good luck with the new job - sounds like a great opportunity!

Thanks to everyone for all the helpful advice! I spoke with SSA yesterday (and yes, I did use Claimyr to get through quickly). The agent confirmed everything about the ABLE account and helped me understand exactly how my daughter's earnings will affect her SSI payment. I'm relieved to know she can save for her future while still maintaining some benefits and especially keeping her Medicaid. We're setting up the ABLE account this weekend, and I've started documenting all her hearing-related work expenses for those IRWE deductions. The agent said her benefits will decrease some, but with the combination of part-time work and reduced SSI, she'll actually have more monthly income overall, which is wonderful. Thanks again for helping us navigate this complicated system!

That's wonderful news! It sounds like you've got a great plan in place. Your daughter is so lucky to have an advocate like you helping her navigate this system. The fact that she'll end up with more monthly income overall while keeping Medicaid is exactly what the work incentive programs are designed to achieve. One small tip for the ABLE account - many programs offer automatic investment options if you're not comfortable managing investments yourself. Ohio's STABLE Account has some really user-friendly options for beginners. Best of luck to your daughter with her new job! It's great to see someone successfully transitioning to work while maintaining the safety net of benefits. Stories like yours give hope to other families in similar situations.

I'm so glad you found this information helpful! As someone who went through a similar situation, I wanted to add one more important point: when you call SSA, make sure to specifically ask about the "deemed filing" rules since you're already receiving SSDI. Sometimes the SSA representatives aren't familiar with how SSDI interacts with spousal benefits, so you might want to mention that you understand you can receive the higher of either your SSDI amount or the spousal benefit amount, but not both in full. Also, since you're 62, ask them to calculate both what you'd get now versus what you'd get if you waited until your full retirement age - sometimes the math works out better to wait depending on your specific situation. One last thing - if the first person you talk to seems uncertain about the rules, politely ask to speak with a supervisor or specialist. These cases can be complex and not every rep handles them regularly. Wishing you the best of luck with this process!

I'm a newcomer here but wanted to share what I learned when I helped my neighbor with a similar situation last year. One thing that hasn't been mentioned yet is that you should ask SSA about any potential "government pension offset" (GPO) or "windfall elimination provision" (WEP) that might affect your benefits. These rules can reduce Social Security benefits if you receive certain types of pensions, though they typically apply to government pensions rather than SSDI. Also, since you mentioned being in Florida now, you might want to check if there's a local SSA field office near you. Sometimes it's easier to get help in person, especially for complex cases like yours where you're dealing with both SSDI and potential ex-spousal benefits. You can find local offices on the SSA website. One more tip: if your ex-husband's earnings were significantly higher than yours (which sounds likely given the potential benefit amounts others have mentioned), this could be a game-changer for your monthly budget. Don't get discouraged if the first call doesn't go smoothly - persistence really pays off with SSA. Good luck!